MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — In 2021, ABC Action News first told you about an 11-year-old girl living in Maderia Beach who created her own non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the environment. Now, at 15 years old, Trash Turtles is still going strong.
Once a month, Caymus Maxson visits beaches and parks throughout her hometown of Madeira Beach to clean up her community. She said Trash Turtles is much more than just a nonprofit—it’s a lifestyle.
WATCH Madeira Beach teen saving the planet one piece of trash at a time
When Maxson started Trash Turtles as a 10-year-old in 2020, it was mainly her and her family picking up litter at the beach. Fast forward five years, and the non-profit has gained hundreds of volunteers picking up an estimated 10 tons of trash.
“It’s really important to take pride in your hometown because it’s where you live, it’s where you grow up, it’s where people come to visit from far away, and they want to have this beautiful, enjoyable experience. So, if you can, provide that with a warm smile or keeping the beaches clean,” said Maxson.
Maxson said you don’t have to start your own organization or even attend a cleanup to make a difference. Just follow one simple lesson: “Leave With Three.”
“Wherever you go—home, school, work—pick up three pieces of trash, and if we all did that, we would make the biggest dent,” said Maxson.
Maxson's conservation efforts have even brought her celebrity status with her friends.
“Most of the time, they think it’s the coolest thing ever. They are like, ‘You’ve been on the news, you’ve been doing cleanups, you’ve been doing all these wonderful things.' They are like, ‘You must feel so proud.' I’m like, ‘It’s fun, I have a great time doing this. It’s super enjoyable,'" said Maxson.
Maxson was even appointed to the Jane Goodall National Roots and Shoots Youth Council, working with like-minded kids from around the country. Who knows, she may even inspire the next 10-year-old to create their own non-profit.
“It makes me feel nice that someone cares about the environment because some people just leave stuff around and that’s just not good for the environment,” said Lane Coleman, who is about to turn 10.
Maxson's main focus right now may be Maderia Beach, but she has much bigger plans for the future.
“There is a lot of trash in the atmosphere around Earth, from satellites to old rocket parts from the 60s, to pretty much everything. So if we can figure out a successful and sustainable way to keep trash out of our atmosphere, we can hopefully find a sustainable and safe way to keep trash off the planet,” said Maxson.
"These should be freak accidents, not a natural disaster"
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