Mahahual, MX

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In November 2019, Menos Plástico es Fantástico began beach cleanings at Playa Punta Herradura and Punta Herradura South subsidized by Positive Legacy's grant funding. Over the course of the year, 50 beach cleanups were carried out and 8,450lbs of garbage was collected. Work continued through the COVID-19 pandemic, and thanks to Positive Legacy, the community was financially supported. This was monumental for local families as the town of Mahahual is economically dependent on the cruise ship industry, and with the cruise port being closed, most jobs were lost.


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We are also thrilled to report that while only one turtle nest was found on the 200-meter stretch of beach in 2018, with the local initiative to start cleanups, 12 nests were found in 2018. As the crew continued cleaning with the financial support of Positive Legacy, the number of turtle nests doubled, and there are now 24 known nests.

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You can read the final report by Menos Plástico es Fantástico AC, here:​

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE!

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Positive Legacy provided a $13,000 grant to Menos Plástico es Fansástico in 2019 to aid in their beach cleaning, plastic removing, turtle habitat saving mission. The funds will support a weekly beach cleanup of 100+ kilometers of virgin beaches to the North & South of Mahahual in order to catch plastics before they breakdown into micro plastics and enter our food chain. Through the program, Menos Plástico is creating jobs within their community, benefitting our environment and the community alike.

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Translated to “Less Plastics is Fantastic,” this initiative was established by Mahahual community members with the intention of spreading consciousness within our community by showing the impacts consumer consumptions have on their oceans and beaches. The community of Mahahual and Costa Maya is a stretch of Caribbean coastline located at the Southern tip of Quintana Roo, Mexico which was once a quiet village that relied solely on fishing lobster, conch and fish. Since the Costa Maya Port was completed in 2002, the local economy drastically became dependent on tourism. Today, the port brings in hundreds of thousands of tourists annually (pre-COVID-19). Over the past two decades, the community has seen the direct impact of plastics and consumer waste on their beaches and surrounding ecosystems. Menos Plástico feels strongly that the local community and tourists must learn and understand the importance of preserving our fragile ecosystem, and that we must move towards sustainable, ecologically friendly tourism together. With Positive Legacy’s grant, they are educating their community members on waste management and sustainability. The funding has provided workers compensation for 52 weeks of beach cleanups, employing and educating locals to see firsthand the issues that need to be changed. 

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To learn more, please visit https://www.menosplasticoesfantastico.com