🚣🏽‍♀️ From Kayak to Movement: One Marine Debris Cleanup at a Time

One Kayak, 75 Pounds of Trash, and a Movement That’s Changing Miami

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How did a solo marine debris cleanup turn into a city-wide call to action? Watch or listen to our latest Interview with Dave Doebler of VolunteerCleanup.org.

On a quiet Sunday morning in Biscayne Bay, Dave Doebler set out alone in his kayak, as he often did. But this time, his mission wasn’t just to paddle. He had started to notice something that didn’t belong—trash. And not just a few bottles or bags.

“I came back one day with 75 pounds of trash loaded in my kayak,” Dave recalls. “My wife snaps the picture and says, ‘We either need to get you some more friends to help or a bigger boat.’”

That snapshot became a turning point. It wasn’t just a pile of trash—it was a sign, and Dave didn’t look away. What began as a personal ritual evolved into something much larger: a grassroots movement built around action, awareness, and community.

From Solo Mission to Shared Purpose

Doebler co-founded VolunteerCleanup.org to connect people to local cleanups and inspire them to protect their backyards.

“We are building a grassroots movement around people coming out and leading and joining cleanups,” he explains in our latest Opportunity Miami Interview.

The organization offers tools, resources, and a central hub to find or host events. But its real engine is the people. Over the years, thousands of volunteers have rolled up their sleeves and joined. Corporate teams, families, tourists, and students—many of whom never imagined themselves as environmental stewards—have stepped in.

A Shift in Purpose

After nearly three decades in cybersecurity, Doebler stepped away from corporate life to pursue a deeper purpose.

“I was fortunate enough to make the choice to focus on outcome over income,” he said. “We looked at our lifestyle and what we wanted to accomplish—and realized it was time to invest in something that truly mattered.”

For Doebler, that meant building a platform where one person’s action could inspire community-wide change.

More Than Picking Up Trash

While cleanups are the visible part of the mission, they are not the finish line; they are the spark.

“You walk away asking, what else can we do?” he noted.

Miami’s economic future and environmental well-being are inseparable. According to the 2023 Biscayne Bay Economic Study, Biscayne Bay alone contributes $64 billion in annual economic activity. Its clean water and natural beauty support everything from tourism and real estate to marine life and recreation. As a city built on water, we rely on clean coastlines, thriving marine life, and resilient ecosystems not just for beauty but also for jobs, tourism, and safety.

“If we are going to be a world-class city, we got to clean it up. We also need to be a clean city,” he emphasized.

Leading From the Ground Up

VolunteerCleanup.org now supports hundreds of events each year. Some are led by companies rethinking their impact. Others come from residents who never thought they’d lead a cleanup, but did.

“We need to start with our individual behaviors first. Then expand our sphere of influence… We all have a role to play,” Doebler added.

When Opportunity Miami asks, What kind of city do we want to be by 2040?—Dave Doebler’s story offers a powerful answer rooted in action, awareness, and community.

“Cleanups help people connect,” he said. “Not just to nature, but to each other. We need to make the investments today to really leave the kind of legacy that we wanted to leave.”

Want to be part of the solution?

Powered by the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, Opportunity Miami is helping our community build our future by elevating bold ideas, engaging deeply, and energizing solutions that turn vision into action.

📣 Follow @OpportunityMiami to discover how your choices today shape the Miami of tomorrow.
👉 Visit VolunteerCleanup.org to join an event or start your own.

Education as Economic Power

Seats are limited for our upcoming conversation on the economics of investing in education. Register here if you would like to join us on April 23rd at Miami Dade College for the event featuring our Academic Leaders Council and The Helios Education Foundation.

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