Volunteers clean up Siesta Beach on World Oceans Day

Plastic bottles, paper cups and cigarette butts all met their match as hundreds of volunteers armed with burlap sacks scoured the sands of Siesta Key Beach Saturday. 

Yasmin Parsloe and Tara Caguiat, ocean advocates behind beach.com — a travel website that promotes vacations to beach destinations — helped organize a beach clean up in partnership with the city in honor of World Oceans Day. 

World Oceans Day began in 2008 as a way to raise awareness about the role the ocean plays in everyday life. 

After participating in sunrise yoga and hearing from city officials on the benefits of clean water, participants grabbed their bags and tried to fill them to the brim. 

Garbage was compiled in one area so participants could see how much was collected throughout the day. 

In addition to collecting trash, volunteers could play games, participate in a raffle and listen to music from The Garbage-Men, a band that plays on instruments made entirely of trash. 

Other celebrations and cleanups were held at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and New Pass.