Off the coast of Delaware, close to Washington D.C., a group of volunteers is collecting oyster shells discarded by restaurants and is giving them a new life in the marine ecosystem.
This waste is collected and taken to recycling areas where it is stacked and prepared. The shells are not sent to landfills, but are packed in sacks to be returned to the ocean, helping to form natural reefs that protect the shores from storms and serve as habitats for marine species.
Oysters not only serve as food, but also as natural water filters, helping to clean water sources. In addition to the initiative’s ecological benefits, there is an economic benefit, as this action promotes local oyster farming, by encouraging the recovery of marine populations in the region, reducing the need to import them from distant places.