Disney Cruise Line Celebrates Earth Month

What do picking up trash along the beach, reading to elementary students, caring for animals and enjoying a beautiful nature stroll all have in common? They are the many ways our cast and crew members gave back to local communities and celebrated Earth Month throughout April.

Earlier this week, a group of cast members based in Port Canaveral volunteered to pick up trash at a nearby beach in honor of Earth Month. Debbie, an embarkation service coordinator, was a part of the effort. She shared that she wanted to get involved since Disney Cruise Line calls Port Canaveral home — these beaches are our backyard! Over the years, our cast and crew members have come together to remove more than 31,000 pounds of debris from local beaches and waterways by participating in regular beach cleanups.

Here's a look at Debbie and the many other cast members in action.

The message of conservation was shared in local Caribbean port communities, too. Crew members visited schools in St. Thomas and Nassau to read to the children about how taking small actions can make a big difference for the environment. In Cozumel and Nassau, crew members also donated their time to care for furry friends at local humane societies.

Onboard, our guests were able to join the festivities. Many walked alongside crew members in the tenth annual"Walk for Wildlife," a two-mile stroll on Castaway Cay, Disney's private island in the Bahamas, or onboard on Deck 4. In honor of all who participated, the Disney Conservation Fund made a special contribution to the World Wildlife Fund to help wild pandas and snow leopards. On Earth Day, guests were able to enjoy a special "Green Carpet PremEAR" to see the latest Disneynature film "Born in China." And just for kids, we hosted an Earth Day party in the Oceaneer Lab where they were able to make recycled-product crafts and play environmental games.

Although April is coming to end, at Disney Cruise Line we're focused on environmental initiatives that minimize our impact on the environment year around. You can learn more about the many ways we conserve energy onboard in our latest Behind the Waves episode.