This blog was written by our Spring Marketing & Communications Intern, Kaylee Blaylock.
Earth Month is a special time for us here at EarthHero and it’s a great opportunity to connect with others that share a common vision of protecting our planet.
During Earth Month this year, we partnered with Ocean Blue Project. For a week in April, we donated $1 per order which helped clean up 1 pound of ocean plastic through Ocean Blue’s Microplastics Recovery Program. With the help of our shoppers, we were able to clean up over 2,500 lbs of plastic!
Who is Ocean Blue Project
Ocean Blue Project is an Oregon-based, environmental non-profit, as well as a fellow 1% For The Planet member, that strives to restore the world’s oceans, beaches, and rivers through volunteer work, education, and activism. Ocean Blue Project was founded in 2012 by the father-and-son duo, Richard and Fleet Arterbury, who are tribal members of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. “Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Link Our Core Values Of Optimism, Collaboration, Equality, Action, And Nobility Together.” The organization works with hundreds of donors that support plastic recovery projects as well as hosts clean-ups all over the United States. Each donation allows volunteers to plant native trees, remove plastic from oceans, and save endangered marine species. What an incredible mission!
Ocean Blue has recovered over 192,000 pounds of plastic since its creation in 2012.
What Makes Them Different
By 2050, there will be more plastic in the sea than fish…let that sink in.
Ocean Blue Project is dedicated to protecting our One World Ocean through community-based solutions and youth education. They’re making a wave of difference by removing a 1 pound of plastic debris from the ocean for every $1 that is donated, but they don’t stop there. Through their Microplastics Recovery Project, much of the plastic waste that is collected can be given a new life with the help of volunteers, beach cleaning machines, and technology! Ocean Blue Project collaborates with companies that make these saved plastics into new products or packaging like bottles, skateboards, buttons, and so much more. This not only helps produce less plastic but keeps it out of landfills. Talk about closing the loop! All the plastic that is collected comes with data that helps the team understand where the plastic waste is coming from and how to create solutions to keep it out of our oceans.
Youth education is important for empowering the next generation with the right tools to succeed. Ocean Blue Project does just that with their very own Blue Schools that educate K-12 with ecology and sustainability-based curriculum. Through Blue Schools, students are shown the importance of their local watersheds, pollutants in the water system, the health of their environment, and much more! The ecology-based curriculum contains four main segments – classroom learning, STEM lessons at home, outdoor field experience, and community clean-up programs. This is such a great opportunity to help young adults engage in learning and improving the wildlife habitat near them.
EarthHero x Ocean Blue Project
Starting April 17, we’re partnering with Ocean Blue Project to donate $1 per order to help clean up 5lbs of plastic off of local beaches with their Microplastics Recovery Program.
Click here to read more about Nonprofit Spotlights and their impacts on the world!
