Our oceans and waterways and the marine life they support are integral to our lives and people are wondering how to stop plastic pollution in the ocean. And they’re being threatened by plastic. We are raising awareness through CleanUps and raising Earth Day donations of $100,000 to recover 500,000 pounds of plastic and debris from our one world ocean and you can take part.
Earth Day pledges and donations toward Earth Month and open all month of April long include Common Heir, RainMaker AdVentures, EarthHero, Swag Bar, CarStickers, Thibaut, Next Level Burger, ZenWTR, Southern Glazer Wine & Spirits and more along with individual donors like you = so far $50,528.00 in pledges to support the removal of over 250,000 pounds of plastic and debris in 2023.
This year, Ocean Blue is also in collaboration with Earth Day Oregon and in honor of the state where Ocean Blue was founded in 2012.
Ocean Blue is a 1% for the Planet nonprofit partner and collaborates with many business partners through this effort too.
United Nations has declared this the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, or the “Ocean Decade.” Join our Earth Day campaign in your local community by leading a CleanUp Crew. You’ll be helping our environment and precious ocean ecosystem when you lead your own group of volunteers or donate to support Ocean Blue Project’s mission to recover 5 million pounds of plastic and debris by the middle of the UN Ocean Decade.
Those who give an Earth Day donation of $50 or more will become Annual Members of Ocean Blue Project get a free reusable water bottle donated by Healthy Human.
And if you contribute during Earth Month, you’ll be entered to choose from prizes generously donated by contributors listed below. Also, give $50 or more and you will receive a reusable Ocean Blue water bottle donated by Healthy Human.
You’ll have a chance to win exciting prizes by giving $100 or more during Earth Week! Signup for our newsletter below for details and congratulations to Mark Bledsoe of Nashville, the prize winner of our Annual Save the Waves campaign including products generously gifted by Patagonia, SiiZu, Badger Balm, Healthy Human and more.
You can also opt for an annual corporate donation and join the list of organizations supporting our mission through sponsorships and donations.
And while we have plenty to share about the exciting plans we have in store, it is always important to take a step back and reflect upon the work put in to get us to this point today.
Let us rewind to the 1960s when three pivotal events took place: Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller Silent Spring had been published, the Santa Barbara, California oil spill just happened, and less than half a year after the oil fire on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio occurred. These events and many others led people to prioritize the environment, raise awareness, and make their voices heard.
Carson’s masterpiece, Silent Spring, explained the harmful effects chemical pesticides — a large part of agriculture in the United States — had on the planet. She detailed how pesticides such as DDT made their way up the food chain — from killing bugs to birds to even sickening children. This book played a crucial part in raising awareness regarding environmental deterioration.
Both disasters garnered plenty of media coverage, which was uncommon with previous events. People saw first-hand the damage from these environmental disasters from video footage and photographs taken in Santa Barbara of oil-soaked birds, deceased fish, and blackened beaches ridden with oil.
The second incident occurred five months later in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland was one of the oil refining centers in the United States, and its waterways were constantly in use. The Cuyahoga River oil fire only lasted for 30 minutes; however, within those 30 minutes, there was plenty of media coverage — even Time magazine covered the disaster.
In 1969, with inspiration from the anti-Vietnam War teach-ins, taking place across college campuses in the United States, Senator Gaylord Nelson was one of the leaders to develop Earth Day. He was ready for change. At a conference in Seattle, Nelson spoke about the concept of Earth Day and invited everyone to get involved.
A young activist from Stanford named Denis Hayes had been selected as the national coordinator for Earth Day. Hayes worked alongside student volunteers and staff members from Senator Gaylord Nelson’s cabinet to make Earth Day a success.
Local communities and hundreds of schools fueled by pure passion led to the massive number of participants on the first Earth Day in 1970. Over 20 million people across the United States raised awareness to process our planet.
Today, Earth Day is celebrated by over 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. The theme for Earth Day 2023 is “Invest in Our Planet.” What would it look like for the Ocean if we all offset our plastic use and invest in a clean world ocean? What if we all give $1 in Earth Day donations to Ocean Blue for every 5 pounds of plastic we use so Ocean Blue can recover a pound for every $1? How much less plastic would that look like for marine wildlife that call the ocean home?
Did you know the ocean covers over 71% of the Earth’s surface?
Take a moment to visualize that.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of Ocean Exploration explains that “the ocean influences weather and climate by storing solar radiation, distributing heat and moisture around the globe, and driving weather systems.”
We would be remiss not to give a special shoutout to a few notable members of our ocean — the plankton and the whales. Whales and phytoplankton contribute to over half of Earth’s oxygen. Over half! How amazing is that?!
As you know, we can talk about the ocean all day. We love our vast, mysterious, salt-water haven, and we want to do all we can to protect and restore it. This Earth Day, and every day, we hope you join us.
Now that we’re all caught up to speed, let’s talk about this year’s events. What are our plans for Earth Day 2023? We are glad you asked! We have plenty in store with our partners this year, and we hope you can Go Beyond Green in 2023 and Go Blue!
Below, please find our agenda and let us know if you have any questions, ideas, or partnerships you would like to contribute:
Remember, when you give $100 or more during Earth Week, April 17th through April 23rd, you will be entered to win one of three prizes donated by our generous business partners along the west coast places we love to clean up:
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