🌊 Communities Rise for Clean Water
Across the land, something wonderful is happening on the shores of seas, rivers, and streams. People of all ages and backgrounds are showing up to clean up.
From Oregon’s rugged coastline to Florida’s sun-soaked waters, Waterway Lovers are proving that stewardship is a relationship. Often, passing from one generation to the next.
At Ocean Blue Project, we see this labor of love every day. Our volunteers, students, and business partners remind us that protecting our One World Ocean starts with local action and grows through community engagement. Ocean Blue Project is dedicated to ocean cleanup, plastic pollution removal, and the restoration of healthy waterways nationwide.
🌲 Volunteers Rock the Boat
Stewardship Rooted In Memory
On May 9th, at Indian Beach in Ecola State Park, 6 volunteers gathered at high tide and worked their way down the shore as the ocean slowly withdrew.
For Crew Leader Melanie G., the cleanup was personal. She has decades of memories tied to the beach. Cleaning it was less of a task and more of a return gift. As her group cleaned the sand, she shared stories of milestones that had occurred there.
That day, they removed 200 pieces of debris, weighing 9 pounds.
Melanie’s story shows that caring for a place can be an act of gratitude, a motivation we should use.
Youth Leadership in Action
From Fort Myers Beach to Sanibel Island, volunteers (many connected to Florida Gulf Coast University) came together to save their part of the Gold Coast.
Among them was our youngest Crew Leader, six-year-old Victor C. For him, the cleanup was an “Easter egg hunt for trash.” His enthusiasm was infectious.
Nearby, at Bonita Beach, environmental advocate Taylor M. led volunteers to collect 1.6 pounds of debris. It sounds small, but the result was clear: cleaner beaches, healthier habitats for wildlife, and a growing culture of conservation.
These youth-led efforts shape the next generation of environmental leaders, one cleanup at a time.
🏢 Businesses Who Show Up
When Community and Commitment Combine
In Fort Lauderdale, the Serve With Liberty program showed what happens when community, corporate leadership, and purpose align.
Guided by Bertha Penenori, volunteers removed 226 pounds of debris from local beaches over 2 action-packed days.
Corporate teams like Serve With Liberty are among our most consistent champions of clean waterways, proving business leaders can deliver beyond the workplace.
Good Tide x Wyld: A Partnership Built on Purpose
Last August 1, 20 Good Tide volunteers gathered at Cannon Beach, Oregon, where forests, sand, and sea meet.
In just one day, they removed:
- 58 pounds of debris
- 1,000+ individual pieces, including plastic fragments, Styrofoam, cigarette butts, and food wrappers—most found along the wrack line and where grasses meet sand.
This cleanup was part of a 3-year partnership launched in 2024, in which Wyld brands committed to sponsoring the removal of 100,000 pounds of debris each year (2024–2026).
Good Tide’s employees continue to show up enthusiastically, exemplifying excellent corporate stewardship.
Strengthening the Movement Behind the Scenes
Through a Catchafire-brokered project, Eagle Creek Partners helped us keep new volunteers coming and existing ones returning. Their work included:
- Design of a points-&-levels scheme to recognize volunteers
- Strategies to retain volunteers
- Strengthening social media & brand awareness
- Strategizing for long-term fundraising.
Behind-the-scenes partnerships like this ensure our movement stays strong as we expand.
💙 Join the Waterway Lovers
Zooming out, we get:
- 250,000+ pounds removed in 2025
- 2.1+ million pounds removed since 2024
- 3.2+ million pounds removed over our lifetime.
Every plastic piece removed is a labor of love. Whether you are a volunteer, a student, a business, or a nonprofit, Ocean Blue Project invites you to join our mission. Together, we will restore our rivers, streams, beaches, and our One World Ocean by removing ocean plastic and marine debris for a cleaner, healthier planet.
Join Ocean Blue Project and help clean our One World Ocean.
