Ocean Wise and Tru Earth launch local cleanups along American shorelines
VANCOUVER, B.C. – With an estimated 115 lbs of single-use plastics waste generated per-American per year – the weight of the world’s largest octopus species, the North Pacific Giant Octopus – addressing plastic waste is a critical cause for our planet and our oceans. While some of this waste is recycled much of it leaks into our oceans, rivers and lakes creating serious environmental issues. That’s why Tru Earth has teamed up with Ocean Wise, a globally renowned conservation organization, to launch the Great American Shoreline Cleanup on International Coastal Cleanup Day, September 18th. This new program will expand Ocean Wise’s successful shoreline cleanup program to the US and enable millions more people to get involved in combatting ocean plastics.
Ocean Wise’s innovative shoreline cleanup program, which has been active in Canada for over 25 years, engages citizen scientists – including schools, non-profits, community groups, businesses and individuals – to clean their local shorelines while collecting important data on the number, weight and type of litter items found. This data is fed into Ocean Wise’s database and shared locally and internationally to inform litter-related policy. Municipal single-use reduction strategies, analysis on the impacts of foam docks and actions to ban unnecessary single-use plastics have all been influenced by shoreline cleanup data.
Ocean Wise and Tru Earth had planned to be in California to launch the first Great American Shoreline Cleanup on September 18th, but COVID restrictions made this impossible. Instead Brad Liski, CEO of Tru Earth, and Lasse Gustavsson, CEO of Ocean Wise, joined together with staff and volunteers from their two organizations to clean a local beach in Vancouver, Canada.
“Although Ocean Wise and Tru Earth are both based in Canada, we wanted to extend our efforts to work with partners in Texas and California” says Brad Liski, CEO of Tru Earth. “Together, we’re making the first Great American Shoreline Cleanup a reality. We believe that each one of us has a role to play in saving the planet. Maybe that means changing your habits to reduce single-use plastics, and maybe it means rolling up your sleeves to take part in a shoreline cleanup, like the ones that will soon be taking place in Texas and California.”
Plastic pollution on our shorelines is a serious environmental issue in the US – and worldwide. Its effects are far-reaching – from entangling and choking wildlife, to being ingested by wild animals, to negatively impacting water quality and cleanliness. Plastic has now been found in our food, our drinking water and even our bodies, causing growing concern about the impacts on human health. Shoreline cleanups are a way to address this.
“For several years now we have been approached by groups in the US who want to lead cleanups on their shorelines” adds Lasse Gustavsson, CEO of Ocean Wise. “What sets our cleanups apart is that the data collected feeds into a much larger analysis that helps us to better understand where shoreline litter comes from. Now, thanks to a three-year commitment from Tru Earth, we know Ocean Wise will be able to bring shoreline cleanups to the US. We wish we could be in Texas and California to celebrate International Coastal Cleanup Day but COVID restrictions make that difficult, so we’re relying on you.”
To help Americans to pitch-in with style, Tru Earth will be providing a co-branded t-shirt and a 32-pack of fragrance-free laundry strips for the first 1,000 people to sign-up to participate in a shoreline clean-up. Pitch-in, pick-up and please help spread the word that Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanups are coming to the United States. If you’re in California or Texas, please consider leading a cleanup of your own.
Register to lead a cleanup today at shorelinecleanup.org.
Ocean Wise Great American Shoreline Cleanup®
The Ocean Wise Great American Shoreline Cleanup, presented by founding partner Tru Earth, is an extension of one of the largest direct-action conservation programs in Canada. Shoreline Cleanup aims to promote understanding of shoreline litter issues by engaging citizen scientists in data collection and shoreline rehabilitation through cleanups. Shorelinecleanup.org
Ocean Wise®
Ocean Wise is a globally focused conservation organization with the vision of a world in which oceans are healthy and flourishing. We’re focused on tackling three major ocean challenges: overfishing, ocean pollution and climate change through research, education and direct-action conservation programs. Ocean Wise’s Plastic Free Oceans initiative seeks to rid the ocean of harmful plastic through programs including Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, the Microfiber Partnership, the Plastic Wise Pledge and the Plastic Reduction Program aimed at restaurants and food service businesses. Ocean Wise is based in Vancouver with staff and initiatives across Canada. Ocean.org
Facebook: oceanwise | Instagram: @oceanwise | Twitter: @Oceanwise #BePlasticWise
Tru Earth®
Tru Earth, based in Vancouver, Canada, is a leading eco-friendly household product company committed to eliminating plastic from landfills and oceans. The Tru Earth team joins more than a half a million equally committed people in 64 countries to combat the 645 billion plastic household product containers dumped in landfills and oceans globally each year. Tru Earth’s suite of products and planned launches come with a pledge to provide #TruChangeMakers with laundry, bathroom and kitchen products they need to make a substantial impact on the health of our world. www.tru.earth
Facebook: TruEarthMovement | Instagram @TruEarthMovement | Twitter @TruEarthLaundry #TruChangeMakers™| YouTube @TruEarthMovement
For more information, please contact
Nic Schulz
Director of Communications and Engagement
Ocean Wise
