Are you still stuck trying to figure out what to get someone for a gift? Donating to an Ocean Clean Up charity is a great solution. In this article, we present the best Ocean Charities working hard to clean up ocean pollution.
Oceans cover more than 70% of the earth. They provide a home to most life on the planet and are essential for the atmosphere and climate. Oceans also provide food for hundreds of millions of people and create livelihoods for fishers, often the very poor or marginalized, and provide jobs for many others.
Unfortunately, our oceans are suffering from overuse and pollution, and they need our help. According to a study from Science, only 13% of the oceans remain unaffected by human activity. Studies show that irresponsible and poorly managed fishing practices have reduced many wild fish populations to historically low levels.
Then there is the plastic problem. Plastic pollution affects more than 600 marine species. It also reshapes communities’ livelihoods by impacting tourism, fishing, and ultimately our food chain.
The inspiring organizations described below are working hard to address these issues and improve our oceans for the future of our planet and humanity.
What a fantastic gift to give to a loved one where they become part of the solution!
Five Best Ocean Charities
OCEANA
“Oceana seeks to make our oceans as rich, healthy and abundant as they once were”
Oceana
Founded in 2001, Oceana works internationally to advocate for increasing marine biodiversity, restoring ocean abundance, and protecting habitat.
They do this through policy change and science-based campaigns. Since their inception, they have won over 225 victories for the oceans and protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean habitat.
Oceana also runs expeditions to photograph, film, and research marine life and other unique ecosystems. This work helps support their campaign by making marine ecosystems more accessible to policymakers and the public.
Recent victories include:
- Coastal Communities and Businesses in the U.S. stop harmful seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Oceana and allies protect deep-sea corals in the Gulf of Mexico.
- Belize signs an agreement to protect its oceans from gillnets.
YOU CAN DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT IF YOU DONATE BY THE END OF THE YEAR
Follow the link to donate to OCEANA
THE OCEAN CONSERVANCY
It takes everyone to fight against plastic pollution, and thanks to Ocean Conservancy, you can join the fight. They are working to protect the ocean by supporting science-based solutions. Millions of volunteers of all ages come together to clean up the coasts on their International Coastal Cleanup in September.
“What happens to the Ocean impacts all of us”
Janis Searles Jones CEO, Ocean Conservancy
And it’s not just clean-ups. Ocean Conservancy focuses on long-term solutions that promote a healthy ocean. On their site, you can take action and advocate for trash-free seas through their many campaigns, allowing your voice to be heard.
Some of their current campaigns include:
- Protect Octopuses from Ocean Plastics
- Use Your Voice to Protect the Ocean – The Trump administration has finalized plans to weaken the rules implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—taking away your voice on decisions that will significantly impact our ocean, environment, and the planet.
- Take Action to Stem the Tide of Ocean Plastics – tell your congress member that you wish to support the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act.
YOU CAN DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT IF YOU DONATE BY THE END OF THE YEAR
Follow the link to donate to OCEAN CONSERVANCY
THE OCEAN CLEANUP
You may have heard of Boyan Slat, a Dutch inventor who founded The Ocean Cleanup at 18. He is now joined by over 90 engineers, researchers, scientists, and computational modelers.
Their goal is to remove plastic pollution from the ocean by designing and developing systems. Tackling the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is no mean feat! They are also developing systems to stop plastic pollution from reaching the oceans via rivers.
Plus, they are turning trash into treasure. They have recently released their first ocean plastic product, transforming ocean plastic pollution into something useful and durable. Their first product is sunglasses. Each pair of glasses will help clean an area the size of 24 football fields of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Take a look at their DESIGNER SUNGLASSES.
Follow the link to make a donation to THE OCEAN CLEAN-UP
TAKE 3 FOR THE SEA
Take 3 was started by a marine ecologist, a youth educator, and an environmentalist. These three launched Take 3 in 2010 to help stop plastic pollution from killing wildlife and suffocating our planet.
Take 3 is inspired by the turtles, who are being significantly impacted by plastic pollution. Soft plastics in the ocean can be mistaken for jellyfish, a turtle’s main food source. Help make plastic pollution a thing of the past and join the Take 3 movement.
“It’s simple, Take 3 pieces of rubbish with you when you leave the beach, waterway or … anywhere, and you have made a difference!”
Take 3 For the Sea
Donate, and you help spread the message to the world and educate more people. They also sell some great merchandise, including clean-up kits in various sizes, reusable containers, and educational books for the little ones.
Take a look at the MERCHANDISE.
Follow the link to donate to TAKE 3 FOR THE SEA
THE 5 GYRES
“Can you picture a world without plastic pollution?”
5 Gyres
The 5 Gyres Institute resulted from two passionate scientists devoting their lives to solving the plastic pollution problem. They started 5 Gyres in 2009 following an expedition to research the North Pacific Gyre.
Their mission is to empower action against plastic pollution through science, education, and adventure. Since its inception, The 5 Gyres team has traveled the world’s oceans searching for plastic pollution. Being among some of the first to research plastic pollution in the oceans, So far, they have completed 19 research expeditions.
Their success stories include working with other non-profit organizations to pressure the US Government to sign the Microbead-Free Waters Act in 2015. Plus, they established the Plastics BAN – Better Alternatives Now – list to eliminate the worst plastic pollution offenders.
They are members of Break Free From Plastic and founding members of the Plastic Pollution Coalition. They are also working on TrashBlitz. A program over the next three years to develop datasets for every major watershed in the United States. The data will help understand the type of waste found and better support policies around plastic usage.
Take a look at the MERCHANDISE.
Follow the link to donate to 5 GYRES
Sources
- Katherine Kornei, 2018, New map reveals just 13% of the world’s oceans are still ‘wild’
