Ocean pollution affects the health of wildlife, people and local economies.
Scientists estimate that more than 11 million metric tons of plastic is entering our ocean every year. If we don’t act now, there could be a pound of plastic for every three pounds of fish in the ocean within the next decade.
For more than 30 years, Ocean Conservancy has been at the forefront of solutions targeting marine debris with partner organizations and individuals around the world. Since our first International Coastal Cleanup on the beach of South Padre Island, Texas, we have helped mobilize nearly 12 million volunteers from 153 countries and collected more than 220 million pounds of trash in support of preventing marine debris—the world’s largest volunteer effort on behalf of ocean health.
Ocean Conservancy has been bringing together passionate ocean lovers and helping them contribute to a vision of a healthy ocean with practical solutions that:
- Empower people. We’re bringing useful tips to people on every street corner, creek bed and coastal waterway to empower them to stop the flow of trash before it hits our shores.
- Strengthen the science. Ocean Conservancy is leading scientific work with business and academic partners to improve our knowledge of the ocean trash issue.
- Engage everyone in solutions. We can’t do this alone, so we’re bringing together leaders from industry, government, NGO partners and the scientific community through the Trash Free Seas Alliance® to bring systemic, durable solutions to the ocean trash issue.
- Promote good policies. Ocean Conservancy built support for the Marine Debris Research, Prevention and Reduction Act and its companion bill in the Senate, the Trash Free Seas Act, to strengthen a national focus on marine debris.
Give today to support our ocean by funding research and solutions that make a difference.