What’s the point of cleaning the ocean? Isn’t it better to stop using plastic?Updated 9 months ago

Eliminating unnecessary plastics from our lives will always be the best way to both decrease demand for virgin plastics and prevent plastic pollution. But we believe it’s important to acknowledge reality even as we strive toward our ideals.

Cleaning the ocean helps mitigate the worst impacts of plastic pollution because it actively protects marine life, restores critical marine ecosystems, improves water quality, preserves coastal communities, supports global food security, and helps fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic litter. 

Cleanups are also one of the most effective ways to raise awareness about the impacts of plastic pollution and inspire global action on behalf of our one shared ocean. So while they may not solve the ocean plastic crisis, cleanups are still absolutely critical to our mission of ending the ocean plastic crisis.