Our lives revolve around the ocean. It’s where we go to work, relax, appreciate nature, and experience the joy of being alive. And to see those places littered with plastic, to see wildlife disappearing, to see people losing their income and way of life…it’s the driving force behind the clean-up efforts.

Oceans are interconnected, and plastic pollution is a global problem affecting countries all over the world. Plastic in the oceans poses a serious threat to marine life, causing the death of marine animals and damaging fragile marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, which are vital for biodiversity. Microplastics found in seafood can present potential risks to human health, and plastics can release toxic substances into the water, affecting the quality and safety of drinking water in coastal areas. It also has negative economic consequences for local economies, as plastic pollution can damage fishing equipment and reduce fish populations, as well as deterring tourists.

Healthy oceans are critical for maintaining biodiversity, supporting livelihoods, and preserving natural beauty. By tackling ocean plastic pollution, we protect marine life, support economic stability in coastal communities, safeguard human health, and contribute to global sustainability efforts.

This project, growing "one pound of trash at a time”as Alex Schulze, Co-Founder & CEO of 4ocean, puts it, is essential for creating a healthier, cleaner, and more sustainable future for our oceans and the planet.

Goals

To remove 1 billion pounds of ocean plastic waste from the oceans, rivers and coastlines over the next 10 years.

Activities

Conduct global cleanup operations by sending captains and crews into the environment to collect the harmful debris by hand, as well as using new cleanup technologies such as containment booms. The activities are scheduled to take place in Florida, Hawaii, Indonesia and Guatemala, among other locations.

Impacts to be reached

• Total number of pounds of plastic debris collected in targeted coastal and ocean areas during clean-up efforts;
• Decrease in the number of marine animals affected by plastic debris (entanglement or ingestion) reported in project areas;
• Increase in coastal tourism revenue and improvement in local economic conditions as a result of clean-up efforts.

MYRIAD CANADA is working with the 4ocean Foundation on this project, a US charitable organization whose mission is to support the protection and preservation of the natural environment, as well as the education of the general public with respect to environmental conservation, preservation, and protection.

4ocean began as a mission-driven social enterprise. Since 2017, it has recovered 36,389,355 pounds of waste from the world’s oceans, rivers, and coastlines. The organization has started a non-profit organization, the 4ocean Foundation, to enhance its impact and extend its operational reach. The 4ocean Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the ocean plastic crisis. Its mission is to develop and implement innovative strategies to remove and prevent plastic waste from entering oceans, while raising awareness about the importance of ocean conservation and sustainable lifestyles.