After interviewing a member of the 4ocean crew, I was truly astonished at the work being accomplished by the group. From creating products for supporters to cleaning up millions of pounds of trash, the nonprofit organization is one to be reckoned with.

The Start

4ocean co-founders, Alex and Andrew, first created the notion of the organization after traveling to Bali to surf and commemorate their time in college. Once there, they struggled surfing due to the mounds of trash piled in the ocean. This, along with being bothered by the fishermen along the coastlines not being able to catch any fish, led them to not only devised a plan for the nascent organization, but also a source of income, their famous bracelets.

The Process             

     Currently, members of the organization have cleaned over 13 million pounds of trash from the oceans using a unique process to effectively clean up sites. The crew arrives at the area early in the morning to fully clean, a tedious job, and photo document the area (the documentation is typically posted on their Instagram page). They proceed to begin the cleanup process, ensuring that they continuously document their experience whenever possible and that they relocate all trash into trash bags for future weighing. Before leaving the site, they photograph the end result so as to show the “clean beach or waterway” and to communicate that the crew properly cleaned up the set location. The trash bags are then weighed with a photograph and a 4ocean Trash Tracker log sheet, which essentially covers the date, hours spent, number of crew members, the weight of every sack, the total number of bags collected, the total weight, and an authorization signature from an authority that verifies the entire process. The trash bags are then sent to a base where they are sorted through and properly disposed of.

 The Future

     In the upcoming year, 4ocean hopes to increase its influence on the oceans, develop new methods of reusing plastic, discover possible locations for future cleanups, create resources to help inform others on the ocean’s problems, further their community events, and advance its projects with the use of new technology.  They hope that by continuing their current processes they will inspire others to exhibit an “ocean-friendly lifestyle in which their daily choices are considerate of the ocean’s health” and better the massive body of water that supplies life for millions of organisms.

How to Support?

     During their interview, the 4ocean member explained the various, indirect and direct, ways that people can support the organization. These include purchasing their products, which consist of their bracelets and face masks, raising awareness, which one can do by posting about their endeavors on social media, cleaning up one’s own community, reducing the amount of single-use plastics used, and supporting ocean-friendly legislation acts.

     All in all, this extraordinary organization fights to combat the rising problem of pollution in the ocean. With their work and the support of the rest of the population, they can mend the problems caused to the ocean by climate change and get at least part of the environment back to normal.