Partners and Allies
We are proud to spotlight the work of our Partner & Allies
PARTNERS
Plastic Pollution Coalition is a growing global alliance of individuals, organizations, businesses, and policymakers working toward a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on humans, animals, waterways and oceans, and the environment. With more than 500 member organizations and a growing coalition of individuals, they seek to increase understanding of the plastic pollution problem and to find sustainable solutions. They also aim to empower more people and organizations to take action to stop plastic pollution and to live plastic-free.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program empowers individuals and businesses to make choices for a healthy ocean, helping to support diverse marine ecosystems for the future. Using science based, peer reviewed methods, Seafood Watch assesses how fisheries and farmed seafood impact the environtment and provides recommendations indicating which items are Best Choices, Good Alternatives and which ones to Avoid.
Originally founded in 1994, the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) is a world-renowned conservation organization; their mission is to unite communities to save coral reefs. CORAL leads holistic conservation programs that improve coral reef health and resilience. They have extensive expertise in local governance, effective management, sustainable finance, monitoring and evaluation, communications, and conservation science. They believe that for conservation to be durable, our interventions must align with the social, cultural, and economic needs of each community and that local leaders must be empowered to lead the effort.
ALLIES
The 5 Gyre Institute is a nonprofit organization in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2017. Their mission is to empower action against the global health crisis of plastic pollution through science, art, education, and adventure.
Mission Blue inspires to create public awareness and generate support for marine protected areas. The organization led by Sylvia Earle also undertakes ocean expeditions to shed light on crucial ecosystems to help generate the necessary support for their conservation.
Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Their committed activists and supporters have come together to ban commercial whaling, convince the world’s leaders to stop nuclear testing, protect Antarctica, and so much more
The TerraMar Project is an international non-profit dedicated to building a community of Ocean Citizens that represent the high seas. They provide their global community with free Educational Resources on marine science, the latest ocean news around the world in The Daily Catch, and Local Ocean Actions that anyone can take to help the oceans. The believe that ocean is a common denominator for all mankind, and it connects every single person on Earth no matter where you live, or what you believe in. Sign up for an ocean passport by visiting them: theterramarproject.org/pledge/
On Saturday, June 9, 2018, join the March for the Ocean in Washington D.C., join one of many simultaneous marches, flotillas, and water celebrations across the country and Wear Blue for the Ocean! Over 120 partners are mobilizing a broad and diverse constituency to #MarchForTheOcean on June 9th, promoting ocean solutions for the problems that threaten our blue planet. A growing chorus of supporters including environmentalists, scientists, surfers, divers, students, parents, teachers, celebrities, fishermen, social justice advocates, small businesses, major aquariums, deep-sea explorers and citizen activists - everyone who gets so much from the ocean, lakes and rivers - is mobilizing to give something back!
Blue Mind Life, led by scientist and bestselling author Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, is reconnecting people to water and changing the conversation about the true value of healthy waterways and oceans for good around the world. In the past, most conservation and research efforts focused exclusively on the ecological, economic and educational value of water, but the vast emotional benefits make our lives worth living. BML uniquely advances research on and application of the cognitive, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual role of water throughout the lives of all people. We have found that water is medicine for those who need it most and makes people happier, healthier, more connected and better at what they do.
OCR conducts research on solutions to the problems that noise pollution poses to marine life. They also undertake biological and technological research from a conservation perspective.
Plastic Tides combines adventure and science to address ocean plastic pollution via Stand Up Paddleboard expeditions, education and outreach. They showcase solutions for zero waste living from the garden to the office and everywhere in-between through holistic and regenerative practices.
Oceanic Global is a non-profit that taps into universal passions of art, music and emerge tech to educate individuals on issues impacting our oceans and provide them with solutions for driving positive change. They create immersive experience that: engage local communities, generate measurable impact, amplify the efforts of synergistic groups and ignite global action.
The Sustainable Coastlines Charitable Trust, established in 2009, is a registered New Zealand charity, with a vision for Beautiful Beaches, Healthy Waters and Inspired People. Our mission is simple and tangible: to enable people to look after the coastlines and waterways they love. To deliver on this mission, we coordinate and support large-scale coastal clean-up events, riparian planting and restoration activities, education programmes, public awareness campaigns and training workshops.
Blue Sphere Foundation works to safeguard the planet’s oceans, halting the destruction of threatened marine species and habitats. They go where there are urgent threats and critical resource gaps, and act quickly to establish the necessary groundwork for others to join in. They believe that art and media are essential tools to spark curiosity and inspire action, and it is therefore an integral part of everything we do.
The Mission of Earth Guardians is to grow a resilient movement with youth at the forefront by empowering youth as leaders and amplifying their impact. They invite you to join us in our mission to protect the planet for future generations. Our age doesn't define our ability to create change.
Pelagic Life is a Mexican non-profit officially titled Protección y Conservación Pelágica AC. Their mission is to protect open ocean marine life in Mexico by inspiring awareness, jump-starting ecotourism and promoting sustainable consumption
TreeSisters is a global network of women who donate monthly to fund the restoration of our tropical forests as a collective expression of planetary care. As a feminine leadership and tropical reforestation organisation, we exist to call forth the brilliance and generosity of women everywhere and channel it towards the trees. Our goal is to make it as normal for everyone to give back to nature as it currently is to take nature for granted.
Life Without Plastic is an Earth-friendly on-line store specializing in unique, healthy, durable, high quality alternatives to plastic for everyday household items. They share information on plastic pollution and solutions and offer high quality and Earth-friendly alternatives to plastic products.
Reef Check Foundation, founded in 1996, exists to help preserve the oceans and reefs which are critical to our survival, yet are being destroyed. With headquarters in Los Angeles and volunteer teams in more than 90 countries and territories, Reef Check works to protect tropical coral reefs and California rocky reefs through education, research and conservation.
Save our Seas Foundation is dedicated to ocean resources and habitat protection with a special focus on sharks and rays. They support researchers through funding several projects each year with either a conservation, education or research focus.
Orca is a new, specialised outdoor adventure and education company. It provides schools and families in South East Asia with adventure camps, diving trips, conservation projects and environmental education programs. Orca is a commercial business, but is driven by conservation. Ecology is interwoven into Orca’s entire syllabus and service offering, with the underlying goal of becoming a central hub for action, education and hope for the ocean
Think Beyond Plastic is an innovation accelerator developing strategic, long-term solutions to address the root causes of plastic pollution, rather than mitigating its impacts. These solutions incorporate circular economy principles and are focused on investing in upstream innovation and developing new materials, products, and services that will prevent plastic pollution. Investment in these innovations will result in economic opportunities (new jobs and revenue streams) and environmental benefits. Towards this goal, Think Beyond Plastic is focused on incubating disruptive technologies and accelerating businesses to develop the economic engine for sustainable prevention of plastic pollution.
Happywhale tracks individual whales throughout our world's oceans. We believe that whale watching guides, naturalists and passengers are vital to our understanding of whales. Scientists can only be in one place at one time; by harnessing the power of millions of whale watching enthusiasts, we can expand our scientific knowledge exponentially.s of synergistic groups and ignite global action. Their platform empowers whale watchers to photograph whales and tell their stories.
All One Ocean makes every day beach clean up day! They educate about the destructive impact of Ocean trash and enable people to reduce this trash by using our simple, sustainable and effective Beach and School Clean Up Stations and revamping their lifestyles so their everyday decisions benefit our environment.
The California Wolf Center primarily conducts wolf recoveries wherein they aim for the individual wolf to thrive in their natural habitats. They envision an environment where wolves and people can coexist peacefully and also desire to involve communities in their recovery.
Founded in 1977, Ventana Wildlife Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to conserving native wildlife and their habitats through science, education and collaboration. They have successfully recovered a breeding population of Bald Eagles in central California and are in the process of doing the same for California Condors. They manage the central California Condor population (in partnership with National Park Service), lead amazing outdoor education opportunities for youth in underserved communities, and provide valuable ecological services in a variety of habitats.
SEVENSEAS Media is a free digital platform responsible for community building in 174 countries, student ambassadors in over 50 universities, strategic alliances and partnerships with over 200 professional organizations, while publishing over 400 authors, photographers, and researchers. We inspire and educate all our readers through rich imagery, engaging content, and an underlying conservation message. The very mission of SEVENSEAS Media is to connect individuals and resources inside and out of the conservation community to further the shared goal of preventing habitat destruction and biodiversity loss.
Ewaso Lions is a conservation organization based in northern Kenya, dedicated to conserving lions and other large carnivores by promoting co-existence between people and wildlife community-based conservation. Their research also extends to human attitudes and behaviors to better understand what factors most influence tolerance of lions and other large carnivores.
Lemur Conservation Network is an organization committed to working together with its members to save and protect over 110 species of lemurs across Madagascar from extinction. This is a project of the Madagascar Section of the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group. Lemur Conservation Network believes that in order to protect lemurs, it is necessary to support the Malagasy people, and so most of their members work closely with local communities in Madagascar on their different projects.
Hawaii Wildlife Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of Hawaii's native wildlife through research, education, and advocacy. Their work includes cleaning up plastic debris found on beaches, as these pieces both entangle and kill sea turtles by ingestion. They also watch over their sea turtle nests (and protect nesting mothers and hatchlings of both Hawksbills and Green turtles), support the hatchlings' natural process as they emerge and crawl into the sea, and protect them from invasive predators like rats and mongoose and from human disturbances
Whale Tales provides an outlet for whale enthusiasts, naturalists, and researchers to share and connect with their whale stories and experiences. You can save your memories and sightings, stories that mean something to you, no matter when it happened.
LUCiD is both a Video Art Installation and a Series of underwater stills that depict the issues facing the ocean. Their goal is to use art as a method of raising awareness about ocean issues.
The Inland Ocean Coalition's mission is to create an inland movement that builds land-to-sea stewardship. Their unifying charge is to develop a two-way relationship with the ocean and water, as those who live among mountains, rivers, and inland cities have a direct impact on the cycles of life in the ocean. As the nation's first Inland Ocean Movement, their goal is to be a wellspring for literacy and community engagement across North America.
Every Second Breath Project is a short film series that gives voice to (extra)ordinary people whose lives have been transformed by the ocean – and who have in turn committed themselves to become agents of change. Each of us, one person at a time, can help change the future of our beloved oceans. One need not be a scientist, politician or an activist leader to make a difference. These human stories give insight into the dire circumstances faced by our seas and inspire individual action.
The Global Lead is a Web Channel promoting education, advocacy and activism to encourage and create positive, social and environmental changes.
The Global Lead has a particular focus on human rights, women & youth leadership, ocean and wildlife conservancy, climate and energy, global initiatives, and impact travel. Their mission is to provide our global audience with the necessary knowledge and tools to actively engage, and to realize the importance of their support, their signature, and their voice. Their goal is to inform, inspire and empower global citizens to engage with the world’s urgencies, to support causes, to advocate and to act.
United By Blue is an outdoor brand driven by the belief that every living creature is united by the blue of our world's oceans and waterways, and we all share the responsibility to protect them. Their pledge unites our beliefs with our business: For every product sold, they remove one pound of trash from the oceans and waterways through company-organized cleanups. All apparel and accessories are responsibly made using sustainable materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and bison fiber.
OCEAN STARS
Celine Cousteau & CauseCentric Productions produces and distributes multi-media content with an emphasis on short films to amplify the voices and communicate the stories of solution focused grassroots organizations and individuals working on environmental and socio-cultural issues.
Hanli Prinsloo is a Freediver, Ocean Conservationist, and the founder of the I AM WATER Foundation which focuses on Ocean Conservation through human experience. Her visual material from the underwater realm combined with her vibrant storytelling captures the imagination and inspires audiences of all ages and walks of life. Leaving the camera behind her Hanli has focused all her energy on the ocean, surfing, sailing, paddling, conservation and freediving
Roz Savage is an ocean rower, speaker, author, sustainability advocate, and thought leader on the big existential questions of the 21st century. An environmental epiphany led to a radical career change when she left her comfortable city life to row solo across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, using her adventures to inspire action on our environmental challenges. She now speaks and writes on global issues, taking a systems approach to designing a sustainable and fulfilling future for our world.
Ocean Ramsey is a shark and marine conservationist and biologist, her masters is in ethology focused on shark behavior and body language/social hierarchy and the way that sharks interact with each other, other species, and their environment. She’s the founder of the non-profit Water Inspired Conservation group, and co-founder of One Ocean Research and Diving in Hawaii and has designed safety programs around the world for dive programs working with marine animals. Juan Oliphant is co-owner of One Ocean Diving and our head 15 year primary senior level Captian and 15+ year PADI Divemaster. He is a professional and award winning photographer specializing in underwater photography with large marine animals.
Hannah Mermaid created the vocation of 'freelance mermaid' and has been featured worldwide for her underwater ocean conservation and performance art, creating her own spectacular tails, performing for film, music videos, campaigns, photo shoots, public speaking events, festivals & environmental actions. She swims with sharks, whales dolphins, seals, turtles, rays and more in the open ocean. She broke records as the first person to dance with Tiger Sharks on the ocean floor with no scuba or snorkel gear, and was part of an activist group who paddled out to protect dolphins from slaughter in the academy award winning film ’The Cove’. She released a short film called Mantas Last Dance that propelled Manta rays into the public eye and helped pass a law to protect mantas worldwide. She is an advocate for ocean protection, female empowerment, animal conservation and universal love!
Erick Higuera is a Mexican award winning underwater filmmaker, photographer, marine biologist and conservationist that has spent over 20 years exploring the waters of Guadalupe Island, the Sea of Cortez, the Revillagigedo Islands (better known as Socorro's Islands) and the Mexican Pacific filming and photographing great white sharks, whales, dolphins, sailfish and other spectacles in the deep blue off Mexico's shores. He’s also a scientist and author. His documentary photography informs and creates an emotional connection with marine wildlife.
Riley Elliott, a surfer, spear-fisherman, free-diver and scuba diver, has always been on the frontline to experience the rarest yet scariest of all natural encounters – a shark attack. When it comes to sharks, Riley ‘walks the walk’, having free dived, without a cage, with over 25 of our most feared shark species. His stories are vivid, purposeful and driven by extreme passion. He has not only dedicated a decade of academic research to these animals for their conservation, presently through his PhD at the University of Auckland, but has written his own book, spoken at over fifty public events, appeared in countless radio, TV and magazines articles, giving him the media experience to film a 10 part TV documentary series on sharks - two of which went direct to Governments to improve legislation.
Jay Greiner is a Hawaii based ocean photographer. While recovering from an accident, he discovered that the more time you spend with something, you develop respect and an appreciation for it—a passion, a love. This is when he began telling stories with a camera. It was during that season of his life that he also discovered this passion that stirred me to do things afraid--to embrace discomfort to capture and share a pure showing of true power and untouched beauty. His passion is to capture and to share his perspective of the ocean to captivate and inspire others.
Glen Cowans is a unique and passionate photographer. His inspiration is the oceans and his subjects are the breathlessly beautiful life forms that live there. Born in 1961 in Perth Western Australia, he developed his passion for the ocean and all that it holds when he began snorkeling at the age of ten. His interest in photography began in his early twenties but it wasn’t until 1994, during his first ventures into scuba diving, that he began capturing images of the ocean through his photography. In March 2005, the turned his back on a long standing trade background and made the life-changing decision to devote his future to what he loves... The Oceans and underwater photography
Michelle Fleur is an artist and illustrator with a fascination for sea life, including a love for cetaceans. Based in the sub tropical city of Brisbane on the East Coast of Australia, Michelle finds purpose in creating work that speaks to the beauty and fragility of our oceans. Her greatest hope is that her work promote a respect for our planet and its inhabitants, and she enjoys collaborating with conservation groups, including not for profits and marine researchers.
Cristina Zenato is an ocean and cave explorer, a shark expert, a speaker, conservationist and a training director for the Underwater Explorers Society, specialized in technical diving and sharks. She is also a PADI Course Director, a NSS-CDS full cave diving instructor and a TDI Technical Instructor. A member of the Explorers Club, The Women Divers Hall of Fame, A Platinum Pro 5000 recipient and member of the Ocean Artists Society. Cristina believes in the power of education and has dedicated countless time and energy in non-profit and educational work.
Jo Royle is a Sea Champion with over 10 years’ experience spearheading global marine programs and sailing ventures through identifying critical marine issues, aligning senior experts and engineering solutions to reduce human impact on the sea. She founded Common Seas to design out marine plastic pollution and to enable fully documented fisheries.She has worked with philanthropists, Governments, businesses, citizens and scientists around the world, to apply practical solutions to social and environmental challenges.
Chiara Salomoni is a photographer specialized in underwater wildlife and fashion. She is the co-founder of Project Mermaids, a project with profits donated to SaveOurBeach.org, and is now working with Keiko Conservation leading its Italian chapter. She also co-created Mermaids for Change, an organization built around education, ocean conservation and photography.
Tina van Dijk is an illustrator and designer from the Netherlands. She loves to paint calm nature scenes and sealife, especially a lot of whales. Maybe because they're such calm, majestic creatures. It breaks her heart to realize that some species seem to be in grave danger of extinction and hopes that her art will help people to love and respect the most beautiful animals in the world.
Kayleigh “Kay” Burns works at One Ocean Diving on the North Shore of Oahu taking people from all around the world diving with sharks. Sharks are the world's most misunderstood creatures that are vital for the health of our ocean’s ecosystems. By introducing humans to sharks she is able to change perceptions from fear to fascination in hopes of inspiring change for these animals. Her efforts in expanding environmental conservation can be felt heavily through her work in unifying ambassadors globally. One of her current projects involves raising awareness about reef safe sunscreen ingredients to help protect the worlds corals.
Cameron Grant is an underwater photographer utilizing his passion and creative perspective to inspire positive action on behalf of our ocean and its inhabitants. Working on the West Side of Oahu with various pelagic species has allowed him to share experience and knowledge with people from all corners of the world. Strengthening the connection between people and nature has become his ultimate goal. By sharing visually stimulating imagery from numerous marine interactions, he hopes to leave every person with a deep sense of appreciation for the natural world.
James Ferrara is an underwater photographer located in South Florida. Living in a tropical paradise has given him access to a life centered around the ocean. All of his photographs are taken while freediving (one breath of air) and he really enjoys the challenge of shooting with natural light. He specializes in photographing large predatory marine life but appreciates filming anything in or near the water. He continues traveling in search of new adventure, sea life, and experiences, in order to keep his art fresh and exciting.
For the past two decades, Jason Washington has been a leader in the Cayman Islands watersports community. A 2017 International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Honoree, Jason's focus both locally and abroad, has been on protecting the delicate marine life found in the waters of our planet's oceans. Among his many accomplishments, Jason is most proud of his role in spearheading and creating CULL, Cayman United Lionfish League, the organization in charge of the local lionfish tournaments held four times per year. Over the years, CULL has removed ten’s of thousands of lionfish from local waters, all the while educating the public on the importance of such ventures both locally and abroad. Owner of Ambassador Divers, a PADI 5 Star facility, Jason has been featured in multiple overseas media outlets promoting lionfish as a sustainable fish alongside some of the worlds greatest chefs.