Ocean Wise - Shoreline Cleanup
Project Details
Shoreline Cleanups make a difference for ocean conservation... one piece of litter at a time! Plastic pollution is a problem that affects us all. The only way to effectively tackle this critical issue is by working together with citizens, governments, businesses, and not-for-profits to make a difference.
Project Description
Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanup is an ocean and freshwater health initiative inspiring community scientists to keep their local waterways healthy and flourishing, while they take action for change on a global level. The litter data collected by our citizen scientists has informed plastic policy at the municipal, provincial and federal level in Canada. Ocean Wise and WWF-Canada are committed to growing the program to achieve our mission: to inspire Canadians to keep all shorelines free of litter.
This placement involved communications and engagement work, including managing social media platforms, sharing and creating stories, and assisting with planning International Coastal Cleanup month. Other possible projects can include maintaining and creating story maps to visualize all program data in real time by province, region, watershed, litter type, year, etc. And, of course, organizing and leading in-person clean-ups!
Placement Category: Plastic, Pollution or Waste Management; Community Outreach and Education
Placement Season: Flexible
Placement Type: Urban
2021 Participant Highlights
Participant Danté Ravenhearst
Besides the on-the-ground impact of leading shoreline cleanups, Danté had some big-picture ideas about what to do with the 25 years’ worth of data collected by the OWSC. This data has already informed national policy around plastic use in Canada, but Danté’s vision was to make this valuable information available – and meaningful – to the public and other researchers. In addition to learning how an NGO operates, Danté developed virtual communication, collaboration and networking skills. She also took courses in both videography and photography to help blend her creative passions with conservation by learning how to tell compelling stories.
“It was powerful and empowering to work with a group of professional women in conservation.” The most valuable part of Danté’s placement was being able to continue the work she had started as a full-time Ocean Wise employee – she made incredible connections with professionals both within and outside of Ocean Wise, not only with the OWSC but also others she met as an IUCN conference delegate.
