As complex of an ecosystem as the Everglades is, the history and politics of how it came to be in such a dire state may be even more complex. But there simply isn't enough room in this short post to get into all of that. Regardless of the reason, the fact remains that the Everglades need our help. So take a stand and support Everglades restoration now!

Earth Day is the one day a year that the world comes together to celebrate the fragile island in space that we all call home. It really is a bit strange, however, that we only do this once a year because we all know that every day should really be Earth Day. The actions we take, the influence we have, and the things we say today, tomorrow, and the next day matter to the future of this planet.

We are happy to introduce 4ocean Bali, 4ocean Haiti, and 4ocean Florida Instagram channels for Cleanup Operations! We can't wait to begin sharing more information on a regular basis about these operations, the amazing teams, all of the upgrades we are doing in these locations as well as some local stories that just make you feel good about what we are doing there. Make sure to add each one of them and stay tuned for more updates.

At 4ocean, we love the Great Barrier Reef because it is such an incredibly complex and biodiverse ecosystem. Threatened on many fronts, immediate action is necessary to save this natural treasure for future generations. Discover what our non-profit partner, Great Barrier Reef Foundation, is doing to save the Reef. They have some amazing projects that are in progress and you can check out some of their videos inside, too. 

Sometimes we need to think outside the box (or basket in this case) and look for any and all opportunities to reduce our consumption of plastic. Easter is the perfect chance to do so because historically this day is full of plastic. From the baskets to the grass, and the eggs to the candies, we take a look at how you can create a plastic-free holiday for your family this year. This isn't as hard as it may seem, it just takes a little bit of planning ahead of time.

When one of our daily cleanup crew members from 4ocean Miami found a bird that didn't quite look right, he jumped into rescue mode and ferried the sick gull over to the Pelican Harbor Seabird Rescue Station for a little rehab and recovery. Check out the video of the story inside! 

The foodie in you is in for a big surprise! The fish we're eating and the salt we're using to season our food are becoming contaminated with plastic and the toxins these plastics absorb from the environment. Researchers have yet to determine whether there are human health risks associated with the microplastics in our food, but just the thought leaves us feeling sick.

Even though we're cleaning up the ocean and coastlines seven days a week, it helps to take a quick break and look at what else is going on around the world. We've ripped the most interesting stories from the headlines so you can stay up to date on the most recent developments surrounding the ocean plastic crisis.

We're educating the world about a global icon: the Great Barrier Reef. Not only that, but we are also supporting a nonprofit that is out there on the front lines keeping an eye on the changes happening to the Great Barrier Reef and creating solutions for its preservation.

It's always great to get out on the water with one of our 4ocean Captains to see how it is out there on the front lines these days. We got a chance to join Captain Denise Salas and her crew to get a bit of perspective and see how they are making a difference every day.

Over the winter, we had a chance to follow up with our 4ocean Legacy Partner, Save the Manatee Club, to see all the great work they are doing with manatees at Blue Springs State Park in Florida. The number of manatees there on one particular day set an all-time record high and with more than 50 calves being born, we are hoping this is a sign of a stable and growing population. Check out the video of the trip!

We spent the weekend cleaning areas in both the Middle and Upper Florida Keys, areas that were damaged and heavily impacted by the accumulation of marine debris during Hurricane Irma. You won't believe what our before and after pictures look like!

It turns out that some iconic Spring Break hotspots are extremely important, ecologically valuable areas to the species that call them home. Plastic pollution left behind by Spring Break revelers can cause tremendous harm to endangered species and critical habitats, so have fun but always clean up afterward.

In our Meet the Team Blog Series, we will take a look at some of the 4ocean employees cleaning up the ocean and coastlines around the world. We all know the problem of ocean plastic pollution is a complicated one, but we have people like Captain Louie out there every day tackling the problem head-on!

Microplastics are on the menu for some of the smallest and deepest-living animals in the ocean. A study of amphipods from places like Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench shows they are eating these plastics at an alarming rate. Find out how this material is making its way to them and see what regular activity may be to blame. 

Back in January 2019, a NOAA expedition to the subantarctic waters off Chili potentially documented a new species of orca alive for the first time in the wild! Perfect timing considering that the news coincides with the launch of our 4ocean Orca Bracelet (or maybe it's just coincidence), but either way, we are super excited to hear the news.

People around the world are becoming more and more aware that the fashion industry has a long way to go to become fully sustainable. However, when one up-and-coming fashion designer approached us to be a part of her runway show at New York's famous Fashion Week, we jumped at the chance to bring attention to recycling and sustainability in the fashion industry as well as the problem of ocean plastic pollution. 

This past weekend, we partnered with the amazing team at Tervis® Tumbler to host a community beach cleanup in Siesta Key, Florida, which is a barrier island situated just off the coast of Sarasota. It's been voted the nation's best beach—twice—but that doesn't mean it's immune to the ocean plastic crisis. Check out all the trash we recovered!

For those headed to Mardi Gras this weekend, we are jealous...but please just be mindful that the party doesn't end at the end of the night; its plastic hangover can last hundreds if not thousands of years. Hundreds of tons of plastic beads and other single-use plastics are collected throughout Carnival all the way through Fat Tuesday.

It took us almost a full year and 7 months to pull our first 1 million pounds and just a little over 7 months to pull our next 3 million pounds. Today, we celebrate the 4 millionth pound of trash pulled by our employees from the ocean and coastlines. We couldn't have done it without loyal, ocean-loving customers like you.

With all our complex measurement tools and fancy scientific data collection techniques, it may be one of the most simple creatures in the ocean that could become our greatest ally on the journey to understand microplastic pollution in the ocean on a global scale.

The concept of Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR is not a new concept but it is gaining steam again as a way to help solve the ocean plastic pollution problem. The burden of plastic waste, collection and recycling are now squarely on the shoulders of consumers and governments. EPR shifts that responsibility back to manufacturers and producers.

We want you to break the habit of single-use plastic straws, so in this post, we explain why it's so important and give you an alternative that is just as good. Curbing ocean plastic pollution starts with you and the small decisions you make every day.

A "nurdle" sounds like a cute and cuddly imaginary animal you might find in the stuffed toy section of your local big box store. But nurdles are actually tiny microplastics being consumed by fish that harbor all kinds of pathogens on their surfaces. Take a deeper look at the tiny world of nurdles.