Ocean Initiatives

GOAL

Reducing and preventing marine litter pollution by promoting a social and behavioral change

OBJECTIVES

EDUCATIONAL

Raise awareness amongst consumers and citizens in general on the marine litter issue in order to promote sustainable solutions and to foster citizen engagement

SCIENTIFIC

Collect data (thanks to the wastes quantification and the citizen science) to fuel scientific researches and innovation regarding marine litter

POLITICAL

Support the lobbying campaigns (institutional and industrial) aiming at improving the legislation but also the production and consumption systems which have an impact on the issue

THE OCEAN INITIATIVES IN FIGURES

100000

PEOPLE
discovering the marine litter issue through our website

+ 1000

COLLECTIONS
each year, on the beaches, lakes, rivers and seabed

60000

PARTICIPANTS
whether it is for a collection or any other voluntary actions

COUNTRIES
involved in the project

23rd edition: "A more accessible platform to raise public awareness on the marine litter issue and to encourage citizens to become an active part of the solution."

Get involved!

I SPREAD THE MESSAGE

I relay both the educational speech and the campaign’s messages to my peers

I TAKE PART IN A COLLECTION

I take part in a marin litter collection close to my location

Take part in a collection

I ORGANIZE A COLLECTION

I carry out an awareness-raising action by organizing a marine litter collection

Organize a collection

To go further

I FILL OUT THE REPORT FORM

I join the citizen science approach by collecting data on the marine litter

REPORT FORM OVERVIEW

I LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WASTE ISSUE

I get some information on the marine litter issue on the Surfrider’s e-learning platform.

OCEAN CAMPUS

I FOLLOW THE NEWS ON MARINE LITTER

I stay informed by subscribing to the Surfrider Foundation Europe newsletter

SUBSCRIRE TO THE NEWSLETTER

I TAKE PART IN THE
«BAN THE PLASTIC BAG» CAMPAIGN

I get involved in the “Ban the plastic bag” campaign for banning disposable plastic bags in Europe

BAN THE PLASTIC BAG

I SIGN THE PETITIONS

I make my voice heard by the institutions by signing one of the Surfrider Foundation Europe’s petitions

THE PETITIONS

OCEAN INITIATIVES: 20 YEARS FIGHTING AGAINST LITTER

1995

« The Great Spring Clean-Up »

The French Government's Ministry of the Environment launches "The Great Spring Clean-Up" project with the goal of educating the greatest number of individuals on the problems associated with pollution and the environment.
1999

Surfrider's turning point

The Government decides to no longer organize these annual clean-ups. With 4 years of experience in mobilization, Surfrider decides to take the torch once again. That year, the "Ocean Initiative" was organized in Biarritz, an exhibition entirely dedicated to the question of protecting the coast.
2001

European and international evolution

More and more, collections are organized in France, and a general expansion of programs is carried out on a European and international level.
2003

Educational value

"The Great Spring Clean-Up" officially takes the name of "Ocean Initiatives”, the programme is no longer simply clean-up actions, but also provides environmental awareness-raising prior to all events.
2006

Participatory science

Ocean Initiatives evolves by integrating a participatory science component. Participants are invited to fill out a report allowing for collected litter to be quantified and qualified.
2008

Towards the source

Ocean Initiatives takes a new turn. Recognizing that 80% of litter in oceans originates upstream, collections are, from this point on, also organized along the banks of rivers and lakes.
2009

Recognizing macro-waste as pollution

The campaign is centred on recognizing solid macro-waste as pollution. Until then solid waste was considered just an eye-sore! This campaign succeeded in 2010 with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), which categorizes marine litter with a descriptor list to better define the ecological status of bodies of water.
2010

Single-use plastic bags make an exit

Surfrider launches a large campaign against plastics and against the disposal of single-use plastic bags. In fact, 70 to 90% of litter found at sea is plastic.
2011

Plastic bags aren't the natural choice

Surfrider launches a campaign allowing for businesses to be engaged in the effort to no longer distribute plastic bags in their stores.
2012

Rise Above Plastics

Surfrider is joined in the campaign by Surfrider Foundation US with the objective to raise awareness on single-use plastics and the devastating effect they may have on marine and land ecosystems.
2013

Stop the invasion!

A petition is launched to demand that single-use plastic bags be banned in Europe. 22,583 postcards are also sent to Janez Potocnik, European Commissioner of the Environment. The same day, the European Union announces measures to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags in Europe.
2014

If you drop it on the land, it ends up in the sea

The 2014 campaign once again called for awareness to be raised regarding the fact that 80% of marine litter comes from the land, and that we are all affected by this issue.
2015

20th edition

Surfrider aims at true behavioural change with citizen campaigns as the main contributor.
2016

2016: a pivotal year

Spurred by the success of the past 20 years, the campaign is being renewed both on the message and on the format in order to continue the struggle against the aquatic waste and for raising awareness among the highest number.

Funding partners

This project is co-funded by the Life Programme of the European Union. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the European Commission.