Last month, students from UBC, UVic, and Ucluelet Secondary School gathered for a day of Ocean Optimism and inspiration!

The day began with a mini beach clean, and amongst the usual finds of polystyrene beads, cigarette butts, and disposable face masks, there was also a toy soldier, a bubble wand, and a plastic starfish! The debris was sorted into recyclable categories before heading to our next stop - the Ocean Plastic Depot!

At the depot we learned all about the exciting new industry of marine plastic recycling; by diverting this material from landfill we’re helping to close the loop on plastic production, simultaneously cleaning shorelines and reducing the need for virgin materials. That’s a win-win for the planet!

Next up, we returned to the Surfrider office to find out what Styrofoam Surfboards, Marine Rope Macramé, and Neoprene doormats have in common…

They’re all innovative recycled products dreamed up by the creative minds of west coast entrepreneurs! We could not be more grateful to Karen from Shred Neoprene, Kim from Sea Woven, and Liam and Ryan from Drift MFG for participating in our “meet the makers” panel, inspiring us with their circular products and stimulating discussion on sustainable business practices.

Finally, the youth leaders in the room took the floor; Araiya from Ucluelet Secondary Surfrider youth club, Matt from Surfrider UVic, and Bodhi from Ocean Uprise shared their experiences of coordinating school-based ocean activism and student-driven change. Their passionate, informed, and powerful voices set the stage for a productive discussion about what an Ocean Friendly School would look like, what skill-building opportunities students would benefit from in their journey as ocean advocates, and what their top, school-based ideas are to tackle the interconnected issues of climate change, plastic pollution, and eco-justice. This discussion will inform the development of Pac Rim’s latest youth led initiative - watch this space…

Huge gratitude to all who participated, presented, and shared their stoke - this is just the beginning!