It's estimated that about 8 million tons of plastic is sent into our oceans around the world every single year. In fact, so much of it is ALREADY in our ocean that by 2050, if current trends continue, the amount of plastic will outnumber fish. If you've read any of my other posts about ocean plastic pollution, then you'll know that these numbers not only pose some serious threats to marine wildlife, but to the human population as well. Now, there are plenty of more involved methods that individuals can utilize to solve the problem, as I've begun to detail in the Proper Plastics series, but this week I wanted to discuss an incredibly simple way we can help: purchasing a 4Ocean bracelet.
What exactly is 4Ocean?
To start, let's get a bit of background on the organization itself. It's based in Florida, where the two founders of the organization (Andrew Cooper and Alex Schulze) grew up. After being awoken by the levels of trash they saw during various surfing trips (you can see the full story here) they decided they wanted to do something about it. And so they began a cleaning expedition, starting with just two guys, and eventually expanding to a fully fledged organization with multiple members and stations in multiple countries.
What do they do, exactly? Well, it's really quite simple: they collect trash from the ocean, and ensure that, instead of allowing it to reenter, it's recycled or actually properly disposed of. They have four locations: one in Bali, Indonesia, one in Boca Raton, Florida, another in Deerfield Beach, Florida, and one newly built station in Haiti, all working together to pull thousands of pounds of trash from the ocean every single day. And even though they only have the four locations, they've actually worked to clean up trash in 27 different countries. On top of cleanups, they work to educate others on the effects of marine plastic pollution as well. Now, the idea of a cleanup may not be anything new, but the method this organization uses to fund their operation is really incredible.
The bracelet
Obviously, an organization like this needs some sort of funding, whether it be to purchase new equipment, establish a headquarters, or to hire new employees. However, instead of relying on grant money or public donation, 4Ocean instead decided to take matters into their own hands, and create a product that would not only help the environment, but fund their operations as well. It quickly became known the 4Ocean bracelet.
This bracelet is truly something special. Every chord is made out of 100% recycled polyester, and each bead out of 100% recycled glass. It's adjustable (from 2-5 inches in diameter), unisex, and 100% waterproof. The company estimates that the 20 dollar price tag on the bracelet helps fund the removal of one pound of trash from our oceans. The traditional bracelet comes in a nice dark blue, but over the past few months they've been introducing some new bracelets as well.
Specialty bracelets
On top of the original blue, 4Ocean has been partnering with a multitude of different organizations for the creation of specialty bracelets. These bracelets, while also having a different color, support not only 4Ocean, but another environmental organization of their choosing. Their most recent bracelet (at the time of writing) sports a tan and green color combination, with a portion of the proceeds going to the protection of marine nurseries such as estuaries and mangrove forests. These nurseries are where many baby sea animals are born and raised, so by protecting them we help to ensure the survival of future generations of marine wildlife.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. They release a new bracelet every month, each focused around supporting another environmental organization or issue. Over the past few months, they've released the black shark bracelet, the lime green sea turtle bracelet, the white polar bear bracelet, and others that have since been discontinued. They've also expanded their shop as a whole, creating their own reusable water bottles as well as a "cleanup kit" featuring a hat, gloves, t-shirt, water bottle, and drawstring bag.
How good is it?
But of course, we want to know how good the bracelet actually is. Well, I myself purchased one of their limited edition Earth Day bracelets back in April, and in the year between then and now I can say I've been nothing but pleased. First off, the presentation: the bracelet comes in a nice little recycled bag that, along with the bracelet, includes a sticker and card about what the organization does, as well as how your contribution helps. Nothing about it feels cheap, which is especially impressive considering the entirely-recycled nature.
As for the bracelet, it doesn't disappoint either. The string, beads, and even the little aluminum logo attached to the bracelet feel incredibly well-made. The Earth Day bracelet that I purchased uses a color combination of green and blue, and personally I think it looks great combined with the clear, recycled plastic beads.
Durability
Now, I've been wearing this bracelet every single day for a year and I have not had a single problem with durability. The string is made out of a strong, recycled material that doesn't fray or come apart, the ends of the string are not only tied in a knot, but melted slightly so that they come undone, and the knot that allows for adjustment stays firmly without being impossible to shift. The only issue that some may find with the bracelet is how comfortable it is (mainly due to the material), but the entirety of the time I've been wearing the bracelet I barely even notice that it's on.
Conclusion
Bottom line, the 4Ocean bracelet is a great product. Not only is it durable, good looking, and easy to use, but it's made responsibly, and helps to fund an organization that's doing incredible work. So, if you're looking for a new bracelet, some way to help an environmental organization, or maybe just have an extra little bit of money, I highly recommend picking this up. If you'd like to buy one of their bracelets, you can do so by clicking here. If you're not interested in making a purchase, but still want to help, 4Ocean has dozens of cleanups going on around the United States each month, which you can see by clicking here. At the very least, even if you don't like the bracelet, you'll be helping to support an incredible cause, and that, to me, is certainly worth 20 dollars.
All credit for images used in this post goes to:
https://www.pinterest.com/4oceanbracelets/4ocean-bracelets/
https://www.simplemost.com/buy-bracelet-clean-trash-ocean/
https://twitter.com/4oceanbracelets
https://www.algaebarn.com/shop/aquarium-supplies/4ocean-bracelet/
https://www.pinterest.com/4oceanbracelets/4ocean-bracelets/
https://www.force-e.com/4ocean-4ocean-bracelet.html
https://www.pinterest.com/4oceanbracelets/4ocean-bracelets/
http://store.ukgourmet.us/4obrcoso.html
https://www.collective-evolution.com/2017/09/06/how-two-young-surfers-are-cleaning-up-the-ocean/
https://www.earthday.org/2018/04/16/gear-up-for-earth-day/
https://ourgoodbrands.com/4ocean-behind-scenes-cleaning-oceans-bracelet/
https://www.pinterest.com/4oceanbracelets/4ocean-bracelets/
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