Product Review: 4Ocean Bracelets

Maybe you saw them on the Today Show back in July, or perhaps the adds have popped up on your cell phone while browsing Facebook or playing games - but the question came up, "Who are these 4Ocean guys?"

So I decided to find out.

4Ocean is a business. They are not, nor do they claim to be, a not for profit entity.

The business model is simple: turn marine debris into a commodity.

The ultimate goals include creating jobs around the world and working to alter the mentality of our view on trash. Some countries lack the fundamental infrastructure to recycle plastics and other goods, so they see trash as just, well, there. It is a part of life like weeds on your lawn. Deal with it or don't.

Jobs are created as crews are hired, and in some countries like Haiti people are garnering a better wage fishing for trash than actual fish. This helps attack both the problems of irresponsible overfishing and addressing trash in the marine ecosystem. Funding for the equipment, employees, etc. comes from the sale of small bracelets and other 4Ocean-branded items.

In addition, each month 4Ocean has a new partner in support of a specific ocean-related cause. For instance, back in June it was sea turtle research. Now I happen to have personal connections to the FAU lab that worked with the 4Ocean team and they had only great things to say about the company when I asked.

The bracelets themselves are made of recycled glass and polyester, and mine hold up just fine no matter what I'm doing, from washing the car to riding a roller coaster. When properly adjusted, the bracelet stays put.

My mom even sent me a photo!

My mom was curious at this simple bauble that had me so excited, so I shared the story of 4Ocean with her. The response? She wanted one for her birthday! 4Ocean's website made it easy to send one as a gift, and she received it in about a week.

She was happy with the commitment by 4Ocean to pull a pound of trash from the ocean in exchange for the support.
Cool stuff. It allows people who don't live anywhere near the ocean to make a difference in waters across the globe.

This dynamic new business plan did more than inspire me - it made me want to work there! So, I applied for a job since the headquarters is here in south Florida. I was thrilled to get a call back and even the chance to interview with the company in person. While I was not their choice for hire, I learned so much more about the organization and its people.

For instance, every single person - whether they wore jeans or polos or dresses - every one who walked in or out of the front door acknowledged me while I sat in the lobby waiting. Some said hello, others waved, but all of them smiled. Happy people do not bother to say hi. They don't ask how a stranger is doing when they have no reason to meet or speak with them. The staff were all just nice. This is in Boca Raton people! (that just doesn't happen)

Now that you know the bracelets and people behind them are following through on the promise to work towards cleaner oceans, don't forget this weekend is the International Coastal Cleanup! A time when organizations and volunteers all over the world get out to tackle the trash first hand.

4Ocean is working in Boston for the big weekend, but also hosts cleanups worldwide throughout the year.

Here in Palm Beach County, the non-profit Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful coordinates with other local agencies for a massive event. This year, 34 different organizations are partnering up, and we are joining the Sea 2 Shore Alliance this weekend.

Once again we will use the Clean Swell app to help track the data (i.e. trash) collected too. This data is extremely important in helping learn more about our trash and better address the problem based on a specific region's needs.

Last year, Jacen and I had a great experience in Delray Beach, and we are ready for a great weekend in Boynton Beach too. I wonder what weird junk we might find?

Just keep swimming, and if this weekend is no good check for local cleanups in your area. They are probably happening at least once a month!

-Callie

App Review: Clean Swell

Recently,  my 8-yr old and I participated in the International Coastal Clean Up - an annual worldwide event hosted by the Ocean Conservancy. I have been on different sides of this event over the years: as a site coordinator, as the breakdown/clean up after the clean up crew, as a participant with friends and alone. But this was a new experience as I shared it with my son and the Ocean Conservancy added a new tool too, the Clean Swell App. 

Every year, in addition to just picking up trash and debris, the Ocean Conservancy has quested participants to record their findings. This data is important when creating jaw dropping graphics like this one:

I have unfathomable respect for organizations that include data and research with their good deeds. We, as consumers, must wade through countless fountains of strange and random facts only to wonder “where on earth did they get that information?”. As a scientist, I understand how any opportunity to incorporate citizens into the gathering of data is priceless. Just like this App!

Clean Swell is a free application for your phone, available for your Apple people or Droiders. This is a great option for those who have no desire to carry around the clipboard and pen to record their collection data – however, this DOES require you to have your phone out and on the beach during a cleanup which is maybe not the best option for chronic phone destructors like myself.

Signing up is easy, only requiring very basic information such as your e-mail. Incidentally, I abhor getting junk mail and I have found only summary e-mails from what I have reported appear in my inbox. I can absolutely live with that. The intro page for the app is self explanatory and user friendly. The purpose of installing this app is to motivate those participating in a structured clean up to consider doing more cleanups on their own and still report the data. This is an efficient and waste-free option and to be honest not particularly time consuming. I'm sure most people, like myself, keep their phone on them anyway so sending in the data was even less trouble than sending an e-mail. The "History" tab is a very cool function that provides the use an opportunity to track what they have done and where. The profile is simplified, with only your zip code and e-mail kept so you don’t have to fret about too much personal information being on file.

I have always found recording data during a clean up to be bulky and sometimes difficult. Add in weather such as wind or a light rain, and getting data down was a mess. I imagine trying to sort through sandy, torn and wet pages was not particularly fun for those charged with reporting the data either. Flipping through pages on a clipboard while holding trash bags and picking up trash is impossible to do alone without getting frustrated. My favorite part of the app is the data tracking grid. A sample is pictured here, but there are so many options that you don’t have to think about anything while collecting except to tap the items being picked up. Every time you snag a plastic bag, or lid, or even just a fragment – they all have their own separate icon that can simply be tapped. Having said that, deleting an item accidently tapped is tricky and much easier to do on the back-end right before you submit the final data. Stopping everything to tab backwards to delete an extra balloon isn’t really worth the effort when you are out in the elements or on a time crunch (or trying to chase down an 8-yr old with a pair of trash pickers who is really excited and hauling down the beach at speeds I am not capable of without copious amounts of coffee in advance).

As a motivational perk, the app has 'badges' you can earn for participating. For instance, completing our first clean up yielded the "Ahoy Matey" and apparently, I am the queen of beverage related items such as bottle caps and straws with my "Beverage Buster" badge earned in only 3 outings.

Here is an easy pro / con list:
PRO

• Less to carry vs a clipboard, paper and pencils
• Easy to report data
• Data is quickly available to the Ocean Conservancy
• The ability to track your own data and look at what you (or your team) have collected. This type of data can really help a program measure the direct impact in a community.

CON

• The phone must be out and used every 10 seconds or so. Otherwise it will time out and your cleanup data is lost. I am not aware of this being fixed via update since my last clean up. I did not find a way to change the timeout settings.
• Clumsy users might want to have someone else handle the phone while they pick up trash.
• In the Florida heat, your phone may get hot being out in the elements. I put mine in a dry bag, and was able to touch the screen through the plastic, but my phone became very hot since it was on constantly. (I have a GalaxyS7)

NOTE:  not necessarily a “CON”, but it is important to understand this is designed to collect data on marine debris - meaning shoreline and aquatic debris. If you are cleaning up a park, the app should not apply and the data collected could be skewing the overall project results. When cleaning up in a park, and not a reef, beach or along a freshwater system, do not report your data via this app.

Have fun reclaiming the water and consider adding the Clean Swell App to help keep that New Year's Resolution to be a citizen scientist in 2018!

International Coastal Cleanup

For years I was an avid participant in the International Coastal Clean Up, and had many sequential years of promotional t-shirts to prove it. Over time, as my career progressed, I was on the front line and out in the field far less, which led to me being tied up with other responsibilities and I was no longer able to attend this iconic event as it took place all over the world. This time around, I was all set to miss it – again. Then Hurricane Irma swept our coastlines and filled our streets with water and debris.

The hurricane, along with the ensuing damage and loss of power throughout the region, led to a huge number of facilities with live animals having to delay their events. I would not have made the September event, but I was able to join the beautiful and unique Sandoway Discovery Center in Delray Beach.
The International Coastal Cleanup is an annual event put on by the Ocean Conservancy and they have a great site to help you find one close to home check out the Ocean Conservancy's Coastal Cleanup page.

Hundreds of thousands of volunteers band together for an amazing joint effort to tackle the trauma caused by marine debris – a problem that is directly related to human interactions and therefore a problem that can be directly addressed and the results are quite measurable. But despite the well-meaning outpour of individuals who make a shining appearance once a year, I have found that too many show up for this with very specific and limited intentions:

• Many of the teens show up for the community service hours for school.
• Many of the adults to show up for free beach parking and a t-shirt.
• Many of kids don’t even know why they are there, but hey – it’s the ocean, let’s go!

I wanted to be different. I wanted to do more, but also understood the pressures of life would allow only a limited amount of time. Dedication aside, I wanted to share this experience and make it something special. So, I recruited my 8-yr old son to join me. We spent well over a week discussing the importance of trash in the ocean, and what the significance of the cleanup meant. We looked up photos and shared videos of various marine animal rescues, like the poor Olive Ridley sea turtle with a straw up its nostril that went viral (in case you missed it: Sea Turtle Straw video  WARNING, there is strong language in this 8-min video).

On October 7, we trucked down to the Sandoway Discovery Center. They had a rough time post-Irma and I know some of the staff there. Part of my son’s reward, unbeknownst to him, was a trip to Sandoway immediately after our contribution to the cleanup concluded. He was excited and we arrived before 8:30am ready to work. We checked in, and geared up with a recycling bag, trash bag, grabber and a new tool to track our trash – the Clean Swell app downloaded quickly to my smart phone. Jace commandeered the trash picker and we were ready to rock!

We dropped off some items in the car, and while there my son must have credit for a great idea – he suggested we start our cleanup in the parking lot and on the walk to the beach itself. Nearly half our trash bag was filled before we ever even saw the ocean.

Once our toes hit the sand, the beach was crawling with volunteers and Jace commented on how he hoped we would still find trash to gather. This is when I received a true wake up – the wrack line was dense and the beachcombers were not yet out. People wandered around aimlessly looking from only a standing position, and were missing copious amounts of tiny trash. Bits of plastic that crumbled into exponentially more pieces were scattered within the weeds.

Somebody was taking it all in with a smile!

But we persevered from the waterline to the dune and back down again for half a mile, taking short breaks now and again to enjoy the sunshine, wind, waves and let mommy add the data to our list. Bottle caps and bits of plastic or foam dominated our search. Our trash bag filled while the blue recycling bag stayed light and near empty. We decided to walk along Ocean Blvd on the way back to the Discovery Center, and pick up trash along the road as well. By the time we dropped off the bags of anti-treasure, it was hot and sticky. I can easily admit disappointment at seeing so many bags left near empty, knowing so many tiny pieces of plastic remained out in the sand.

What appeared to be 'clean' was far from it

A simple suggestion to rehydrate and visit the inside of the Center turned the next hour and a half into a new chapter of exploration. I know we made a real effort during the cleanup and most certainly earned our shirts, but above all else it felt good to be on the front lines again.

Most coastal communities have regular beach cleanups, and local organizations can usually get you to the right place. Our local resource is Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful:

http://www.keeppbcbeautiful.org a non-profit organization that is a great way to find which organizations are working together when and where. For those who just need a few hours of volunteer service, projects like cleanups are easy and rarely require confusing paperwork or time-consuming waits for approval.

It is important to keep it fun and interesting. Playing games like trash bingo or having planned rewards post-collection can really help and introducing younger ones to the significance of what happens to trash left outside is what not only changes habits but has a lasting impact. Every tiny bit adds up to huge gains, and keep challenging yourself to make a difference!

Okay, sometimes he can be a little dramatic...