A global campaign to fight plastic pollution.
We teamed up with organizations worldwide to clean up some of Earth's most important ocean habitats on September 17, 2022 and create artwork to inspire change. More than 400 volunteers joined cleanups in 8 locations worldwide, removing 4,598 lbs of trash from the environment, and unique marine debris artwork was shared worldwide. See complete 2022 Global Ocean Cleanup results here.
Cleanup Partners & Locations
We are proud to share the following official cleanup projects that participated in the 2022 Global Ocean Cleanup Campaign. Each organization received $2,000 in support from Oceanic Society to lead a cleanup of an ecologically important and polluted coastal or ocean habitat on September 17, 2022. See cleanup results here.
Location: Kahuku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.A.
Partner: Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii
Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii led a cleanup of Kahuku Golf Course Beach on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Known as Oahu's most polluted beach, Kahuku Beach receives large quantities of plastic pollution when the trade winds bring debris from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii is a nonprofit organization that works to inspire better consumer behaviors and continued coastal stewardship through cleanups, education, social media, and more. Learn more.
Location: Playa del Rafal, Murcia, Spain
Partner: Asociación Ambiente Europeo (AAE)
Asociación Ambiente Europeo (AAE) led a cleanup of Playa del Rafal in Punta Calnegre-Cabo Cope Regional Park, Murcia, Spain. This protected area is considered an “agriplastic hotspot” and has experienced a dramatic increase in plastic pollution related to intensive agriculture in nearby areas. Ambiente Europeo is a nonprofit organization that informs, inspires, empowers and mobilizes towards a new culture of sustainability that reduces the amount of garbage that reaches our seas. Learn more.
Location: Sipacate-Naranjo National Park, Guatemala
Partner: Semillas del Océano
Semillas del Océano cleaned a 6,500 foot section of beach and mangroves within Sipacate-Naranjo National Park on Guatemala's Pacific Coast. The park's beaches and mangrove forest provide important habitat for a wide range of wildlife including sea turtles and more than 90 bird species. Semillas del Océano is a non-profit organization that works to promote the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources in Guatemala. Learn more here.
Location: Kilifi, Kenya
Partner: Ocean Sole
A team from Ocean Sole cleaned the beach in Kilifi, Kenya, a beautiful stretch of white sand beach where marine debris is known to wash ashore. The beach hosts nesting sea turtles and is adjacent to offshore coral reefs and a migration corridor for humpback whales. Ocean Sole is a social enterprise that up-cycles flip-flops found discarded on beaches and in the sea in Kenya. Learn more here.
Location: Kadmat Islands, Lakshadweep, India
Partner: Young Environmentalists Programme
Young Environmentalists Programme Trust led a cleanup of beaches in the Kadmat Islands of Lakshadweep, India. This beautiful coral atoll is home to many important marine species and habitats including coral reefs, seagrass beds, sea turtles, sharks and rays, and marine mammals. Young Environmentalists Programme Trust is a non-profit organization that provides environmental education, ocean literacy, and hands-on ocean opportunities for youth. Learn more here.
Location: Orchid Cove, Rock Islands, Palau
Partner: Paddling Palau
Paddling Palau cleaned mangrove and beach areas at Orchid Cove within Palau's Rock Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These remote areas are only accessible by boat and include two sea turtle nesting beaches and a nursery for juvenile blacktip reef sharks and feathertail stingrays. Paddling Palau is a specialty tour operator that organizes and leads natural history tours by kayak and traditional sail in Palau's Rock Islands Southern Lagoon. Learn more here.
Location: Watson Island, Miami, FL, U.S.A.
Partner: Big Blue & You
Big Blue & You co-led a cleanup and brand audit on Watson Island, Miami, Florida, U.S.A. together with Blue Scholars Initiative. Watson Island is located in Biscayne Bay, home to several threatened marine species including sea turtles and manatees. Big Blue & You is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate youth about ocean conservation through arts, science and media. Learn more here.
This cleanup was generously sponsored by Seiko.
Location: San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
Led by Oceanic Society
We couldn't let our partners have all the fun! Oceanic Society led a community cleanup on Ocean Beach in our hometown of San Francisco, California. Our offshore waters are some of the most productive ocean areas on earth and are home to a wide range of marine mammals, seabirds, and even leatherback sea turtles. We are America's oldest non-profit organization dedicated to ocean conservation, founded in San Francisco in 1969.
This cleanup was generously sponsored by Seiko.
Take Action from Home
Participate in the 2022 Global Ocean Cleanup campaign and join the millions of people worldwide taking action to fight ocean plastic pollution. Choose from one of the actions below, and share your efforts with us on social media by using #globaloceancleanup.
Art Competition
To harness the power of visual storytelling and showcase the global impacts of plastic pollution, each participating project will create a piece of artwork using the material collected during the cleanup. The artworks will be shared online and judged by a panel of artists and conservationists as part of a friendly competition, with the chance for participating organizations to win additional support!
Campaign Sponsors
We are grateful to the following sponsors of the 2022 Global Ocean Cleanup Campaign.
As part of their commitment to ocean conservation, Seiko is proud to sponsor the 2022 Global Ocean Cleanup. Seiko's support will go towards the cleanups in Miami, FL and San Francisco, CA, U.S.A. Learn more about Seiko's commitment to ocean conservation.
Planet Oat Oatmilk is proud to sponsor Oceanic Society and the 2022 Global Ocean Cleanup Campaign as part of their Planet Oat Project, the brand’s pledge to support organizations that better the world we live in.