Gound My Project F
If you’re like me, you will readily pick a vacation spot that involves the sea because of the beauty and peace that comes from staring deep into the ocean. As ocean enthusiasts, we want to watch the surf roll in, catch a wave, dive beneath them, paddle over them, or catch the wind and sail or kite above them.
Although we adore the ocean its beauty and all the life it sustains, sadly all too often the beauty can have an ugly side. The ugly side I speak of is the plastic pollution problem.
An Opportunity For Change
As a marine ecologist and scuba dive instructor having worked on among other things whale shark conservation projects; I have seen all too often the final destination of plastic not properly disposed of. While working on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin in 2017 I found myself in a position where I had to face hurricane Irma head on. Surviving Irma when I truly believed I would not led to me taking a side step from diving and conservation for two years. It is now time to do something different for the ocean and so to help combat the plastic crisis, so I created Trashvests.
At Trashvests we are not only committed to offering high quality garments made from ocean bound recycled plastic suitable for all water sports enthusiasts and beach goers. We are also committed towards the eradication of ocean plastic and to changing people’s attitude toward the ocean and to plastic use.
What We Want To Achieve
With you on our side, we want to work towards creating an amazing product out of nothing but trash while also cleaning up the ocean and helping to protect our aquatic life. If we all work together then future ocean enthusiasts from scuba divers, snorkelers, surfers, kiteboarders, kayakers, swimmers, paddle boarders and more will be able to enjoy a pristine ocean environment.
Supporting Sister Organizations
To support a cleaner and healthier ocean a proportion of profits will be donated to three different organizations. Through their pound + program we will be supporting 4Ocean in their ocean and beach clean up operations. We will also help encourage future generations to respect nature and contribute towards a cleaner and zero-pollution environment by supporting Global Ocean’s education program. Last but by no means least we will also be supporting the Marine Conservation Society in all the ways in which they work to protect and campaign for healthy seas.
Why We Need Your Support
To achieve our mission of recycling ocean bound plastic waste and supporting the organizations working hard for a cleaner ocean, we have earmarked a budget of Seventy Five thousand United States Dollars. Unfortunately, our finances are limited and unable to cover our proposed expenses towards a cleaner, safer environment.
To help us reach our $75,000 total, we are calling on well-meaning people with a genuine interest in the ocean environment and marine life. With your support and donations, Trashvests will not only re-purpose ocean bound plastic into quality garments, but through donations help restore the ocean to a plastic free environment.
How We Will Utilize Your Donations
Every donation we receive will be comprehensively accounted for. Donors who support our campaign will receive updates on the progress of Trashvests in addition to the frequent updates that will be made on this GoFundMe page.
To kickstart our operations, the $75,000 is needed to
· Website building and online marketing - $2500
· Product design and development - $600
· Fabric testing to ensure Ultraviolet Protection Factor 50 + $750 x 4 colours - $3000
· Purchasing initial minimum stock of bespoke fabric - $65,000
Trashvests Community
Every Trashvest will be worn with true sense of pride and community; knowing that it has captured and re-purposed ocean bound plastic, then through donations helped remove plastic from the ocean, support education on marine and plastic pollution issues and protect and campaign for a healthy ocean.
Every support from you is a step towards a healthy ocean. Thank you!
