[Coral-List] Doing something about it!!! Other then debating

[Kristopher Clark]

Hello all,
From reading the discussions the past couple of weeks, it seems like we all know what the problem is and a key way to start a change. I am not a scientist of any sort(I am currently working towards my bachelors in environmental science with a concentration on fish and wildlife management and plan to continue my education further once I have received my bachelors) and up until a few months ago I had no clue how serious the problems the oceans are faced with are.  Once I began to understand the problems, I began to ask patients if they had ever heard of the Pacific Garbage "Patch"( I work as a patient transporter at a hospital, transporting patients to procedures, tests, etc.  So I encountered at least 20 different individuals everyday).  Almost every patient I spoke with had no clue what it was, how it got there, and the damage the debris was doing.  They were just astonished at what I was telling them . So I decided to do something about it.
  I recently established a nonprofit by the name of Oceans Blue Corp.  OBC is dedicated to keeping the oceans blue by raising awareness on marine debris and the problems the oceans are faced with.  We are working to build a community of individuals, business, schools, institutions, etc. to combat these problems.  We can get a lot further working together as a team then individuals or a thousand little groups.  We all want the same thing, a healthy, beautiful ocean for every generation.  One thing Ocean Blue Corp is currently working toward is a nation wide campaigning tour to raise awareness on what is happening to the oceans and ways to prevent it.  We will be handing out free reusable grocery bags and informational brochures across the nation(because we all know plastic is a major issue and with the US alone using over 100 billion every year, something needs to be done) trying to get the word out on how serious these problems are and ways to
 prevent further damage and reverse what damage we can. I believe (and from what it sounds like, all you believe)  the most essential priority now is to establish knowledge in the general population and that is exactly what OBC is current working toward.  What I am emailing all of you for is to help make the change possible.  With the help of amazing people like yourselves, I believe we can educate the world.  Please email me back if you would be interested in helping kick start the change, if you know of an grants/ funds/donors you can think of for funding, materials that would be useful, an key research and data you have readily available, or if you just want to give your opinion on some key aspects OBC should focus on while spreading the word.  We are currently working with our local schools in land locked Champaign, IL to do a plasticthon for funding.  Instead of getting donations for miles walked, people give donations for every pound of
 plastic picked up.  If successful, OBC will work to do something like this on a nationally scale. Anybody that could assist in furthering this goal as well please get a hold of me.  OBC may be young but we are determined and very passionate about this and with the help of skilled and knowledgeable people such as yourselves, we can make the change.

Sincerely,

Kristopher Clark
President/Founder of Oceans Blue Corp
T:(217)778-6669
keepingtheoceansblue.org- Website
www.facebook.com/OceansBlueCorp