Activism

Clean Beaches, Happy Oceans

There is more than one way to spread awareness about the state of our oceans. A single beach clean-up might seem like a tiny act in comparison to the massive scale of environmental pollution, overfishing and climate change our planet is suffering. However, sometimes joined smaller forces can make a big impact.

We firmly believe that every action counts. Take a look at the collective mass of actions taken during initiatives like Earth Day. At the same time, consumer choice and individual stances should not be the only efforts toward saving our oceans. Companies and businesses, large and small, must also ensure sustainability in their ways and take the lead on future innovations that will save our planet, climate and health.

Participants in a Simris beach clean-up event
Participants in a Simris beach clean-up event doing pilates

CLEAN BEACHES, HAPPY OCEANS

Happy, healthy oceans are what Simris is all about. Our love for all things living gives us the incentive to change the omega-3 industry, from the predatory fishing of our oceans to the sustainable farming of microalgae, cutting out the completely unnecessary middle fish. Simris has developed a unique process to produce omega-3 from algae in its purest and most genuine form, just as in nature. Better for you and better for the oceans.

As part of our mission to protect marine habitats and the ocean, we teamed up with Lonely Whale and The Trash Project for a beach clean-up event in Queens, NYC. The goal was to spread awareness about the state of our oceans and how we all can help our environment. All our guests were masked up and ready to make a difference, soaking up the beautiful summer morning. The day started with a pilates workout on the beach. Pilates was followed by educational talks by the sustainability expert and event host, Sophia Li, and event partner, Lonely Whale. Guests were asked to consider their own sustainability journeys, educate themselves on the effects of human waste in our environments, and acknowledge the impact our beaches have on our oceans, emphasising that every small, individual action makes a difference. The beach cleanup then began using the Trash Project’s signature bags.

Simris beach clean-up participants

ACTION FOR CHANGE

The Trash Project, founded in 2008, is an art project aimed at reducing plastic; encouraging sustainable living; emphasising reusing; and recycling or reducing the amount of stuff one accumulates. The Trash Project promotes urban beautification and environmental awareness. Both communities and individuals are invited to get involved and take action through their projects. The Trash Project's hot-pink, black-dotted trash bags are visible for miles and help to make cleanup fun and efficient.

The Lonely Whale are relentlessly working to push an impactful change to save and preserve our oceans and planet. They aim to invoke lasting changes on individuals and permanent effects on the system. They fiercely combat single-use plastic and gladly team up with individuals, nonprofits, corporate partners and influencers for the cause.

Zero-carbon emission transportation options from Volvo for guests participating in the Simris beach clean-up

EVERY ACTION COUNTS

Yes, together we cleaned the beach! We removed a lot of trash that could have ended up in the ocean or harmed animals. Even if that is awesome in itself, we also want to acknowledge the positive side effects that will improve your well-being. The act of doing good is one. Enjoying the beach sans trash also adds value to those who come to visit it. Research shows that being surrounded by nature, be it a forest or the beach, has a huge positive impact on our wellbeing. Be mindful of this on your next trip to the beach.

Environmental pollution, overfishing and climate change are the huge problems we try to tackle, and the small combined efforts – such as a beach clean-up – can be a part of the solution. Because in the end, awareness and action, no matter how big or small, are the only way for us as individuals to contribute to change. We hope a day like this will serve as inspiration to be cautious and take good care of the nature we all love to enjoy. We would like to extend a special thank you to Volvo who provided zero-carbon emission transportation for guests to and from the beach. And speaking of big companies taking the lead: Volvo has an ambitious climate plan for their industry and we endorse their vision of becoming climate neutral across the full value chain. We would also like to thank our event host Sophia Li; Tasha Franken for running the pilates class; and, of course, Lonely Whale and The Trash Project. To all our guests – thank you for taking the time to come to the beach with us!

"Sustainability is essential for us at Volvo, and we were excited to have the opportunity to help a fellow Swedish company like Simris with this great event. Together we have the power to make the changes needed for this planet to become a better place for future generations."

- Martin Hansson, Volvo Manhattan

If you are the kind of person who helps the environment by picking up trash when you see it, then you are officially impressive and are also on Team Simris. Imagine the change if everybody pitched in daily and not only on these special occasions. Let’s all make the small actions heroic, too. Spread the word!