Ocean Hero of the Week: Justin Sather

Justin started selling toy frogs around the neighborhood. He recognized that incorporating science with art inspired others to listen. Through frog art and his own frog-themed shoes, his message quickly expanded from one neighbor to the next and increased through social media partnerships. As he raised awareness, he also raised thousands of dollars.

His first $2,000 was donated to Save the Frogs! non-profit. Justin’s passion for the wetlands grew and he set up local cleanups and donated hundreds of gloves. On his 8th birthday, he invited his friends to the Ballona Wetlands to pick invasive weeds and discuss the harms of plastic pollution.

Shore Buddies Ocean Hero of the Week: Aaron Westbrook

Welcome back to Stephen Seagull’s interview corner! This week for our Ocean Hero, I would like to introduce someone who developed a passion and turn that into a career! This Ocean Hero started up his own nonprofit that not only helps people, but saves the environment in the process!

Shore Buddies Ocean Hero of the Week: Hannah Fraser

I have been actively campaigning for 20 years to END the shark fin & manta gill ray trade, and cetacean slaughter by showing people that these animals are intelligent, interactive, largely harmless, and invaluable to the balance of the eco system that we depend upon for life on this planet.

Shore Buddies Ocean Hero of the Week: Orion Shearer

Hello again fellow ocean lovers! I’m Stephen Seagull and I’m back for more Ocean Hero of the Week news! This week I am so excited to introduce you to an incredible 9 year old boy who took matters into his own hands to help the ocean! He didn’t like all the plastic cans and bottles he saw in the environment and decided to take a stand!

Shore Buddies Ocean Hero of the Week: Emily Penn

I’m Stephen Seagull, and I’m ready to bring you a whaley good Ocean Hero this week! This amazing person has been involved in reducing plastic pollution for over a decade! That’s longer than I can fly by a long shot! Since the beginning, she has founded her own organization and touched so many people along the way!

Another whale found with a belly full of plastic

Hey Guys, Emma here,

In Italy, they found the carcass of a pregnant sperm whale last week that had 49 pounds (22 kilograms) of plastic in her stomach. I keep telling you, the plastic situation is out of control.

Shore Buddies Ocean Hero of the Week: Emi Koch

Me, myself, and I, Sir Stephen Seagull has brought to you Stephen’s Interview Corner! Even better, I’m back with our Ocean Hero of the Week. Are you ready for this dolphinetly great person? This time I bring you San Diego local Emi Koch! She started as a surfer and developed her passion for the ocean and its animal life. This led her to help create a nonprofit, but do you know which one?

Sammy of Shore Buddies talks Trader Joe's Phasing Out Plastic

Trader Joe's has made a commitment to improve their packaging by replacing all single-use plastics and styrofoam trays with biodegradable, compostable alternatives! Trader Joe's spokesperson and representative released that “while most of the plastic in our packaging has the highest recyclability acceptance rate in the U.S., reducing the amount of plastic packaging in our stores is another important focus of our sustainability.”

Shore Buddies Ocean Hero of the Week: Ryan Hickman

Welcome to Stephen’s Interview Corner! I’m Stephen Seagull and I’m back with our new Ocean Hero of the Week! This week, I’m very proud to introduce you all to the recycling hero himself, Ryan Hickman. I thought I liked to fly high and shoot for the stars, but this amazing young man is flying past me! He can’t walk past trash without picking it up and making an impact on the environment around him.

Shore Buddies Ocean Hero of the Week: Marc Ward

Hi, Stephen here. Marc Ward is one of the greatest protectors of my dear friend, Shelly the Sea Turtle. Through his adventures, he developed quite a passion for marine life in realizing just how important they are to our oceans. His love for turtles drove him to help create Sea Turtles Forever, a program that dedicated everything they had to protecting sea turtles from all the problems they can face. 

Shore Buddies Ocean Hero of the Week: Sammie Vance

Stephen Seagull here, and I’m back with what I like to call Stephen’s Interview Corner! I’ve decided to fly high and start an Ocean Hero of the Week! To kickoff this FINNtastic program, I would be so honored to introduce you all to Sammie Vance. Sammie is an amazing little girl that wanted to stop kids from being lonely at recess. She created a comic strip explaining how these benches would help save my home as well as keep children from feeling lonely. 400lbs of plastic caps later, Sammie’s Buddy Bench was here to stay.

Hi, Sammy here!

I have to say, I was a little worried about what those two legged mammals are doing to cousin Carl, but it turned out they had the right attention...