What Can Your Business Do To Help The Ocean Cleanup?

Julie Starr • December 7, 2021



The ocean cleanup is one of the biggest environmental campaigns of modern times. Years of neglect have meant that our beautiful oceans are in a terrible state. They’re full of plastic waste, causing disruptions to marine life in various parts of the world. This has a knock-on effect on other forms of wildlife, with food chains being disrupted and many animals dying out. 

As a business, you might think that the oceans are out of your control. They don’t directly affect you, so why care about them? Well, if you want to present yourself as a sustainable and eco-friendly business , you need to fight for certain causes. This is a cause that’s worth fighting for, and here’s what your business can do to have an impact:

Raise awareness through volunteering

Volunteer at a local beach to help clean up some of the waste that’s left on the shores. Encourage others to get involved, shining a light on the problem to your local community. You can film some of the footage for social media, and run an entire campaign dedicated to it. This does two things: it shows you’re eager to stand up and take action, and it shines awareness on the problem for more people to see. The more people you get outraged about something like this, the more chance there is for actual change to happen. 

Use less plastic

Arguably the most impactful thing your business can do is cut down on its plastic usage. Plastic waste is a huge problem in the oceans, with chemicals polluting the seas and bits of plastic getting stuck in the throats of animals. We’re not suggesting your business heads out to see to try and perform First Aid and Heimlich maneuver on marine life, but you can prevent issues like this by cutting down on plastic usage. Use less plastic in product packaging, use less around the office, and so on. If you can create a business that’s as close to plastic-free as possible, it will help the ocean cleanup. Or, if you do use plastic, try to ensure it can be recycled, so it won’t be part of the ocean waste. 

Support non-profit organizations

Currently, there are lots of organizations out there dedicated to cleaning up the oceans . As a business, you’re in a position of power where you can financially support them. Use some of your profits and donate them to these non-profits, helping them go about their work. Again, you can use your platform to raise awareness about these organizations to your customers and clients, possibly encouraging more donations. As a result, you help support those who are trying their best to aid the ocean cleanup. 

Businesses can do a lot to support big environmental causes like this. You should try to support at least one big cause, making it a core part of your brand ethos. As demonstrated above, there are ways to actively and inactively make a massive difference. Whether it means going out and doing some hard work yourself, changing parts of your business, or just using your position of power to support others who are actively working. 

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.