From student advocate to sustainability leader! Vanessa R. started her journey with Plastic Free Cities unsure of how to make an impact. Now, she’s leading canvassing workshops, mentoring students, and even getting local businesses to join the movement!

Our Plastic Free Cities Junior Sustainability Consultants recently led a Virtual Plastic-Free Blitz Workshop in partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ District Student Government Association. This student-led crash course empowered high schoolers to take action against single-use plastics in their own schools and communities. If you missed the live event, catch the recording on our website to see how these young leaders are driving a plastic-free future!

From June 2nd to June 7th, 2024, Sea Youth Rise Up (SYRUP) brought together young ocean advocates from around the world for a week of training, lobbying, and networking in Washington D.C. Participants engaged with state and federal legislators, environmental agencies, and attended Capitol Hill Ocean Week, hearing from over 40 guest panelists. This collaborative initiative by Big Blue & You, The Ocean Project, and EarthEcho International showcased the power of youth advocacy in ocean conservation. Read on to discover the impactful moments and key takeaways from this inspiring event.

Our Communications Intern & 2019 Sea Youth Rise Up Delegate here at Big Blue & You, Apurva Iyengar, recently had the opportunity to host a session at the IUCN “One Nature, One Future” Global Youth Summit.

Since the Ocean Heroes Bootcamp program was co-founded by Lonely Whale and the Captain Planet Foundation in 2018, Big Blue & You trained more than 500 kids ages 11 to 18 on communications strategies to fight plastic pollution. Unfortunately, this program was shuttered due to the pandemic, but we hope to contribute again when it is revived!