Partners in ocean preservation
However, Starboard cannot fight the plastic pollution alone. They have joined forces with several organizations who share their visions. Parley.tv (a symposium for creators, thinkers and leaders to come together to find solutions to end the destruction of the seas) is one of the company’s lead partners in ocean conservation, inspiring them to take the A.I.R pledge and use it in their business model. A.I.R stands for Avoid, Intercept and Redesign; Starboard has decreased the amount of plastic used in their product lines, taken part in retrieving plastic from the ocean and implementing recycling schemes to reduce its plastic footprint, and lastly promote change in the industry – one example is by turning away from plastic packaging.
Watertrek.org (a non-profit association invested in the protection of aquatic ecosystems) is another affiliate of Starboard and shares the company’s passion for protecting the deep blue and its love for SUP. The French-British NGO works hard to enlighten people about the big plastic problem and hosts trash pick-ups on paddleboards. They are experts at raising awareness in a fun and active tradition.
Combining fun and education is also a SUP Kids specialty. This team focuses on teaching kids SUP and providing environmental education. SUP Kids provide children with lessons in water safety, paddling, ocean plastic problems and more. It is critical for kids to connect with water and learn about the climate issues we face, as they are the next generation to rule the world. SUP Kids aim to shape youngsters into ambassadors for the planet.
Starboard and SUP Kids are now taking their teamwork to a new project: crafting an eco-education program for schools around the world. They hope that this program can inspire young minds to be the change that our planet needs. But change starts with small steps. In effort to make a difference in their local community, Starboard works closely with Trash Hero organizing weekly cleanups of the waters and land next to their headquarters. They collect trash from the streets of their neighbourhoods, from rivers around Bangkok, and from beaches outside the city and oceans around the world.
In order to aid these efforts, Starboard created paddle picks to make picking up trash easier when paddling, allowing paddlers to do what they love while living the deep blue life.
