Let’s Connect with Ocean Connections

I wanted to give some acknowledgment and appreciation to the marine conservation group Ocean Connections in helping communities to get involved with the ocean world. Offering education, advocacy, and care for marine life. From their home base in Milwaukee to outreach in South Carolina, they show how the ocean sustains both ecosystems and people.

Ocean Connections in Myrtle Beach brings their mission to life through immersive programs, like teaming up with the Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show for things like beach clean-ups, and animal ambassador appearances at the dinner shows, public and private seal and sea lion shows, and educational programs for schools and groups.

Interactive animal encounters this educational experience is where you can meet, feed, and train sealions. Sounds like an amazing experience for anyone interested in being around marine life in a calm setting. They also take part in School and Zoo field trips with interactive activities and demonstrations. They also have Volunteer Opportunities where they offer programs for volunteers to learn about animal care, training, and conservation.

What they offer the Ocean

• Forever homes for rescued seals and sea lions.

• Daily care, nutrition, and enrichment to ensure animal welfare.

• Advocacy for conservation awareness and sustainable practices.

What they offer the Community

• Inspiring experiences that connect families and visitors to marine life.

• Education that turns curiosity into conservation action.

• A reminder that Myrtle Beach is not just a tourist destination, but a living classroom for ocean connection.

Ocean Connections shows us that the ocean’s story is our story. In Myrtle Beach, every encounter-whether with a sea lion, a soaring macaw, or the waves themselves-is a chance to connect. Let’s carry that connection forward, protecting the ocean and strengthening the communities that depend on it.

To explore their programs, learn more about their mission, or plan your own visit, head to: oceanconnections.org

Plastic-Free Coastlines: Local Action, Global Impact

Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to our oceans, but communities across the world are showing that small actions can create powerful ripple effects. From Southeast Asia to Florida to coastlines worldwide, local initiatives are turning the tide against plastic waste.

In Cambodia and Vietnam, families working with the nonprofit TONTOTON collect all types if plastic waste-even the low-value pieces that usually escape recycling. Instead of ending up in the ocean, this plastic is transformed into durable boards for furniture, classrooms, and community projects.

In the Florida Keys and South Florida, Coastlove organizes cleanups, dune restoration, and youth-led education programs. Their “Young Changemakers” initiative empowers students to lead plastic reduction projects, plant native vegetation, and restore coastal habitats.

Through the International Coastal Cleanup, volunteers in more than 150 countries have removed millions of pounds of trash from beaches and waterways. The data they collect is shaping global policies to reduce single-use plastics.

Plastic pollution harms marine life, damages ecosystems, and impacts the health and livelihoods of coastal communities. By removing plastics at the source and finding creative alternatives, these programs protect biodiversity, strengthen local economies, and inspire global change.

These plastic-free coastline stories show resilience and restoration in action. Families are turning waste into opportunity, students are leading the way in protecting their beaches, and volunteers across the globe are proving that local action can spark global change. Together, they remind us that protecting our oceans creates ripples of hope far beyond the shoreline.

Making Waves, Introducing The Ripple Effect Our Ocean Story…

Welcome to “The Ripple Effect”! We are here because our oceans are in trouble, and it’s up to each of us to turn the tide. In my first post I’ll share my own journey, why I started this platform, and how each of us can become part of the wave of change.

My journey began with a deep love for the ocean and growing awareness of how fragile it has become. I’ve always been drawn to the sea- it’s beauty, it’s mysteries, and it’s power to sustain life. But the more I learned , the more I saw how often we take it for granted, ignoring the damage while it quietly provides food, medicine, and climate balance.

As I work toward my Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology, I’m discovering just how interconnected our ecosystems truly are. Each lecture , each dive into research, reminds me that the ocean’s health is inseparable from our own. Yet too many of these vital stories remain locked away in scientific journals, far from the communities who could be inspired to act.

That’s why I created The Ripple Effect: to bridge science and storytelling, to amplify voices of resilience and restoration, and invite people everywhere to join in protecting the waters that sustain us all. This platform is not just about information-it’s about sparking action, , building community, and proving that even the smallest ripple can grow into a wave of change.

I invite you to join me on this journey: read, share, and most importantly take steps to protect the oceans that give us life.

“Together, let’s protect our oceans and create ripples of change.”