One Young World is a remarkable nonprofit organization that harnesses the power of fresh-faced leaders to tackle pressing global challenges. And one of its young visionaries is delivering a powerful message in a bottle and sending an SOS to the world.
Through One Young World’s Lead2030 program, which funds and expedites sustainable solutions created by founders under 30, Will Pearson, the co-founder of Ocean Bottle, is working to prevent plastics from ending up in the sea.
In 2018, Pearson and his partner, Nick Doman, embarked on a mission to engage consumers in the battle against ocean plastic pollution. Their innovative concept, Ocean Bottle, is a reusable stainless steel bottle crafted, in part, from recycled ocean-bound plastic that incorporates an NFC smart chip so bottle owners will be able to fund more to plastic collection when they refill at partner locations.
For every Ocean Bottle sold, the company facilitates the collection of a staggering 11.4 kilograms or roughly 25 pounds of plastic from coastal areas. This groundbreaking initiative enables plastic collectors in coastal communities to trade collected waste for monetary compensation and other social benefits. To date, Ocean Bottle has funded the collection of 11,400 tons of plastic, equivalent to over 1 billion plastic bottles by weight.
“I spent a year working on a boat out in the Indian Ocean and became quite familiar with what was going on with the plastic crisis,” Pearson said in a video. “I basically discovered that in the next two decades, ocean plastic is expected to quadruple in weight. So basically, despite everything we’re doing to replace single-use plastics, unfortunately, we’re still heading in the wrong direction.”
As a One Young World Lead2030 Ambassador, this trailblazer is continuing his mission to prevent plastic from polluting the ocean.
Pearson mentioned that nature documentaries such as Blue Planet 2 have helped raise awareness for his overall cause. “All of a sudden, people not only understood this problem and this crisis, but they really wanted to make a difference,” Pearson said.
“And that was basically the foundation of Ocean Bottle. It was kind of the light bulb moment behind what we then created, which was all around enabling individuals to make a global impact on the plastic crisis.”
Through Ocean Bottle, Pearson said he’s now funding collection projects in Indonesia, Ghana, Kenya, and beyond. “We basically set up plastic collection points with our partners and enable people to come and bring their plastic waste and exchange it for money but also get access to social resources, so it’s all about both environmental and social impact and enabling people to make that difference because let’s be honest. You can bring your tote bag to the supermarket. You’re still going to fill it to the brim with plastic-wrapped products.
“So we really wanted to make an easy way for people to contribute something to kind of a global scale. And I’m really pleased to say as of December, we hit our billion bottle milestone. We’ve now collected a billion plastic bottles in weight.”
Under the guidance of the Lead2030 program, Pearson and his team benefited from mentorship by connecting with professionals from the challenge who specialize in banking solutions. This partnership helped Ocean Bottle thoroughly analyze and refine its business-to-business marketing materials, aligning them with the company’s strategic goals.
With support from Lead2030, Ocean Bottle is preparing to conduct its first public audit of collection data within the ocean waste industry. This initiative aims to set industry standards for compliance, enhance transparency, and solidify Ocean Bottle’s leadership in the field. The Lead2030 challenge sponsor assisted in strategizing and disseminating information about the audit process and its outcomes to the Ocean Bottle community.
“I think it’s been just a big confidence boost for us to have support for doing things and taking decisions that we’re not really comfortable with or didn’t have full confidence in taking,” Emilien Henrotte, impact manager at Ocean Bottle, said in One Young World’s 2023 impact report. “They’ve been really reassuring, and I think a big part that explains that is that they’ve been really supportive and reactive on communication. So I think it’s been really positive to work with them.”
Lead2030: Fueling Ocean Bottle’s Impact
Pearson’s unwavering commitment to combating plastic pollution caught the attention of the Lead2030 program, which has provided invaluable support and resources to amplify Ocean Bottle’s impact. Through the program, Pearson and his team gained access to experts from the challenge sponsor focused on banking solutions, enabling them to optimize their business-to-business marketing materials and align with strategic goals.
The story of Will Pearson and Ocean Bottle stands as a testament to the transformative power of young visionaries when provided with the right resources and support. They’re paving the way for a future in which plastic pollution is no longer a threat to our oceans and the planet we all call home.
How One Young World Empowers Youth To Drive Global Change
Founded in 2009, One Young World brings together the brightest minds from over 190 countries, equipping them with the tools, knowledge, and connections to ignite positive change worldwide.
Through its flagship summit, One Young World fosters an environment where budding leaders can collaborate, share ideas, and forge partnerships that transcend borders and cultures. The organization’s Lead2030 program takes this commitment a step further by providing funding, mentorship, and support to promising initiatives aimed at achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
“Through the Lead2030 program, with support from our corporate partners, we distributed $525,000 to 11 young leaders, along with tailored mentorship from industry experts designed to help them maximize their impact,” One Young World co-founder Kate Robertson said. “One Young World’s mission to empower young leaders grows more urgent every day.”