Road to 1 billion bottles

Too much plastic is polluting the ocean. We fight this environmental disaster by giving value to waste. Even if you don't use our recycled material, you can still do your part and actively help to make the world a better place by becoming a Changemaker.

Your participation as a Changemaker will directly contribute to #tide's environmental and social impact. Your financial support will help us cover the cost of collecting plastic waste in coastal and island communities that are most impacted by plastic pollution. It’s easy to join us on the Road to 1 Billion Bottles.

Choose the size of your contribution: 1, 3 or 5+ million bottles. Higher contributions allow for a more tailored impact program.
The Changemaker status will grant you access to #tide’s valuable database of storytelling assets such as photos, videos, and data.
Depending on the scope of your endowment, you will get different levels of visibility on #tide’s channels: from being included in the contributor section on our website, to social media posts, to joint press releases, dedicated news stories in the news section of our website, and beach clean-ups.

Why does #tide need support?

Because protecting the oceans comes at a price. We strongly believe that the plastic pollution crisis can only be solved through a circular economy. It's hard work setting up waste management systems, collecting plastic on remote islands and beaches in the sun or during the monsoon season.

We want everyone in the supply chain to benefit: the fishermen and women, as well as the workers in social enterprises and sorting facilities. That is why we have launched the Road to 1 Billion Bottles. Our first goal is to collect 1 billion bottles. 1 billion bottles that would have threatened animals, nature, people - our entire ecosystem.

You can support this goal and our efforts. It’s worth it: Every kilo of plastic that we collect becomes a new raw material with a carbon footprint up to 5 times smaller than virgin plastic.

How to become a changemaker

The first step is to decide how much you want to contribute. We offer three levels of impact: 1 million bottles, 3 million bottles, and 5 million bottles or more. The benefits vary based on the number of bottles you choose to save: Access to our storytelling assets and varying levels of visibility among them. The contribution can be structured as a one-time or annual commitment.

Thailand: Working Together Across Faiths

#tide is off to a fast start in 2019, establishing collaborations and partnerships in Southeast Asia, where ocean-bound plastic has become a major issue in recent years. We are collecting in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand - the latter being our operational hub, where we have a branch in Ranong.

For example, we support the Moken people, an ethnic minority living in the Andaman Sea. They collect plastic from islands in the area.
80% of the workers at the social enterprise in Ranong are women, some of them single parents.
The people who sort the plastic come from different religious backgrounds. They work together peacefully: Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, and Animists.

Mexico: Protecting Turtles

#tide has also set foot on the American continent. In the south of Mexico, on the Yucatan peninsula, #tide has set up a collection center. The center consists of a warehouse with a bale press. Local people collect plastic, which is then sorted. The Costa Maya is famous for its giant sea turtles. They nest on the beach - and are threatened by plastic waste that washes ashore from various countries in the Caribbean and South America.

We support the local community with beach clean-ups and the sandy beach turtle conservation program.
We collect plastic and store it in our warehouse in Mahahual before further processing.

What we have achieved so far

Since the launch of the Road to 1 Billion Bottles program in January 2022 - and thanks to our early contributors - we have not only collected millions of plastic bottles, but have also been able to

Build warehouses on the islands of Koh Chang and Koh Ra in the Andaman Sea for local people to safely store the collected plastic.
Create an educational program for schools in Thailand to teach children (and adults) about plastics and recycling.
Improve local infrastructure (bale presses, forklifts) and buy & maintain long-tail boats for fishermen.
Start operating in central America by establishing a partnership with Mexican non-profit Menos Plástico es Fantástico.