Talk about putting your money – and, more importantly, manpower – where your river mouth is. Upholding a mission that inspired the company name and mission, urban-outdoor apparel and accessories brand United By Blue recently announced that it has removed 250,000 pounds of trash from rivers, oceanfronts and other waterways since the company’s founding in 2010.
Rallied around the pledge to remove one pound of trash for every product the company sells, United By Blue has organized a total of 140 water cleanup efforts drawing over 4,500 volunteers and spanning 24 states to accomplish the quarter-million pound benchmark. It officially passed the 250,000 lbs. benchmark September 19 at the company’s 140th cleanup effort at Brandywine Creek in Wilmington, Delaware with over 100 community members in attendance and over 1,800 lbs. of trash removed from the park.
Upon founding United By Blue in 2010, Brian Linton and Mike Cangi sought to instill a permanent culture of social and environmental stewardship and to use the company to draw national attention to the declining quality of our rivers and oceans. By associating a concrete environmental action with every business transaction, it’s been able to have a measurable and positive impact on ocean and waterway pollution.
As a matter of principle, United By Blue does not write checks or accept donations; rather it fulfills its pledge through company-organized cleanup efforts.
“For us, it’s more than sales. It’s about engaging with a community that is progressive, aware and motivated by improving our society,” says CEO Linton, “I couldn’t be prouder of my team’s efforts over the last five years in helping us reach this significant milestone of removing 250,000 pounds of trash from our world’s oceans and waterways.”
United By Blue is a B-Corp — a for profit business with a legally binding double bottom line. In spring 2015, it was recognized as one of the top businesses nationally in advancing positive community impact. The award, “Best for Communities,” recognized businesses whose community impact scores rank them in the top 10 percent of all Certified B Corporations in the Communities category.
“By associating each product sold with the removal of one pound of trash from waterways, we unite our beliefs with our business,” says Linton.
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