Did you know that there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean? It’s almost too much to comprehend but we must, and fast. If we don’t, by the year 2050, there will be more plastic floating around in the ocean than fish. But don’t let the statistics scare you, be empowered by them, and start to take action. That’s why we partnered with our friends at Biossance—the leaders in clean, sustainable beauty—to celebrate the launch of their Clean Academy Impact Award which aims to support future innovators in ocean conservation.
We’re looking for the next wave of unsung heroes who are actively paving the way to a healthier planet with their actions, both big and small. So, if you, or someone you know, is a champion for sustainability, then let us know how you’ve made an impact and are helping to preserve the world’s oceans and aquatic life.
Finalists will receive an invitation to a future Clean Academy event where two winners will be announced and awarded $10,000 to fund their conservation projects, plus mentorship and support from the Biossance team. Visit CleanAcademy.com/Award for more details and to enter yourself or nominate someone else! Be sure to share this with a friend who’s passionate about marine conservation, too. Submissions are due by July 29, 2020.
Armed with their mission to “make clean beauty the new standard,” Biossance is ushering in a new era of sustainability and driving much-needed innovation in the process. Some companies still make their squalane from shark liver (not cool!), endangering millions of sharks each year. In order to preserve the world’s ocean and aquatic life, Biossance saves 2 million sharks a year by using squalane made ethically and sustainably from 100% renewable sugarcane through biotechnology.
We took a deep dive into this topic and so much more with three powerhouse women—Catherine Gore, president of Biossance; Steph Shep, entrepreneur and co-founder of @FutureEarth; and Katie Matthews, PhD, Chief Scientist of Oceana—for a digital fireside chat titled, Making Waves, Why Banking on Clean Beauty Will Create a Sustainable Future for All to find out how we can turn the tide on pollution to protect our oceans and create a sustainable future for all.
Watch the video and read some of the impactful quotes from the conversation below.
On the importance of squalane…
“Squalane is the marquis ingredient for Biossance. We use it in every single product that we create and it’s already present in our skin—we're all born with it. (Squalene, with an “e,” is naturally produced by the body. Squalane with an “a” comes from 100% plant-based, renewable sugarcane.) I like to think of it this way; hyaluronic acid holds moisture, collagen adds elasticity, and squalane is moisture.”
On creating a sustainable squalane...
“Since around the 16th century, squalene was harvested through the killing of sharks, and that's really unfortunate because about two million shark lives a year were lost.. So Biossance is using clean biotechnology to replicate that exact natural ingredient [from sugarcane] and make it vegan, cruelty-free, sustainable, and even more effective.”
On how they’re simplifying the clean beauty space…
“It's hard for the average consumer to navigate these waters and so that's essentially the genesis for the Biossance Clean Academy and why we partnered with Jonathan Van Ness. He does such a good job of taking complex ideas and distilling them down and into something that‘s easy-to-understand, and you get a couple laughs in there too.”
On advocating for change...“We do go to Washington DC and we do advocate for policy change—it does take some time, but I feel the winds of change happening there. In the meantime, we want to outfit our consumers and the beauty industry at large with all the information that they need to make informed decisions.”
On sharing their sustainable ingredient innovations…
“We share our sustainable ingredients, like squalane, with other brands because a “rising tide lifts all ships” - we want to move the entire industry forward and, why not? What better way to show our commitment to our planet than to give away our best intel back into the industry!”
On partnering with Oceana...“We have been watching Oceana for a while and their level of oceanic preservation and the spotlight they put on specific areas like sharks is absolutely impressive. We feel very honored that they've chosen us to partner with them and we want to create a synergistic halo around this movement—it's only just begun. Our goal is really to become comrades with other skincare brands and be a group of allies really that go on this journey together.”
On the Clean Academy Impact Award…
“This award is really a moment for us to give back and to at the same time help move the conversation forward. It's meant to be a community builder, investing in future generations, and an opportunity to stand behind what we say and we'll continue to do that.”
On growing a platform with purpose...
“I do think that there is a responsibility when you have people who listen to you and can be influenced by you. I don't take that lightly. I hope that if you're following me you can walk away with a seed of information.”
On launching Future Earth...
“We wanted to create a digital climate education platform. I don't know everything, I'm sharing as I learn and I want you to learn with me.”
“We think that education is a catalyst for change. If you can plant a seed with someone, they might pass it on, they might vote differently, they might buy a product that is outside of their normal routine realm. It's those little seeds and they really do add up.”
On affecting change…
“Think global, act local. That’s the motto we try and insert in people’s minds. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, if you’re feeling like you can't make a change, do what you can to affect your family, plant those seeds in your communities because that as consumers, as voters, does have a ripple effect to make a bigger impact.”
On being subject to criticism….“I think that transparency is so important, people respond to that. I think people can have empathy for people who are wanting to do better because we're all just trying to do our best. So, you really just have to put yourself out there and know that you're lending yourself to something bigger than that one moment of criticism on social media or that one story or whatever it is. It's just so much bigger than that and the longevity of what you're fighting for is so much more important.”
On why we need to protect our ocean…
“It covers 71% of our planet. It's home to most of the life on earth. It has the world's largest animals, the largest daily migration of animals, and there are many medical discoveries in there, too.”
“This is the closest that any of us are ever going to get to visiting another planet.”
“The ocean also regulates our climate, it absorbs carbon dioxide, and it supports the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people.”
On working towards sustainable fishing practices...
“We spent a lot of time thinking about what we can do to increase abundance in the world's oceans and done properly the oceans can supply a healthy seafood meal to a billion people every day forever with minimal use of land, of freshwater, of all of these things that are going to come increasingly precious as we think about how climate change.
“We are so passionate about wild-caught fish. Because as you think about climate change, it’s a healthy climate-smart protein source, that's rich with lots of vitamins and micronutrients like vitamins A and D, iron, and zinc. But it doesn't negatively impact terrestrial biodiversity [compared to] farming and vegetarian sources of protein where you have to clear land to do that and, as you know, land is a valuable commodity.”
“If you look at the carbon footprint of animal-based proteins, it’s [wild-caught fish] one of the lowest down there with eggs as probably one of the smartest animal-based proteins that you can eat. So, if you're a consumer, you just need to ask good questions and show that you care about where your food comes from or anything else that you use and if you have informed and proactive consumers that really drives the market to pay closer attention.”
On the importance of sharks to the biodiversity of our oceans…
“At Oceana, we call them charismatic megafauna. They capture people's imagination and they can be used to tell a story about the rest of the ocean.”
“I wish every day was World Ocean Day, and that we all treat every single day as a day to protect our oceans because it is the heartbeat of the planet. I think that that's the ultimate goal—that it is not just one day but 365 of them.”
For more information on the Biossance Clean Academy Impact Award and to register or nominate someone you know for the $10K grant, visit CleanAcademy.com/Award
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