![Thorleif Thorleifsson](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5e8de3e58f3812569585bff9/665d8f1187f5465d2f3265a6_Beach%20cleanup.png)
Beach cleanup
As a maritime technology startup based in Norway, the ocean is not just a nice view from our office - but the very reason we exist. Our innovations, business, and future is linked to the health and sustainability of marine environments.
According to a 2021 UN report, it is estimated that there is between 75 and 199 million tons of plastic in the ocean, with a new 8-12 tons of plastic ending up in the sea globally every year (Norwegian Centre against Marine Litter).
![8 people and a dog in front of the Oslo fjord, equipped with gloves and trash bags in the middle of a beach cleanup](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5e8de3e58f3812569585bff9/665d8e2e19c7fbd5cff9c524_20240525_100123781_iOS%20Large.png)
That’s a lot, and not something we can simply solve ourselves. But every small effort counts, and with motivation to make a tangible difference our team decided to dedicate a Saturday to a beach cleanup, armed with gloves, trash bags, and a lot of enthusiasm, to prevent plastic and other waste from entering the beautiful Oslo fjord.
![3 happy people standing on a hill with trash bags and gloves ready for the beach cleanup](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5e8de3e58f3812569585bff9/665d8e67c23205b1405a3aa2_20240525_094404087_iOS%20Large.png)
The beach looked rather clean on the surface, but in between thorny bushes and big rocks we found a lot of bottles, cans, socks (?), disposable grills, and other hidden debris. Even stickers disguised as leaves (!)
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5e8de3e58f3812569585bff9/665efdcd614356cb9f6b6e0b_Screenshot%202024-06-04%20at%2013.41.46.png)
After the cleanup we rewarded ourselves with a BBQ in the sun at the newly cleaned beach, pondering what beach to clean next.
![Company BBQ showing some of the food being prepared](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5e8de3e58f3812569585bff9/665d8e4092fb2091d962a54f_20240525_123602814_iOS%20Large.png)
A big thanks to the team who showed up, and to Rydde (Norwegian Environment Agency and Hold Norge Rent) for making it so easy to help keeping the coastline waste-free by providing free cleanup equipment.
![10 people standing on a beach showing the bags of trash collected at the beach](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5e8de3e58f3812569585bff9/665d8e54fc67a4e598c82b69_20240525_124407559_iOS%20Large.png)