A SEA CHANGE TO TACKLE
OCEAN PLASTIC POLLUTION
Originally created by a marine biologist, SpongeBob SquarePants has always had a deep love for the ocean at its heart.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, 11 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean annually, harming the marine species who call it home. It is our duty to preserve the ocean, not just for ourselves but for generations to come.
That’s why Paramount Consumer Products and Nickelodeon are launching SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change to help protect the home of our beloved sponge. This multi-year global initiative will spark a sea change by funding global clean-up work, promoting sustainable products, and educating millions of fans on how they can help protect the undersea home of all creatures—including a certain silly sea star, sourpuss octopus, and optimistic yellow sponge.
EXPLORE OUR WORLD
Discover where our partners are working to make an impact for our ocean and learn more about the ocean pollution crisis.
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At the Heart
from the Start
SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg was a marine biologist and ocean conservation was always important to him. Take a look at how the series came to life.
Stephen Hillenburg worked as a marine biology teacher at the Orange County Marine Institute in California.
While there, he created “The Intertidal Zone,” an educational comic book about tide pools featuring a character called Bob the Sponge.
Hillenburg pivoted to a career in animation at Nickelodeon, writing and directing for "Rocko’s Modern Life.”
He decided to combine his love for the ocean and animation into a show about crazy invertebrates who live under the sea. Bob the Sponge evolved into SpongeBoy who became the iconic SpongeBob SquarePants.
"SpongeBob SquarePants" premiered on Nickelodeon.
"SpongeBob SquarePants" is a global sensation with almost 300 episodes.
OCEAN
POLLUTION
CRISIS
11 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean annually and harm marine species
That's nearly
8
BILLION
PINEAPPLES!
*amount estimated based on average mass of a pineapple
THE IMPACT OF MARINE LITTER
SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change and Ocean Conservancy teamed up to teach you about the impact of ocean plastics on marine life. Plastic pollution comes in many forms and sizes. No matter how big or small the form, plastic pollution impacts all of our sea friends, from the largest whales like Pearl to the most microscopic critters like Plankton.
How does plastic end up in the oceans?
Fishing Gear
Pieces of fishing gear – much of which is made of plastics – can get cut loose during a storm, floating in the ocean and “ghost fishing” forever.
Everyday Items
Things like plastic bags, food wrappers, or bottle caps that litter the beach or waterways that lead to the ocean.
Microplastics
Tiny plastics that either are manufactured to be small (like glitter) or that shed from larger items over time. Broken up by wind, sunshine, and ocean currents, these never completely go away.
How are they harmful to marine life?
Ingestion
Accidental ingestion is common and dangerous. Scientists have documented plastics in more than 1,000 different ocean-dwelling species.
If animals ingest large amounts of plastic, it can block their digestive tracts. Even microplastics cause big problems because plastic has thousands of chemicals that, once inside the animal, can leach into surrounding tissues and harm the creatures.
Entanglement
Marine life can become trapped or entangled by plastics. Fishing gear like nets, lines, and traps can continue to trap animals even after they’ve been lost or abandoned at sea.
Other types of plastic can entangle animals. Six-pack rings are a well-known example, trapping seabirds and turtles by the neck. Animals like hermit crabs, octopuses, and other creatures that find shelter in small nooks and crannies can get trapped in plastic bottles and other trash.
SEA CHANGE IN ACTION
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
We mobilized a network of global non-profit partners that further our goals.
These efforts, which have been made possible with support from SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change, aim to help protect the ocean from plastic pollution and biodiversity loss through on-the-ground clean-up events in cities around the world.
In total, these partnerships are estimated to divert over 5 million pounds of plastic pollution from oceans by 2027.
Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore
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Coral Restoration Foundation
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Plastic Oceans International
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Surfers Against Sewage
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WORK
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Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore
Location: Maryland, U.S.
The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, in collaboration with Maryland-based government, business, and community partners, is dedicated to cleaning and beautifying Baltimore's waterways. The SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change Fund will support the Waterfront Partnership's Healthy Harbor initiative to sponsor trash collection activities through 2023.
PARTNER'S SITEEstablished: 2006
2023 Partnership Goal: 500,000 pounds of debris collected
Coral Restoration Foundation
Location: Florida, U.S.
Headquartered in Key Largo, Florida, Coral Restoration Foundation™ was founded in response to the wide-spread loss of the dominant coral species on Florida's Coral Reef. Since 2007 they have been working to turn the tide for this critical ecosystem, and SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change will support their coral restoration efforts through 2023.
PARTNER'S SITEEstablished: 2000
2023 Partnership Goal: Support coral restoration in Florida Keys
Plastic Oceans International
Location: Brazil, Philippines, Mexico, Germany, and Cameroon
This non-profit organization's goal is to foster sustainable communities and to end plastic pollution worldwide. They operate with the belief that they can and must act locally to create change globally, which they do through their four pillars of education, activism, advocacy, and science. SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change will help fund plastic clean-up projects in Brazil, Philippines, Mexico, Cameroon, and Germany.
PARTNER'S SITEEstablished: 2016
2023 Partnership Goal: 1,000,000 pounds of debris collected
Surfers Against Sewage
Location: UK
Surfers Against Sewage is a grassroots environmental charity that campaigns to protect the ocean and all it makes possible. It was created in 1990 by a group of Cornish surfers, fighting to clean up the sea that was making them sick. Now, this UK-based marine conservation charity campaigns on all that threatens the ocean – plastic pollution, the climate emergency, industrial exploitation, and water quality – taking action on the ground that triggers change from the top. SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change will support the organization's Million Mile Clean, the most ambitious clean campaign to date, mobilizing over 100,000 people to clean 1 million miles of blue, green, and urban spaces in the UK annually.
PARTNER'S SITEEstablished: 1990
2023 Partnership Goal: 132,000 pounds of debris collected
WORK
Location: Haiti
This organization supports waste collectors who recycle plastic, helping them earn a dignified income, while diverting waste otherwise destined for oceans and landfills. SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change will help fund responsible collection efforts in Haiti. Additionally, Paramount will collaborate with WORK to channel First Mile ocean-bound plastic material into the licensed consumer products supply chain, contributing to a more circular economy while cleaning up the environment.
PARTNER'S SITEEstablished: 2012
2023 Partnership Goal: 192,000 pounds of debris collected
2024 Goal: Over 1.25 million pounds of plastic and debris collected by our partners
pounds collected to-date
*Numbers estimated off annual collection from NGO partners
How Paramount Is Reducing Plastic
We’re reinventing how we do business on SpongeBob products by creating a connected global effort around sustainability.
To ensure the program is grounded in science, we began by assessing the plastic footprint of our SpongeBob consumer product lines. This involved commissioning a first-of-its-kind research study for Paramount to analyze the packaging and materials used. Based on what we learned, we will be collaborating with our licensing partners to adopt holistic strategies for reducing plastic pollution from SpongeBob products.
For more information on Paramount’s approach and commitment to sustainability, please visit Paramount’s sustainability efforts.
Key Partners
We are working with current SpongeBob SquarePants licensing partners to drive more sustainable practices and reduce single-use plastic in products, and curating partnerships with new brands to create innovative product lines. Check out some of our Operation Sea Change product partners.
Renowned for innovating packaging free cosmetic items, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics created a range of fun and immersive products across bath, shower, and skin care with SpongeBob SquarePants. Lush supported Operation Sea Change by designing a collection to encourage shoppers to consider the sea and choose plastic free!
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A purpose-driven apparel company that uses clothing to educate, inspire, and support consumers in living a more environmentally responsible life. Waterlust created a line of products featuring recycled fabrics made from post-consumer bottles.
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This Brooklyn, New York-based company designs and sells sustainably made socks, sweatshirts, and candles that benefit leading non-profits around the world. The SpongeBob SquarePants collection gives back to Oceana, a non-profit organization that works to protect and restore the world’s oceans on a global scale. Plus, Conscious Step socks are made with organic cotton, recycled polyester, and packaged plastic-free.
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This New England-based company is on a mission to create a platform of delicious and nutritious products from a new and exciting form of food agriculture: regenerative ocean farming. AKUA launched two new kelp patties with SpongeBob SquarePants that will feature reduced plastic packaging.
Learn More* Paramount licenses its intellectual property to third party licensees who produce and distribute licensed products featuring its intellectual property, including without limitation SpongeBob SquarePants (as featured on this website). Representations on this website in relation to products are solely made by Paramount’s third party licensees, and any queries or claims in this regard should be directed to such relevant third party licensees.
Join The Sea
Change
We can all do our part!
Our small actions collectively can make a big impact on the ocean. We teamed up with Ocean Conservancy to help guide you on how to take action to reduce plastic and help our ocean.
Ocean Conservancy has led the fight for a clean, healthy ocean free of trash since 1986. The organization continues to work to protect the ocean from today's greatest global challenges, creating evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it.
Learn more at www.oceanconservancy.org
How to Organize A Cleanup
F is for Friends who clean up together! Download our guide on how to host a cleanup in your neighborhood. Whether you live under a rock, along a riverbank, or even in a pineapple, your cleanup helps reduce the amount of plastic in the environment.
Download Guide
Reducing Single-Use Plastic In Your Life
Be a good noodle and help reduce single-use plastic in your everyday life. Check out these 6 tips to cut plastic and help stop ocean plastic pollution.
Download Guide
Ocean Plastic Crisis Explained for Kids
Explaining big problems can feel daunting. Read these tips for how to start the conversation and teach kids about the importance of protecting our blue planet.
DOWNLOAD GUIDE
Donate to NGOs who are Making an Impact
There are a multitude of non-profits working to help protect the ocean. Donating funds can help them further their missions.
Check out the organizations Paramount is supporting