Tidey Ocean

Tidey Ocean Blog

Ocean plastic, deeply reported.

Microplastics research, the source rivers, the recycling math, and stories from the Pacific coast where Tidey actually works.

We Measured Our Own Carbon Footprint. Here Is What We Found.
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We Measured Our Own Carbon Footprint. Here Is What We Found.

Tidey Ocean emitted 13,910 kg of CO2 in 2025 and avoided roughly 229,000 kg by preventing open burning. Here is the full accounting, both sides.

by Tidey Ocean Foundation
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Microplastics in the Brain: What the 2025 Research Found and What We Still Don't Know

Microplastics in the Brain: What the 2025 Research Found and What We Still Don't Know

The February 2025 Nature Medicine study found microplastics in human brain tissue at 7 to 30 times the levels in other organs. Here is what it shows.

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Out of Sight, Into Smoke: The Hidden Crisis of Plastic Burning

Out of Sight, Into Smoke: The Hidden Crisis of Plastic Burning

50 million metric tons of plastic are burned each year. Here is what that releases, who it harms, and why stopping it at the source matters.

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Beyond the Wage: How Tidey's Bonus Catalog Was Built

Beyond the Wage: How Tidey's Bonus Catalog Was Built

Tidey collectors earn a point per pound and choose from a vetted catalog. Here is how it was built, what has been redeemed, and why we added milestones.

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How to Gauge the Real Impact of an Ocean Cleanup Organization

How to Gauge the Real Impact of an Ocean Cleanup Organization

Six metrics separate organizations that document real ocean plastic impact from those that produce compelling marketing. Here is how to apply each one.

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Two Crises, One Solution: How Plastic Collection Addresses Poverty in Guatemala

Two Crises, One Solution: How Plastic Collection Addresses Poverty in Guatemala

Guatemala has the highest child malnutrition rate in Latin America. Here is how plastic collection addresses poverty and pollution through one mechanism.

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The People Behind the Collection: Tidey Ocean's Collector Network

The People Behind the Collection: Tidey Ocean's Collector Network

Meet the men and women collecting ocean-bound plastic in Guatemala, and how the gig economy model turns waste into wages for coastal communities.

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What Four Ocean Cleanup Organizations Publish About Their Impact

What Four Ocean Cleanup Organizations Publish About Their Impact

A July 2026 review of what Tidey, 4ocean, The Ocean Cleanup, and Plastic Bank publish on cost, disposal, composition, carbon, and collection source.

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From Tap Water to Takeout: How Microplastics Enter the Body and What to Do About Each

From Tap Water to Takeout: How Microplastics Enter the Body and What to Do About Each

Seven documented exposure routes for microplastics, with the specific research behind each and practical steps to reduce exposure at each pathway.

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The Plastic Problem in Fast Fashion: What the Numbers Show

The Plastic Problem in Fast Fashion: What the Numbers Show

60 percent of clothing is made from plastic fibers. Here is what that means for ocean microplastics, textile waste, and why it is hard to fix.

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The 7 Industries That Produce the Most Plastic Waste

The 7 Industries That Produce the Most Plastic Waste

Packaging alone accounts for 40 percent of global plastic production. Here is the breakdown by industry and where the most leverage exists.

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The 7 Types of Plastic: What the Resin Codes Mean and Which Ones Actually Get Recycled

The 7 Types of Plastic: What the Resin Codes Mean and Which Ones Actually Get Recycled

The number on a plastic container identifies the polymer type, not its recyclability. Here is what each of the 7 resin codes actually means.

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Ocean-Bound, River, and Nature-Bound: How We Classify the Plastic We Collect

Ocean-Bound, River, and Nature-Bound: How We Classify the Plastic We Collect

Not all plastic at risk of reaching the ocean is the same. Here is how collection source categories are defined and why the distinction matters.

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Which Plastic Resins We Collect and Why Recyclability Matters as Much as Collection

Which Plastic Resins We Collect and Why Recyclability Matters as Much as Collection

Tidey Ocean collects primarily PET, HDPE, and PP plastics. Here is what happens to each type and why the recycling rate matters as much as pounds.

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What Happens If We Don't Recycle? The Evidence on Plastic, Oceans, and Human Health

What Happens If We Don't Recycle? The Evidence on Plastic, Oceans, and Human Health

Non-recycled plastic has five specific destinations, each with documented consequences. Here is what the data shows about where unmanaged plastic ends up.

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Moving More, Wasting More: What Rising Consumption Means for Plastic Pollution

Moving More, Wasting More: What Rising Consumption Means for Plastic Pollution

As more of the world connects to global supply chains, plastic packaging follows. Here is what the data shows about consumption growth and ocean plastic.

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Paradise Lost: How Progress Poisoned Utah Lake, and What It Tells Us About Every Waterway We Undervalue

Paradise Lost: How Progress Poisoned Utah Lake, and What It Tells Us About Every Waterway We Undervalue

Utah Lake once supported 13 fish species. Today it closes regularly for toxic algae. Its decline follows a pattern seen on waterways worldwide.

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8 Alternatives to Plastic: What They Are, Where They Stand in 2025, and What Honest Progress Looks Like

8 Alternatives to Plastic: What They Are, Where They Stand in 2025, and What Honest Progress Looks Like

PLA, PHA, mycelium, seaweed, and four other materials aim to replace petroleum plastic. Here is a realistic assessment of where each one stands.

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Sustainable Grocery Shopping: What the Data Says About Which Choices Actually Matter

Sustainable Grocery Shopping: What the Data Says About Which Choices Actually Matter

Not all sustainable grocery choices have equal impact. Here is how six common approaches rank by actual plastic reduction, with the data behind each.

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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Why the Order Matters More Than the Slogan

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Why the Order Matters More Than the Slogan

The three Rs are a hierarchy, not a list. The order is deliberate, and most efforts have focused on the weakest of the three. Here is what it says.

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Microplastics Are Inside Us. Here Is What We Know.

Microplastics Are Inside Us. Here Is What We Know.

Microplastics have been confirmed in human blood, brain tissue, and plaques. Here is what research actually shows, and what remains under study.

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Plastics That Harm Humans: What the Science Says

Plastics That Harm Humans: What the Science Says

BPA, phthalates, PFAS, and microplastics are showing up in human tissue. Here is what regulators have confirmed and what researchers are still studying.

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Plastic Pollution by the Numbers: What the Data Actually Shows

Plastic Pollution by the Numbers: What the Data Actually Shows

Updated figures on plastic production, ocean accumulation, recycling rates, and microplastics in the human body, with sources for every claim.

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How Plastic Reaches the Ocean, and Where to Stop It

How Plastic Reaches the Ocean, and Where to Stop It

Rivers carry 0.8 to 2.7 million metric tons of plastic to the ocean each year. Here is how that happens, and why stopping it at the source costs less.

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10 Actions Ranked by How Much They Actually Help the Ocean

10 Actions Ranked by How Much They Actually Help the Ocean

Ranked by real impact: how to reduce plastic reaching the ocean, from policy advocacy to supporting verified collection on the ground.

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Prevention Over Cleanup: The Math on Ocean Plastic

Prevention Over Cleanup: The Math on Ocean Plastic

Ocean plastic cleanup costs orders of magnitude more than source interception. Here is what the current science says about stopping plastic at the source.

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