Take Action for Our Oceans and Join the Cousteau Challenge to tackle plastic pollution!
Inspired by Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s belief that “people protect what they love.”
Each piece of plastic ever made still exists somewhere on our planet. Most of it? It ends up in our oceans, floating on the surface, sinking to the ocean floor, or breaking down into microplastics that enter the food web
At The Cousteau Society, we believe that even small changes, made consistently, can shift the tide. That’s why we created the Cousteau Plastic Reduction Challenge, a simple, four-step journey to help you reduce your plastic footprint and protect the ocean we all depend on.
Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats facing our Water Planet. But it’s also one we can tackle, together. This is not about perfection, it’s about progress.
Four Steps Toward a Plastic-Free Future
This four-part challenge is designed to help you build awareness, take action, and inspire others, one intentional choice at a time!
Step 1: Start with One Simple Swap
Begin with a small change that becomes second nature.
Choose one single-use plastic item you frequently use and replace it with a reusable, ocean-friendly alternative.
Try one or two of the following:
- Reusable water bottle instead of plastic bottles
- Beeswax or silicone wraps instead of cling film
- Bar soap and shampoo bars instead of plastic bottles
- Cloth shopping bags or mesh produce bags
- Refillable cleaning products or bulk refills
Even one swap can prevent hundreds of plastic items from polluting our environment over time.
Step 2: Audit Your Plastic Use
Before you reduce plastic, you have to know where you use it.
Take a day or a week to track your personal plastic use. Look at your habits in the kitchen, bathroom, shopping trips, and takeout routines.
How to do it:
- Keep a journal or take quick notes/photos throughout the day
- Categorize your plastic: food packaging, hygiene, cleaning, etc.
- Identify patterns: What do you throw away most? What’s easy to change?
Knowledge builds intention. Once you see your plastic “hot spots,” you can prioritize the most impactful changes.
Step 3: Clean Up & Connect
Act locally to protect the ocean globally.
Plastic doesn’t stay in the trash. Wind and water carry it into rivers, parks, and eventually the sea. This step is about rolling up your sleeves and making a visible difference in your own community.
Try this:
- Join a local cleanup event or organize your own
- Spend 30 minutes collecting litter in a park, on a beach, or around your neighborhood
- Recycle what you can and properly dispose of the rest
- Take photos of your cleanup to share and raise awareness
These acts of care — visible and hands-on — remind us of our connection to nature, and inspire others to act too.
Step 4: Share What You Learn
Your actions can inspire others to protect what they love too. .
One of the most powerful tools we have is our voice. By talking about the challenge, you’re helping normalize plastic-free habits and empowering others to begin their own journey.
Try this:
- Post a favorite tip, swap, or cleanup photo on social media
- Talk to friends, family, or coworkers about what you’ve learned
- Host a plastic-free challenge at work or in your classroom
- Encourage others to take the Cousteau Challenge
Use the hashtag #CousteauChallenge and tag @CousteauSociety to be part of our growing community of ocean defenders.
Why Take the Cousteau Challenge?
Plastic pollution has become one of the most significant threats to our oceans, planet, and marine species. This threat has reached alarming levels, contaminating even the most remote and pristine parts of our planet. It’s estimated that millions of tons of plastic waste enter the oceans each year, harming our planet, wildlife, and even human health.
By taking the Cousteau Challenge, you will build more sustainable habits by increasing your awareness of your individual impact on our planet and finding sustainable alternatives to your most commonly used disposable plastic items! See firsthand how everyday choices can add up and lead to large-scale positive change when done collectively.
Thank you for joining the Cousteau Society on this ocean-mindfulness journey!
