“Water —— Champion The Causeâ€
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer
These days, prominent corporations are magnanimously recognizing the importance of saving our planet. All it takes is courage and commitment to get the philanthropic initiative off the ground and before the eyes of the concerned public. is successfully creating sustainable fashion from ocean trash, pollution that has become a plausible solution. The most notable Belgian Lager, Stella Artois, is partnering with water.Org (the organization co-founded by actor, Matt Damon)to take great strides to end the global water crisis. They are taking a variety of steps that will ultimately translate into clean water for every individual in every country across the globe.
Statistics have revealed that over 8 million tons of plastic are retrieved each year from the worlds’ oceans. The negative effects of all this plastic is threatening to the health and well-being of marine life. Creatures such as turtles, porpoises and various species of fish, just to name a few, try to feast on this floating debris as they become ravenous and hunt for their next meal. The consequences can prove to be deadly as toxic chemicals are released into the ocean breaking down over a period of time which can also be deadly to coral formations.
Knowing these crucial facts is where the Adidas brand comes into play. Adidas is the name that athletes trust to help them achieve that athletic prowess and powerful prestige. Since July of 1924, Adidas has been instrumental in creating clothing, shoes and accessories to fit the competitive lifestyle. The brand has become the champion, dominating their industry. However, Adidas decided that they wanted to raise the bar even higher. Taking hold of the concept of making this world a better place, the retailer strategized to come up with a sustainable running shoe that would hypnotize with its bold structure and sleek design. It is made almost entirely from plastic taken from the oceans. Its’ stitching conjures up an imagery of waves moving across the blue ocean. The shoe was released for purchase in November of 2016. Almost 95% of the product is made from recovered plastic, found in the Maldives, a diving paradise. Adidas has continued to support this cause as they join with Parley For The Oceans , a non-profit organization vowing to make it their mission to reduce plastic waste in our oceans. Together the partnership has committed to producing 1 million pairs of these sneakers using 11 million+ plastic bottles. As the word spreads and the cause to save the oceans gains greater recognition, additional creations are in store for fans. Adidas will transform ocean plastic pollution into high performance sportswear. Those who choose to purchase these products are also showing their deep appreciation for saving the environment. #ADIDASPARLEY “Spinning The Problem Into A Solution. The Threat Into A Thread.†Adidas has also created a line of soccer jerseys made of recycled ocean plastic. Proving just how devoted they have become, the retailer has eliminated plastic bags in all of their stores and looking down towards the end of the road, the picture is very revealing; eliminating virgin plastic from our supply chain is a top priority.
Following suit is another apparel company, Volcom, which specializes in surf, skate and snowboard clothing for sports enthusiasts. This year, in 2017, Volcom is offering a swimsuit line called Simply Solid, a line very reasonably priced with suits made from 78% recycled nylon, previously used for fishing nets now abandoned in the oceans, left to wreak havoc on the marine world. To embark on this innovative line, the retailer decided to partner with Aquafil, an Italian yarn maker. This is as close to the surf as you can get. Putting the concept into perspective, close to 640,000 tons of fishing gear is carelessly lost or simply abandoned in our oceans on a yearly basis, harming the marine creatures that consider the oceans their safe haven.
As companies put their heart and soul into saving the world one step at a time, the focus is also on water, essential to each and every one of our lives. Taking on a pledge that will greatly impact the entire globe, Stella Artois, a 600 year old heritage of fine Belgian Lager, is now partnering with water.org to create a sense of awareness to the global water crisis at hand. Their latest campaign, “Buy A Lady A Drinkâ€, also features Matt Damon, in commercial segments, who is passionate about the cause and it shows on these Stella Artois commercials where he encourages you to be what you want to be. There is so much more to the slogan than just a random statement in regards to beer. In some parts of the world, women spend a combined 200 million hours devoting themselves solely to their families by undertaking the task of collecting water every day. But, wouldn’t it be remarkable if water was available in abundance and these women could spend their valuable time making contributions to their community, spending quality time with their families, and living the professional dream? This is exactly what the campaign stands for, giving women the opportunity to partake on their personal journey of achievement and satisfaction. Stella Artois is encouraging its consumers to buy the limited edition chalice. For every chalice purchased, 5 years of clean water can be within reach.
Word of the campaign “Buy A Lady A Drink†spread far and wide when the entire concept went viral in a very ingenious way, during the most coveted award ceremony of all time, the Oscars.
She overtook the Red Carpet, a princess dressed in sparkling crystals, an image not to be forgotten. Stella Artois and designer of exquisite fashions, Marchesa, dressed 2012 Miss Universe, Olivia Culpo in a gown like none other. Olivia stepped on to the Red Carpet and she glistened from head to toe. This gown was made with beads from a melted down beer glass. Olivia was thrilled to be able to represent all that this gown stood for. In her own words, Culpo expressed that the main inspiration for the gown was water, the fluidity and beauty as touching as the cause itself. She felt a strong connection to this cause because it is one that greatly affects women. To Marchesa, this was the most important dress they have ever created because hidden beneath the luxurious material is a message that rings out loud and clear. Water certainly does change lives. To date, Stella Artois has assisted graciously in providing approximately 800,000 people in the developing world access to clean water. This is due to the sale of over 225,000 limited-edition chalices, in addition to a direct donation of $3M+ to water.org by Stella Artois.
If reading about these crucial initiatives has ignited a special passion for the cause from within you, find out how you can make a difference by attending ‘Breaking Down Plastic’ at the South Carolina Aquarium 2017 Plastic Pollution Summit. It all takes place at the Charleston Gaillard Center in Charleston, South Carolina on March 30, 2017 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. This is a collaboration between the 5 Gyres Institute and The Lonely Whale Foundation. By attending this seminar and the summit, it will inspire you to take action to advance responsible production, consumption and disposal of plastics at all levels. Guest speakers will be Adrian Grenier of HBO’s ‘Entourage’ fame and also social advocate for The Lonely Whale Foundation, in addition to Douglas Woodring, co-founder of Ocean Recovery Alliance. Best of all, don’t miss the chance to be a large part of the official launch of the The Lonely Whale Foundation’s #StrawlessOcean campaign on Twitter. Ditch the plastic and create a #StrawlessOcean.
Be part of the Plastic Pollution Solution in every aspect of your daily life from fashion to preparing for your child’s future.
Photo Credits: First and second picture of Adrian Grenier is from Lonely Whale Foundation’s Facebook page, third picture is from Stella Artois Facebook Page, fourth picture was taken by Reuters, Sneakers are from Adidas Facebook page.
