'The Rise Above Plastics Program' is the Surfrider Foundation’s response to the problem of plastic litter in our ocean and marine environments. The goal of the program is to educate the public on the impacts single-use plastics have on marine environments, and how individuals can make changes in their daily lives and within their communities that will stem the flow of plastics into the environment. RAP also calls upon people to reduce their plastic footprint by reducing or eliminating the use of products such as single-use plastic water bottles and plastic bags.

To create a sobering message in the PSA, Rise Above Plastics, for The Surfrider Foundation: Plastic pollution is killing our oceans.

The spot focuses on a gray whale as he swims through a plastic-polluted ocean desperate to reach the open surface. The whale soon becomes enmeshed in debris, finally becoming completely coated as he breaches through a floating bed of discarded, dirty plastic bottles, bags and six-pack rings, where he remains beached. As the camera pulls back, we see the extent of the floating island of plastic and the super comes up: 'Plastic kills over 1.5 million marine animals each year'.Yes, the spot came off without a hitch. The response has been amazing thus far.Thanks to the support of creating a healthier planet.

Education and outreach are the critical first steps towards solving this problem. We are excited to be adding this beautiful and poignant piece of advertising to our campaign to address plastics in the environment. The Surfrider Foundation’s Rise Above Plastics. It's in the hands of the human race to create a better environment in which we live.As of today, the rise above plastics spot was:• Featured on national media outlets, such as The Huffington Post, + Creativity Onlinegenerated 600+ Diggs• Been viewed roughly 200,000+ times on youtube alone, including large concentrations of viewership outside of the United States including Brazil, Portugal, France, Russia, and Taiwan, among others.

posted to at least 70 independent blog sites*seen in roughly 3000+ tweets related to the work**source: advanced search on google, with all of the words “surfrider” + at least one of the words “rise above plastics borders”• National TV impression for “Rise Above Plastic” 75+ Million homesIncluding Networks:Fuel, ESPN, MTV, FOX sports netDiscovery, History ChannelBrita water filters donated some of there media buy to include this spot in there rotation, because it focuses on the perils of single use plastic...an initiative that Brita has stood strongly behind for years now.