Surfrider waste operation is a virtual pollution campaign aiming at raising awareness about the damages caused by men in the oceans. By using a media that is now part of more than 800 million people’s daily lives, we wanted to confront users with this pollution issue by posting on their Facebook walls a piece of waste with the caption “You just received a piece of waste. Click for more information”. By clicking on the photo, the internet user finds the following message “you didn’t ask to receive this waste? Neither did the sea!” In a few days, more than 2500 of waste photos have been shared without spending a single euro. This virtual pollution has allowed the Surfrider Foundation to recruit more than 36 000 volunteers to participate in the biggest beach, lake, river cleanups organized during the Ocean Initiatives 2012, from the 22nd to the 25th March. Thanks to this event, more than 3000 M3 of waste have been collected. In addition the media coverage has been really successful, with an increase of 40% compared to 2011.

We have designed a very simple Facebook app that let web users choose a piece of waste among six and pollute the wall of a friend of them. Friends then discover a disgusting plastic bag or a dirty soft drink can on their own page. 45When they click on it, it displays this message: “You neither asked to receive this waste? Neither did the sea. Raise your friends’ awareness about the upcoming beach, lake and river Cleanup Days, by posting waste on their wall”. 39And the spread goes on by simply sharing waste photos…10Launched on March 2012, the application has been first hosted on the Surfrider Foundation Europe home page to encourage internet users to post their chosen waste on their Facebook friends’ walls.In addition, we have also polluted friends, journalists and influencers from The Surfrider Foundation’s acquaintance. 48

530 likes2 500 shared pieces of waste on Facebook3 000 m3 of waste cleaned36 000 volunteersMedia cover: +40% vs 2011This activation has clearly helped boost media coverage around the Cleanup Days.