Latest news with #TheOceanCleanup
Business Insider
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Top YouTube star MrBeast runs a charity organization, called Beast Philanthropy, giving away money and eye surgeries
MrBeast is known for his over-the-top viral videos and over-the-top charitable acts. The YouTube star, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has given away millions of dollars in his videos to causes such as the Arbor Day Foundation and The Ocean Cleanup. The 26-year-old started on YouTube by posting videos under the username MrBeast6000 from Donaldson's hometown of Greenville, North Carolina, where he still lives. In 2017, he went viral with a video in which he counted from zero to 100,000, beginning a journey that led him to become YouTube's top creator. He has over 395 million subscribers on YouTube. While MrBeast's net worth is unknown, he said in February 2025 that he's a billionaire on paper. His charitable stunts and giveaways have helped him go viral. In 2021, he challenged participants to remain in a circle and gave the last person to leave $500,000. The video gained over 500 million views. MrBeast also runs a charity organization called Beast Philanthropy, which works on campaigns to donate money and resources. It also runs a food bank, called The Beast Pantry, in North Carolina. The Beast Philanthropy YouTube channel has over 27 million subscribers. Donaldson began incorporating philanthropy into his content back in 2017, after inking his first brand sponsorship deal on YouTube. He was paid $10,000 for the brand deal, and in the video, he gave the money away as tips to pizza delivery drivers. The giveaway changed the trajectory of Donaldson's content strategy. From then on, he created content about giving money away to people in his community, Twitch streamers, and even food delivery drivers. At first, Donaldson's giveaways helped him go viral online, which in turn allowed him to donate more money to various people and charities. But over time, his charity efforts became controversial. MrBeast's philanthropic efforts: from giveaways to charity stunts MrBeast has given away gobs of cash to a wide range of causes, including planting trees, cleaning the ocean, and even paying for someone's cataract surgery. In 2019, Donaldson hit national news for his online campaign to raise money to plant 20 million trees. He partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation on the movement called #TeamTrees, which even attracted funding from Elon Musk. MrBeast typically funds these charity stunts through his businesses, sponsorship deals, and advertising earnings from his YouTube channel. He's built a team to run his philanthropic efforts. It includes Darren Margolias, who worked in real estate development, and has become the face of Beast Philanthropy. Donaldson's charity efforts have also had a cultural impact, making charity both "cool" and entertaining. Backlash to MrBeast's philanthropy MrBeast's charity stunts have also drawn critics who say his philanthropic efforts are self-serving. For instance, in 2023, he received backlash on Twitter for his video in which he gifted eye surgeries. Donaldson responded on the social platform, now called X, pointing out the irony: "Twitter - Rich people should help others with their money. Me - Okay, I'll use my money to help people and I promise to give away all my money before I die. Every single penny. Twitter - MrBeast bad." This was far from the only time Donaldson has been accused of being performative in his charitable acts. Some on the internet have even called his videos staged. His grand gestures have been accused of failing to contribute to fixing systemic issues like poverty and instead being performed for entertainment. For example, after his 2024 video titled "I Built 100 Houses And Gave Them Away," some fans online criticized the YouTuber for using the subjects of the video to get views. He also sparked controversy in 2023 when Donaldson gifted a car to a waitress in a TikTok video. Some fans said online that they were disappointed that the car displayed his YouTube logo and the name of his chocolate brand, Feastables, accusing him of using the giveaway for promotion. In times of backlash, MrBeast has typically shrugged off any criticism and doubled down that he's not giving up on giving back.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Young environmentalist rallies friends for ocean cleanup fundraiser
LEWISBURG — Ten-year-old Anna Langdon heard about a problem and didn't wait for someone else to tell her how to help. The fourth grade student at Linntown Intermediate School in the Lewisburg Area School District learned about plastic waste being dumped in the ocean, so she looked up a nonprofit environmental engineering organization, organized a fundraiser at the Lewisburg Arts Festival and convinced six of her friends to help. Together they raised more than $1,000 toward ecological protection of the ocean. "It's so stupid that people dump plastic into the ocean. Why there?" Anna said. "The ocean was here way before the land. It's a lot older than land and humans. We should probably take care of it since it was here first." Last year, Anna, the daughter of Crystal and Bryan Langdon, of Lewisburg, found out about The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit organization that is developing and scaling technologies to rid the world's oceans of plastic. Their aim is to remove 90 percent of floating ocean plastic by 2040. Humans produce 400 million metric tons of plastic annually, with an estimated 1.15 to 2.41 million metric tons entering the ocean each year, according to The Ocean Cleanup. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), located in the Pacific Ocean halfway between Hawaii and California, is the largest of the five offshore plastic accumulation zones in the world's oceans. The GPGP covers an estimated surface area of 1.6 million square kilometers, an area twice the size of Texas or three times the size of France, according to The Ocean Cleanup. Anna reached out to the Lewisburg Arts Council to inquire about setting up a booth at the Lewisburg Arts Festival on April 26. She was granted a free booth at the community commons section of the festival. Anna brainstormed with six of her friends about their booth. Because it was a free booth for nonprofits, they were not permitted to sell anything, so a bake sale was off the table. Instead, they set up a kiddie pool where children could fish for Skittles among pieces of plastic. They held a drawing contest where the winner received a board game called "Mission Ocean," and they gave out seashells. While the children were distracted, Anna talked to the parents. She showed them a PowerPoint presentation and posters she made about ocean pollution and ways to help. Afterward, she explained they could donate to the cause in person or through the Ocean Cleanup website. In total, they raised $1,086. Asked why she had such a passion for the project, her answer was simple: "No one else is doing it." Crystal Langdon said she helped with some of the logistics of the project, but mostly she wanted to be hands-off with her daughter and her friends' idea. "I am just so impressed with their ability to brainstorm ideas. Anna, in particular, is not afraid to speak to people," Langdon said. "I was also impressed by their energy and effort. It was very successful." As a family, Langdon said they give back to the community, but Anna "took it to a whole other level." "The focus on the ocean and environment is all her," Langdon said. "With all the negativity in the world, it's very inspiring for her to do something positive." Della Hutchison, chair of the arts festival committee, said she stopped by Anna's booth early in the day to talk with her. "I told her she was my hero," Hutchison said. "I was just so blown away that a fourth-grader would be aware that the ocean needs help. I had no idea about that when I was in fourth grade. I certainly wasn't paying attention. I complimented her on coming up with an idea and following through. I wish we had more young people like Anna. I am super excited to hear that she did so well with her efforts." Additionally, Anna has a poem called "Global Warming," which she wrote and was chosen to read at the Bucknell National Poetry Month Project Community Reading as the fourth-grade selection. Anna said she wants to organize more fundraisers and events to help the environment. Anna's fundraising page can be found at
Time of India
05-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Plastic pollution: students unite to save rivers
Mumbai: In a powerful display of youth-led advocacy and engagement, The Clean Water Challenge 2025 united over 30,000 students from across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region in a movement to combat plastic pollution . The initiative, launched by the Bharat Clean Rivers Foundation (BCRF) in collaboration with The Ocean Cleanup, culminated in an award ceremony hosted at the Museum of Solutions, Lower Parel, Mumbai. The BCRF's mission is to rid India's rivers of plastic. Of the 144 world's most polluted major river systems, 47 are in India, and of these, 13 are in Mumbai. BCRF and The Ocean Cleanup are working together towards a city-centric, customised solution to clean the rivers in Mumbai. — Chittaranjan Tembhekar
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers develop next-gen tool that could help protect critical waterways: 'Highlights the importance of early intervention'
A team of researchers from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities recently published a study in the journal Scientific Data proposing the use of remote sensing technology to detect plastic in freshwater rivers. According to The Ocean Cleanup, rivers are the primary source of plastic pollution in our oceans. River currents transport plastic waste downriver into estuaries, where they empty into the ocean. Due to this troubling pipeline, the researchers decided to focus their investigation on river pollution, the source of the issue. Led by Ph.D. candidate and research assistant Mohammadali Olyaei, the study manipulated electromagnetic wavelengths to pinpoint various types of plastic debris among other freshwater materials, such as driftwood, seaweed, and natural sediment. The team used the Mississippi River as its experimental base, per which allowed researchers to test their theories in "real river conditions." Ocean plastic pollution, which has increased since the influx of disposable masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, poses a threat not only to marine ecosystems and coral reefs but also to humans. When plastic trash breaks down, microplastics contaminate the water and the seafood we eat. While marine researchers and cleanup crews have been aware of the plastic problem for years, remote sensing technology could eliminate much of the time, labor, and money required in traditional water sampling methods. The UMN team focused on detecting plastic in river water, but author Sanjana Gajbhiye noted that remote sensing "also lays the foundation for deploying technologies, like drones, for cleanup efforts." The UMN scientists anticipate expanding their research beyond the northern Mississippi River to examine larger river systems and curb the spread of plastic pollution. "The research highlights the importance of early intervention in freshwater systems to prevent plastics from spreading uncontrollably," Gajbhiye wrote. When uncontrolled, the degradation of ocean plastic into microplastics poses a range of health risks, from cancer to reproductive damage. The UMN team may have made great strides in reducing the amount of river plastic that reaches the ocean, but to eliminate plastic waste altogether, businesses and individuals need to make sustainable choices on land. Choosing plastic-free options, supporting recycling businesses, and repurposing your plastic trash — from old lids to plastic bags — can contribute to a safer, cleaner environment. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
