Through monthly plans, members of Only One plant their own ocean trees and coral reefs, and remove plastic and carbon pollution. Our innovative on-the-ground partners are the ones who know this work best and are making these ocean and climate solutions a reality.
Our impact partners so far are:
Mangrove restoration
Mangrove trees store a remarkable amount of carbon: four times more than rainforests on land. Protecting and restoring mangrove forests enables us to reduce emissions and supersize impact for wildlife, coastal communities, and all of us.
Our partners are ensuring critical mangrove ecosystems survive and thrive through expert-approved planting and restoration methods.
Our first mangrove restoration partner is Eden Reforestation Projects. Through Eden Reforestation Projects, Only One members are funding the planting of one million mangrove trees in Port Reitz creek, Kenya. The project is ambitious and involves local communities rallying to revitalize the environment, lift local communities out of extreme poverty, and combat climate change. Restoration in this part of Kenya is especially important because the El Niño ocean warming event of 1997 to 1998 led to widespread loss of mangroves — so our members’ impact is making a real difference where it matters. Across Kenya, Eden Reforestation Projects is transforming the lives of over 670 employees!
Read this article to go behind the scenes of our impact partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects.
Our other mangrove restoration partner launching soon is Wetlands International, who are champions of community-based ecological mangrove restoration with a project in Senegal.
Coral planting
Coral reefs are one of the most diverse habitats on the planet, supporting 25% of all ocean creatures. When reefs bleach or die due to pressures like heat waves and ocean acidification, marine species lose their home.
Our partners are planting super resilient corals to give reefs the best possible chance of survival, meaning ocean wildlife is more likely to flourish long term.
Our first coral planting partner is Coral Gardeners. Through Coral Gardeners, Only One members are funding the planting of 10,000 corals in the crystal waters of Mo'orea, French Polynesia — a volcanic island in the Pacific 11 miles northwest of Tahiti. The project is rebuilding the reef with corals more able to withstand climate change, protecting ocean wildlife, and benefiting local people. Mo'orea is surrounded by 13 marine protected areas, and marine reserves like these are vital for securing a positive future for the ocean! Coral Gardeners is the brainchild of Titouan Bernicot, an ocean kid who loved his island’s magnificent reef ecosystem and dreamed big.
Read this article to dive deeper into our impact partnership with Coral Gardeners.
Our other coral planting partner launching soon is Ocean Gardener, whose reef restoration project is based on 20 years’ hands-on experience working with Indonesian coastal communities.
Plastics removal
Like us, you probably feel a tug of sadness or anger every time you see plastic waste building up on a beach or floating down a river toward the sea. By making changes to the entire life cycle of plastics, globally, nationally, and locally, we can save the ocean from plastic pollution.
Our partners are making a tangible, trackable difference to a critical point in the life cycle of plastics, collecting ocean-bound plastic waste and giving it new life in service of a circular economy.
Our first plastics removal partner is Plastics For Change. Through Plastics For Change, Only One members are funding the removal of 25,000 kilograms of plastic from the Indian Ocean coastal belt. The project is stopping the flow of plastics into the ocean, helping conserve marine life, and contributing directly to informal waste workers’ incomes. Plastics For Change is the largest and most trusted source of Fair Trade recycled plastic in the world! Their team collects plastic waste from beaches, then converts it to recycled granules to be transformed into sustainable products.
Read this article to get inspired by our impact partnership with Plastics For Change.
Our other plastics removal partners launching soon are CleanHub, whose team collects ocean-bound plastic across India and Indonesia to minimize people’s carbon footprint, and Sungai Watch, based in Bali, who develop and design simple technologies to stop plastic pollution from flowing into the ocean.
Carbon reduction
The ocean is filled with solutions to fix the climate. For example, did you know that mangrove forests, salt marshes, and seagrass meadows store so much carbon that they could solve a fifth of the climate crisis by 2050?
Our partners are protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems to help reverse climate change by reducing carbon emissions.
Our first carbon reduction partner is Stand For Trees. Through Stand For Trees, Only One members are funding the reduction of 2,000 tonnes of carbon by helping preserve a 445,339-hectare watershed in Southern Cardamom, Cambodia. The project is stopping deforestation, saving species on land and in the water, and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities. The terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal habitats are part of the Cardamom Mountains rainforest ecoregion, one of the world’s top 200 biodiversity locations! Stand For Trees holds special certifications from the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and CCB Standard for providing exceptional climate, community, and biodiversity benefits.
Read this article to boost your knowledge of our impact partnership with Stand For Trees.
Only One members will be funding another of Stand For Trees’ projects later this year, in Guatemala, which protects the beautiful biodiversity of the coast and grows cardamom, cinnamon, lychee, and rambutan through sustainable agroforestry.
Our other carbon reduction partner launching soon is Ocean Foundation, whose team is restoring seagrass beds to health in Puerto Rico.
