PlasticHunt was born in 2020 as a reaction to the Covid pandemic, which stopped the possibility to organize big clean-up and awareness events about the oceans and plastic pollution.
A group of young nature advocates had the idea to recall a clean-up competition, but with the support of an online platform, allowing them to manage every challenge remotely.
Small teams from all over the world, respecting their country’s restrictions imposed by the pandemic, completed six challenges during a beach or nature clean-up: best team, before and after, crazy trash, best location, awareness quiz, and art with trash.
A jury formed by environmentalists and nature photographers decided the winners of each challenge. The jury was composed of environmentalists Giada and Alexi Lubomirsky, wildlife photographers Ami Vitale and Doug Perrine, the artist Alejandro Durán, and activists Zia Suarez and Bette Booth.
Winners received certificates of adoption of marine animals. In doing so, PlasticHunt supported local NGOs working on ocean conservation.
In total, 183 teams composed of several people from 65 countries on five continents took part in PlasticHunt. 1000€ were collected (through crowdfunding) and donated to 4 different NGOs: Coral Guardian (planting corals in Indonesia), Loggerhead Marine Life Center (taking care of injured turtles in Florida), Tethys Research Institute, and Delfini del Ponente (monitoring dolphins and whales in the Mediterranean Sea).
Teams in 2020:
In 2021 the challenge was to find the most impressive trash, and more than 100 teams participated from all around the world. This time, the jury was formed by young ocean activists from the five continents: Lilly Platt from Europe, Misimi Isimi from Africa, Ella Grace from America, Rushabh Deena Shah from Asia, Shalise Leesfield from Oceania.
Teams in 2021: