There’s a quiet but powerful connection between our homes and the oceans, one that often goes unnoticed in our daily routines. The water that runs through our sinks, the waste we throw away, and the products we use all play a part in a much larger story unfolding beyond our walls.
Each year, an estimated eight million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean. That’s equivalent to a garbage truck’s worth of waste being dumped into the sea every single minute. But what’s even more surprising is that most of this pollution doesn’t originate in the ocean at all. Around 80% of it comes from land, carried through rivers, drains, and urban waterways before eventually reaching the sea.
In fact, scientists have found that a relatively small number of rivers are responsible for the majority of this flow. Just 1% of the world’s rivers contribute to nearly 80% of ocean plastic pollution. This means that the problem is not only vast, it’s also deeply connected to how we live, consume, and dispose of waste on land.
The impact on marine life is devastating. Over 700 species are affected by plastic pollution, and more than a million marine animals die each year as a result. Plastics don’t simply disappear; they break down into microplastics, making their way into the food we eat, the water we drink, and even our own bodies. If current patterns continue, plastic could outweigh fish in our oceans by 2050.
It’s easy to feel distant from a problem of this scale, but the truth is much closer to home than we think. Everyday actions; like rinsing waste down the sink, using single-use plastics, or choosing heavily packaged products, contribute to a system where waste can escape into waterways. Even urban runoff plays a significant role, carrying plastic debris from streets into rivers and coastal environments.
This is why the choices we make at home matter. Opting for reusable, low-waste, and thoughtfully designed products can help reduce the amount of plastic entering our environment. When multiplied across households and communities, these small decisions create a ripple effect, one that can slow the flow of pollution before it ever reaches the ocean.
At our core, we believe that caring for your home should go hand in hand with caring for the planet. That’s why we’ve committed to donating US$0.20 from every purchase to support ocean cleanup efforts. These contributions go toward initiatives and supporting technology that intercept plastic in rivers before it reaches the ocean, remove existing waste, and develop long-term solutions to this global challenge.
Efforts like these are already making a difference, with tens of millions of kilograms of plastic removed from oceans and rivers around the world. But there is still much to be done, and meaningful change depends on collective action.
A clean home is more than a personal space, it’s part of a shared environment that extends far beyond our front doors. Every small action, every conscious purchase, and every reduced piece of waste contributes to something bigger.
Because ultimately, a clean home should never come at the cost of a polluted ocean.
Watch this video to understand where we stand and why we support The Ocean Cleanup.