152: Shore Buddies Saving the Sea with Malte Niebelschuetz

by | Dec 15, 2021 | Podcast | 0 comments

Change It Up Radio with Paula Shaw - Episode 152: Shore Buddies Saving the Sea with Malte Niebelschuetz

Today we’re talking about turning recycled plastic into new products, educating the next generation about the harms of plastic on the environment, and taking action against the global plastic crisis in order to create a more sustainable future.

My guest today, Malte Niebelschuetz, is the founder and CEO of Shore Buddies, a line of the world’s first stuffed animals made from recycled plastic bottles that teach kids about the dangers of plastic pollution for marine animals and empowers them to spread the word about sustainability in a fun and playful way.

By 2021, Shore Buddies has saved over 1,000,000 plastic bottles from entering our oceans, and they donate $1 from every product purchase to nonprofit organizations that share their mission in keeping plastics out of the ocean to save marine life. Proceeds fund educational outreach campaigns to educate children about the dangers of Ocean Plastic Pollution.

Malte joins me today to discuss the environmental impact of plastic pollution, why our consumer behavior plays a significant role in plastic production and pollution, how businesses can do their part to bring sustainability into play and reduce plastic pollution, and how incorporating environmental values in early childhood development will not only lead to a more sustainable lifestyle for generations to come but might also inspire future solutions for tackling global environmental challenges.

“I always say, “If you come home on a Friday night and your kitchen is flooded, the first thing you do is not pick up a mop and start cleaning up. You check first if the water is still running.” What we need to do with the plastic pollution is we need to stop adding more, we need to turn off the tap.” – Malte Niebelschuetz

About Malte:

Malte Niebelschuetz is the founder and CEO of Shore Buddies. Malte is a German native who moved to San Diego, CA in 2011.

Inspired by the beautiful coastline of Southern California, but confused with the intensive use of single-use plastic in this precious coastal community, Malte took on the challenge to improve the world.

Shore Buddies was founded in 2014 and is the world’s first stuffed animal made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Shore Buddies has kept over 1,000,000 plastic bottles from entering the environment and turned them into cute, soft stuffed animals. From San Diego to the world.

Shore Buddies is sold in 10 countries across 3 continents, bringing sustainability into play. They donate $1 from every product purchase to nonprofit organizations that share their mission in keeping plastics out of the ocean to save marine life.

“Everyone talks about plastic in the ocean, but it’s also plastic in our forests, and plastic in our deserts. It’s literally everywhere. We need to find a way to reduce the plastic production, find alternatives, and then really reverse the trends. This is when the clean up is happening – when we are removing from the environment instead of adding on a bigger scale.” – Malte Niebelschuetz

Check out the video below to watch our interview:

“We can fix it, nothing is set in stone. We can turn things around. We can change the tide, we just have to first get aware of it and then realize we already have the tools to fix it.” – Malte Niebelschuetz

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