About Us
What is Plastic Free BC?
Plastic free BC is a dynamic and dedicated youth enviromental initative founded by Jeanine Sinclair. This grassroots non-profit organization is promoting ocean conservation and battling plastic pollution at the community and provincial level in British Columbia, Canada. At it’s core, Plastic Free BC understands that youth play a critical role in the fight against climate change, and we have a sense of responsibility to protect our oceans and marine ecosystems. Our primary goal is to raise awareness on the devastating impact of plastic pollution, fostering a sense of urgency and collective action. We advocate for sustainable practices and policy reform that will foster a circular economy in our communities. We actively engage in education and outreach, while attending international climate conferences to have our voices heard on a global scale.
The Beginning...
It started out as a small community action project on Instagram when the founder, Jeanine, became an Ocean Bridge Ambassador for Ocean Wise. She dreamed of a plastic free world where people learned that living plastic-free wasn't as hard as it seemed. She was inspired by the many small low-waste businesses she discovered and wanted to tell others in her community about them. The vision was to create an online platform where these businesses would be showcased and so, Plastic Free BC was born.
Meet the Team
Jeanine Sinclair
Jeanine is the Founder of Plastic Free BC. She has always been passionate about marine life and creating a positive impact. After getting a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology, she wanted to protect her beloved ocean from plastic pollution. Hence, the journey to living zero waste began. She started an Instagram account to document her journey to living plastic-free, and hoped to educate and motivate others to do the same. She joined the Ocean Bridge program and decided she wanted to grow the Instagram to be more of a community. Her desire to promote both sustainable living and amplify the voices of small, sustainable businesses is when Plastic Free BC was born. Jeanine believes that every little bit counts, and that together we can push for a more circular world.
Kara Guloien
Kara is the Co-Founder of Plastic Free BC. Kara first jumped into activism as a young person when she experienced the severe decline of salmon stocks off the coast of BC, and the resulting devastation to coastal ecosystems. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology, before becoming a Program Specialist for Ocean Wise's Ocean Bridge program, as well as, a researcher at the University of Victoria. Her current research and related duties contributes to the development of a marine debris Essential Ocean Variable with the Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System.
Benjamin Foucault
Ben works for Ocean Wise as an Ocean Bridge Program Specialist and has been supporting Plastic Free BC for the past year! Ben is a mentor, coach and close friend who has ensured this project stayed on track and got off the ground.
Yasmin Schepens
Yasmin is Plastic Free BC's resident photographer, project lead for The Cigarette Butt Campaign and the face behind the Instagram account @litter_pickup_vancouver. Her love of learning about nature and our planet started when she saw “the Octopus Teacher”, when she felt connected to the ocean and wanting to make a positive impact. It was then that she started a new habit: taking a photo of the ocean every day. But upon these visits, she noticed trash and plastic littered our beautiful beaches, so she started diligently picking up trash for every visit. Yasmin believes that every little bit helps and coming from a place of understanding and love is the key to create positive change.
Partners
