When we love something deeply, we will always protect it. This is the premise of Ecotribo and one of the reasons I started it. It started out as a passion project and side hustle. I wanted to make a difference for people and the planet through thoughtful eco-design. My mission is to help promote positive outcomes for coastal communities by cleaning our oceans and promoting recycling. I want to demonstrate how people can renew, rejuvenate and restore, not only the ocean but themselves by connecting to the sea.
I’ve been a surfer and ocean lover pretty much as soon as I could walk in fact here’s a picture of me enjoying the beach before I could walk! Cute hey?
Little Tysie when Ecotribo was a twinkle in his eye!
I grew up on the east coast of Africa so was lucky enough to surf with dolphins and other more challenging fish. The ocean has always been the happy place that I have returned to for healing throughout my life. I think you’ll agree, that the world could do with a lot more healing.
During Covid, I spent a lot of time travelling around France and Northern Spanish beaches in my van thinking about how I could make a difference. How could I help our environment with the skills I have as a designer and ocean lover?
I have always loved the sea and done my best to look after her via beach cleaning, recycling and doing what I can whilst living in this weird oily imperfect world. I know how passionate I am for the ocean and what a motivator it is for me to do all I can for her. I realised I have to make people fall in love with the ocean so they looked after her too. So I set about finding a way to help people from all walks of life connect to the ocean, to make them fall in love with it.
So every month I make donations to a variety of coastal charities, people who are cleaning our beaches and helping people connect with the sea through outreach and coastal cleanups. The charities work with people from less privileged backgrounds, sometimes people who have never even seen the sea. There’s no point preaching to the converted. We need to get new people on board!
They feel the circular rhythm of the ocean and how by loving the sea, it heals and loves us in return. — Tyrone Probert, Founder
I’m now making plant pots from Ocean plastic and 10% of the profits are going towards coastal charities. I love what these charities are doing in their own unique ways. The passion that they have for the ocean and marine environment and how they all work with local communities and outreach programs. They get people from all walks of life who are struggling and need some healing. When these people start to connect to the sea they feel less anxious, happier and fulfilled. They feel the circular rhythm of the ocean and how by loving the sea, it heals and loves us in return. So a simple plant pot can make people fall in love with the sea and make them the new generation of ocean guadians.
A plastic@bay beach clean in Northern Scotland
I am currently supporting the wonderful people at plastic@bay who are tackling marine plastic pollution in NW Scotland and beyond by monitoring, researching, developing, recycling and providing educational outreach. I also buy my material from them which gives the charity a source of income for the beach cleaning.
I also donate to Surfers Not Street Children whose model fuses surfing, mentorship and care. The Organisation has dedicated local teams that include social workers, carers, lifeguards, surf coaches and administrators. Many children empowered by Surfers Not Street Children have transformed their lives. Some have gone from ‘street children’ to becoming coffee baristas, lifesavers, surf shop staff, restauranteurs, surf coaches and even pro surfers. All of them love and care for themselves and the sea.
A beach clean with the crew of Clean Ocean Sailing in Gweek, Cornwall
Clean Ocean Sailing is based down in Cornwall. They fish for marine plastic sustainably under sail and are able to find ocean plastics in all those hard-to-reach areas in coves and at sea. They also do outreach programs with locals helping them experience the ocean at sea, clean beaches and connect with the ocean.
I’d love to support more charities and the aim is to continue to grow this aspect. Currently, I am still a small startup but I do believe this is a really positive way to help our environment. Thanks for your continued support and please reach out if you want any further information.
Oceans of love
Tyrone