The Wyland Foundation celebrates decades of conservation stewardship
Renowned marine life artist Wyland changed the way people think about our ocean when he started painting life-size whales on the sides of buildings in the 1980s and 1990s. Now, the foundation of the artist founded to promote clean water and healthy oceans approaches rising ocean temperatures with more resolve.
Since 1993, the Wyland Foundation has delivered engaging travelling art with science and community-based programs that promote a greater understanding of the ways people impact the health of the ocean, lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands.
As part of its annual educational programs, the foundation enlists mayors from coast to coast, National League of Cities, and green businesses to encourage conserving energy, reducing plastic use and saving water. More than 600,000 pledges have been made at mywaterpledge.com with an estimated 2 billion gallons of water saved. Mobile water science education (pre-COVID) educated over 30,000 children about the importance of conservation while donating art supplies to schools in 100 cities. In 2016, the Wyland Foundation launched a new initiative to reduce the impacts on the ocean from land-based activities in partnership with the United Nations Environment program.
“We started the foundation with a focus on protecting the ocean through the arts,” Wyland said. “But as it became clear that many of the problems we see in the ocean originate upstream, we expanded our mission to address impacts on our vast watersheds. It also became clear that inspiring people through the art, then encouraging them to broaden their understanding through science, would be instrumental to sustaining these critical ecosystems.”
Significant ongoing programs and accomplishments of the foundation include:
- 100 monumental marine murals in over 17 countries.
- An eco-friendly marine-life line of jewellery including pendants in gold, platinum, and silver. Free of lead and nickel, made with recycled metal and natural stones. Hand-crafted in SoCal: https://wylandfoundation.org/product-category/jewelry/. All proceeds directly support the Wyland Foundation‘s annual educational campaigns for clean water and healthy oceans.
- The National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation , a nationwide challenge in partnership with Toyota (electric vehicle division) , US EPA, National League of Cities, and the Toro Company, to see which cities can be the most waterwise. To date, the program has encouraged residents to pledge to reduce their water usage by more than 10 billion gallons.
- The Wyland Clean Water Mobile Learning Experience, a 1000-square foot interactive science museum on wheels dedicated to promoting a broader understanding of issues affecting our water supply, from pollution to eutrophication. The exhibit has reached over one million people.
- The Wyland National Art and Mural Challenge, a national water-themed art competition that encourages students to work individually and collaboratively on art projects with community messages about topical water issues. More than 15,000 students across 45 states have taken part in this annual challenge to use art as a method of exploring the economic, cultural, and aesthetic value of our ocean, lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands.
- Earth Month Heroes is an annual partnership with KCAL-KCBS and the Wyland Foundation that has recognized more than 40 individuals, ranging from teachers to business leaders to scientists, who have made a significant local environmental impact.
- Adopt-A-Channel – The foundation has joined the effort to provide annual support to remove marine debris from area storm channels to reduce harmful and polluted runoff.
- The Wyland World Water Pledge, in partnership with UN Environment, encourages people everywhere to broaden their understanding of how their local actions can shape our global environment.
- Other projects have included “Hands Across the Oceans,” an international art project for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing bringing together children from around the world to celebrate healthy waterways and oceans as a mile-long series of murals. The project was subsequently installed at the U.S. National Mall.
“If Covid has taught us anything, it’s that we can change behaviors for the benefit of everybody,” Wyland said “It’s more important than ever to maintain smart habits that support the health of the world around us — especially when it comes to our water and air.”
The Wyland Foundation is a non-partisan and non-advocacy 501c3 non-profit public charity dedicated to raising environmental awareness about ocean conservation and water quality. For more information, go to wylandfoundation.org.
