Originally created by a marine biologist, SpongeBob SquarePants has always had a deep love for the ocean at its heart.

Today, 11M tonnes of plastic enter the ocean annually, harming the marine species who call it home. It is our duty to preserve the ocean, not just for ourselves but for generations to come.

That’s why Paramount Consumer Products and Nickelodeon are launching SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change to help protect the home of our beloved sponge. This multi-year global initiative will spark a sea change by funding global clean-up work, promoting sustainable products, and educating millions of fans on how they can help protect the undersea home of all creatures—including a certain silly sea star, sourpuss octopus, and optimistic yellow sponge.

To ensure the program is grounded in science, we began by assessing the plastic footprint of our SpongeBob consumer product lines. This involved commissioning a first-of-its-kind research study to analyze the packaging and materials used. Based on what we learned, we will be collaborating with our licensing partners to adopt holistic strategies for reducing plastic pollution from SpongeBob products.

The initiative will mobilize a network of global non-profit partners that further the goals of SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change. These efforts, which have been funded through grants from the SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change Fund at Tides Foundation, aim to help protect the ocean from plastic pollution and biodiversity loss through on-the-ground clean-up events in cities around the world. In total, these partnerships are estimated to divert over 5 million pounds of plastic pollution from oceans over the next four years.

We’re just getting started and look forward to turning the tide together.