Love Blue Recap: NJ Sustainability in Motion 2025

Love Blue had an amazing time at NJ Sustainability in Motion 2025, held in Atlantic City, NJ. This annual conference, hosted by New Jersey Clean Communities, brought together environmental leaders, businesses, and organizations all working toward a cleaner, greener future. It was the perfect opportunity for us to strengthen relationships, form new collaborations, and explore opportunities to expand our mission.

Time Well Spent with Our Board of Directors

One of the highlights of the event was spending valuable time with our Board of Directors, including:

🔹 Jeff Gyland (Recycle Coach) – Bringing tech-driven recycling solutions to communities.

🔹 Eric Ascalon (TerraCycle) – A leader in recycling hard-to-recycle materials.

🔹 Chris Fitzpatrick (Garbo Grabber) – Our Advisor, whose company’s innovative cleanup tools have transformed our beach cleanups, giving our members a more professional and effective experience.

Having these key figures on-site made it even more impactful as we worked together to explore new ways to enhance Love Blue’s reach and effectiveness.

A Key Role from JoAnn Gemenden

We were also proud to see JoAnn Gemenden, Executive Director of Clean Communities and a dedicated Love Blue Board Member, play such a huge role in organizing the event. Her leadership and connections helped open doors for meaningful partnerships that will drive our mission forward.

Growing Our Impact

The conference was an incredible platform for Love Blue to:

🌊 Expand Cleanup Station Locations – Bringing cleanup resources to more communities.🎓 Develop New College & Community Chapters – Inspiring the next generation of environmental leaders

.🏢 Engage Businesses in Sponsorships – Connecting with companies interested in supporting cleanups through our "Sponsor a Cleanup" program.

Special Thanks to ACUA & Rebecca Turygan

A massive shoutout to the Atlantic City Utilities Authority (ACUA) and our amazing Board Member Rebecca Turygan. Rebecca played a key role in securing sponsorship for our exhibit, which allowed us to connect with influential organizations and decision-makers. This sponsorship exposed us to countless new opportunities and will be instrumental in helping Love Blue continue to grow and thrive.

Looking Ahead

Attending NJ Sustainability in Motion 2025 reinforced how powerful collaboration can be in the fight for cleaner waterways and communities. With the relationships strengthened, new partnerships formed, and corporate collaborations on the horizon, we’re more excited than ever for what’s ahead.

A huge thank you to JoAnn Gemenden, Rebecca Turygan, Jeff Gyland, Eric Ascalon, Chris Fitzpatrick, ACUA, and all our partners for making this event such a success! We can’t wait to see where these new connections take us next. 💙♻️🌍

Kicking Off 2025: Love Blue Maui’s Latest Updates & Initiatives

As we dive into the new year, Love Blue Maui is making waves with new projects, meaningful collaborations, and impactful clean-ups to protect our beloved shores.

Spreading the Message Statewide

On January 11, 2025, we had the incredible opportunity to present at the Hawai’i State Student Council (HSSC) meeting on O’ahu, with support from Pledge to Our Keiki. This event allowed us to connect with passionate student leaders across the islands and introduce our newest initiative—Art For A Cause.

Art For A Cause is designed to engage schools beyond Maui, encouraging students to participate in beach clean-ups, collect trash, and transform it into stunning marine creature sculptures. This creative recycling project raises awareness about ocean pollution in a unique and artistic way. The inspiration came from our very first guest speaker, an environmental artist who ignited our passion for blending art with advocacy. We are beyond excited to see how schools bring this vision to life!

January Clean-Ups: A Strong Start

We started the year strong with a January 19th beach clean-up, where our dedicated volunteers removed approximately 40-50 lbs of waste from our shores. Every piece of trash collected makes a difference in protecting marine life and preserving Hawaii’s natural beauty. Looking ahead, we are thrilled to be teaming up with Pledge to Our Keiki, Maui Key Clubs, and Maui High’s Robotics team for an upcoming clean-up event next weekend in Lahaina. This initiative holds extra significance as Lahaina continues to recover from last year’s devastating challenges. Coming together as a community to care for both the environment and one another is at the heart of what Love Blue stands for.

February Collaboration with Kanu Hawaii

Most recently, on Sunday, February 16th, Love Blue Maui partnered with Kanu Hawaii, a local nonprofit committed to environmental and community well-being. Volunteers of all ages came out in full force, donning their Love Blue vestsand working together to keep our beaches clean and thriving. A special shoutout goes to our student leaders and ambassadors, many of whom are high school students leading the charge in environmental stewardship. Their dedication and leadership make the Maui Chapter truly inspiring, proving that young changemakers can have a profound impact on their communities.

Looking Forward

As 2025 unfolds, we are eager to expand our reach, build more partnerships, and continue protecting Hawaii’s beaches. Whether through creative initiatives like Art For A Cause, hands-on clean-ups, or collaborations with local organizations, our mission remains the same—to keep our oceans clean and communities engaged. Stay tuned for more updates, and if you’re on Maui, we’d love to see you at our next clean-up!

Mahalo to everyone who has supported Love Blue Maui—we couldn’t do this without you.

Follow us on social media and join us in making a difference! 🌊💙

Follow @lovebluemaui on Instagram for more information abou this chapter!

Love Blue Inc.: Back in Action for the New Year!

As the new year unfolds, Love Blue Inc. is diving back into our mission to protect and preserve our oceans. With college chapters regrouping after winter break and Founder & CEO AJ Caruso committing to a 365-day cleanup challenge, we’re setting the tone for 2025 with consistency, leadership, and impact.

A Year of Leadership and Action

AJ Caruso’s yearlong cleanup challenge is more than a personal mission—it’s a testament to the dedication that fuels Love Blue Inc. This daily act of service not only highlights the pervasive problem of ocean pollution but also inspires our community to take action. Keep an eye on our social media for updates, as AJ’s journey will visually illustrate the necessity of our work.

Community Spirit in Action

Our chapters are kicking off the year with enthusiasm:

• Wildwood Crest Chapter: Undeterred by snowy weather, a small but determined group of community members braved the cold to remove over 60 pounds of trash. Their dedication reminds us that every effort counts, regardless of the conditions.

  
  

• Florida Gulf Coast University Chapter: Starting strong, 28 volunteers came together to collect an impressive 148 pounds of trash. The turnout showcases the power of teamwork and the impact of college students rallying for a cause.

  
  

• Maui Chapter: Partnering with a high school club, the Maui team hosted a successful cleanup and continues to lead online events, ensuring engagement even beyond the beaches.

  
  

• Coastal Carolina University Chapter: Back in action with their first cleanup of the semester last week, they’re keeping the momentum going with two more events this month. On Thursday, January 23rd, join them at 5 PM at Pier 14 in Myrtle Beach (weather permitting), and don’t miss their final January cleanup on Monday, January 29th at 5 PM at Bummz Beach Café Beach.

  
  

• Flagler College Chapter: Our newest chapter is gearing up for its debut cleanups in February. Supplies are on the way, and we’re excited to see their impact take shape.

  
  

Building Momentum

Our other chapters are finalizing their schedules, so stay tuned for updates! Meanwhile, our Executive Team is hard at work pursuing new chapter candidates across the country, planning events like Sustainability in Motion, participating in Surf Expo, and organizing more community fundraisers.

Spotlight on Cape May County

As our home base, Cape May County will see an increase in community events and fundraisers this year. From cleanups to outreach efforts, we’re committed to deepening our local impact while continuing to expand nationwide.

Join the Movement

Whether you’re a student, community member, or ocean advocate, there’s a place for you in our mission. Follow us on social media, check out our upcoming events, and join us in making a difference. Together, we can protect our oceans and inspire others to do the same.

Here’s to a year of growth, impact, and clean beaches! 🌊