Ocean Minded™ sponsors ConservationNEXT

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., (May 18, 2010) – Ocean Mindedâ„¢, a leading brand in footwear, apparel and accessories for active outdoor enthusiasts, is sponsoring a Backyard Collective hosted by ConservationNEXT, a program of The Conservation Alliance. The event held, Friday, May 21 at the Escondido’s Elfin Forest Recreation Area, will bring the area’s outdoor industry employees, eager volunteers and Conservation Alliance grantees together for hands-on events that demonstrate environmental stewardship.

Ocean Minded has made it the company’s mission to live, protect, and respect the environment and does so by supporting organizations like the Conservation Alliance and through beach and inland clean-ups globally.

“We’re really pleased to sponsor the Backyard Collective event at Elfin Forest Recreation Area, continuing our mission to protect the places we play,” said, Andy Palmer, general manager, Ocean Minded. “It’s a delight to see industry members coming out to support the Conservation Alliance and pitch in,” he said.

The event, hosted by the Escondido Creek Conservancy and ConservationNEXT will be a day supporting park restoration and trail maintenance through trail maintenance and vegetation management. The event will also feature a celebratory BBQ as well as a volunteer fair where many local environmental organizations will be present.

Since, 1996, Ocean Minded has been organizing community beach clean-ups around the world, educating consumers on the importance of leaving their chosen playgrounds in better conditions than when they were found. The belief that everything eventually ends up in the ocean has led the company to host additional clean-ups in the mountains, as well as on the banks of inland rivers and lakes.

For information on upcoming beach clean-ups visit: www.oceanminded.com

Ocean Mindedâ„¢
Ocean Minded™ was founded in 1996, on the belief of being ocean minded and living an ocean lifestyle. We quickly realized that everything eventually ends up in the ocean and regardless of your chosen outdoor activity; we all have an impact on the environment.  
 
With that motivation, Ocean Minded™ utilizes recycled and sustainable materials whenever possible, to create high-quality, extremely comfortable footwear, apparel and accessories.

Additionally, we feel that as both a corporation, and a group of individuals, it is essential to Live, Protect, and Respect our environment.  Since our inception, we have been organizing community beach, park, and waterway clean-ups around the world, which educate our customers on the importance of leaving their chosen playgrounds in better condition than when they were found. These values are the cornerstones of our Brand, and we invite you to Be Ocean Minded™



About The ConservationNEXT Backyard Collectives
ConservationNEXT, a program of The Conservation Alliance, announced the launch of the Backyard Collective in 2008. The initiatives goal is to connect individuals in the outdoor industry with the work of organizations that receive financial support from the Alliance through the online forum, www.ConservationNEXT.com. This initiative provides people with opportunities to take online action in support of conservation. The Backyard Collective moves that action to the field, and gives people a venue to get involved at the grassroots level and help further the conservation efforts within their communities.

In 2009, The Conservation Alliance hosted seven Backyard Collectives with their 22 participating grantees, 34 participating member companies, and more than 400 volunteers. These seven events allowed the volunteers to help clean up their communities’ recreational areas by removing trash, eradicating invasive species, restoring and building trails and re-planting marsh lands. Learn more about these initiatives by visiting www.ConservationNEXT.com and join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.