ABOUT
STAND UP TO TRASH
At Stand Up To Trash, Our Mission is Guided By Two Powerful Quotes That Inspire and Direct Our Work Everyday
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
— Maya Angelou
“In the end we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.”
— Baba Dioum, 1968
These powerful words remind us that knowledge is the first step toward meaningful change. At Stand Up To Trash, we believe that education is essential—not just to protect the natural world, but to protect ourselves.
Many people simply don’t realize how pollution—especially plant-based or land-based pollutants—impacts not only our oceans, waterways and wildlife, but also our own health. From chemicals that run off into the sea to plastics that make their way into our food chain, the connection between our environment and our well-being is undeniable.
That’s why our mission goes beyond beach cleanups. We're here to teach people, especially the next generation, how their choices—what they plant, what they use, what they throw away—can affect everything from marine ecosystems to human health.
By sparking awareness and creating space for curiosity and conversation, we hope to inspire a wave of informed, conscious action.
When people understand the harm pollution can cause, they begin to care. And when they care, they’re empowered to act—to do better.
Together, through education and community, we can cultivate a future where people protect what they love, because they understand what’s at stake—for the planet, and for themselves.
History
Dana Point, California
Founded in 2020, Stand Up To Trash is on a mission to protect and conserve our ocean by raising awareness of the negative effects of plastic pollution through environmental education. Our goal is to inspire sustainable change and provide resources that empower individuals to be part of the solution.
Our Vision
We believe in caring for both our community and our planet. Through education and inspiration, we strive to nourish a sense of responsible ocean stewardship by encouraging the adoption of sustainable habits. We envision a future where people understand how plastic pollution harms marine life, ecosystems, and even our own health and are moved to protect what connects
us all: the ocean.
Signature Programs
Yoga, Beach Cleanup and Lunch & Learn - This monthly program builds awareness around the global plastic pollution crisis while offering actionable solutions through our “31 Ways to Be an Ocean Steward” guide and Stand Up To Trash Principles. Each event includes a guest speaker who shares inspiring insights on environmental topics.
The Ocean Starts at Your Front Door - This educational initiative explores the water cycle, local watersheds, ocean gyres, and our Marine Protected Area (MPA), concluding with participants taking The Ocean Pledge to protect our coastlines.
Additional Programs
Sea The Change - A life-changing experience for underserved youth, this program brings students aboard our eco-vessel to explore the ocean firsthand while learning about marine ecology and conservation.
Harbor Helpers - A volunteer-driven effort designed especially for students with special needs, focusing on harbor and marina cleanups that instill a sense of purpose, responsibility, and environmental awareness.
Cultural Collaborations - We are honored to partner with the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians Acjachemen Nation (JBMIAN). Together, we integrate cultural knowledge, environmental stewardship, and ceremony into educational experiences that deepen respect for land and sea.
Community & School Partnerships
We’ve worked with the Capistrano Unified School District, hosting students from San Juan Elementary School and special needs classes from Shorecliffs Middle School and Dana Hills High School. Our partnerships also include UC Irvine Global Sustainability Classes, UC Riverside Sustainability, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire, and the Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley.
Meet The
Board
Vicki Patterson
FOUNDER - PRESIDENT
Vicki Patterson has called Dana Point home for over 45 years. As the Founder of Stand Up To Trash, she has dedicated her life to protecting the ocean and inspiring her community to take action against pollution and litter. A proud mother of three ocean-loving children—watermen and waterwomen through and through—Vicki has spent more than 30 years championing environmental education and community engagement in Dana Point.
When she’s not leading a beach cleanup, organizing a community event, or speaking to inspire the next generation of ocean stewards, you’ll find Vicki paddle boarding, sailing, gardening, or camping off the beaten path—always close to nature.
In addition to her nonprofit work, Vicki serves as the Youth Program Coordinator at Dana Point Harbor, where she helps bring the magic of the ocean to life for over 1,000 underserved youth each year. Through hands-on experiences, students learn about marine mammals, ocean health, water quality, and the dangers of marine debris—empowering them to care for the coastline and all who call it home.
Her work blends passion, purpose, and a deep love for the ocean into everything she does making waves for a cleaner, healthier future for all.
Annabelle Miller
Director of Youth Programs
As a mermaid at heart, I have a love and gratitude for the ocean. I am an elementary educator and passionate about our youth.
I believe in the power of education and love working with Stand Up To Trash in order to inspire and educate our future generations on how to protect our Earth, and be an active part of their community.
After school, you can find me on the boat dock, or a sunset walk on with my dog, Sunni.
“Smell the sea and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly.” -Van Morrison
Kaeley Hardy
Director of Environmental Outreach Coordinator
Kaeley was born and raised in Dana Point and she has always had a love for the ocean and care for the environment.
She is a recent graduate of Concordia University Wisconsin getting her BS in environmental studies. She believes that it is of the utmost importance for the community to do what they can to try and preserve the environment.
It has become her mission to do what she can to bring awareness to the impact humans have had on the beaches and what we can do to help.
Tanya Torres
VICE PRESIDENT and Program Development Director
Tanya Torres is currently working at California Sea Grant Extension supporting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program.
She holds a Master of Science Degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Management from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Born and raised on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi , Tanya grew up with a natural connection to the ocean and land around her. Before making the move across the Pacific, Tanya spent six years volunteering and working with one of Hawaiʻi's largest local beach cleanup nonprofit organizations, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi.
Her passion for clean beaches, waste reduction, and empowering communities to take action has led her to the Stand Up To Trash team!
When she's not cleaning up trash, Tanya enjoys surfing, hiking, being on the water, being outdoors, cooking, and eating!
Brad Smith
Advisory Board
Brad Smith is a marine debris researcher, environmental technologist, roboticist, and the founder of Pacific Plastic Salvage, a hands-on recycling lab dedicated to transforming recovered ocean plastics into new materials and educational tools.
His workshop functions as an interactive “recycling lab,” complete with shredders, extruders, 3D printers and custom-built machines that bring closed-loop recycling to life for students and community members.
In addition to his field recovery work, Brad designs experimental autonomous vessels engineered to remove plastic pollution from waterways.
He also develops STEM learning programs that introduce students to ocean science, engineering principles, and innovative solutions for reducing waste.
As a Stand Up To Trash Advisory Board member, Brad contributes deep knowledge of microplastic science, real-world cleanup experience, and a passion for merging technology with community engagement. His forward-thinking approach strengthens our mission and helps inspire the next generation of ocean protectors.
FACTS
Plastic is forever. Every single piece of plastic ever made still exists. 91% of plastic waste isn’t recycled. Every day around 8 million pieces of plastic makes their way into our oceans. Up to 80% of marine debris is plastic and comes from runoff, creating a steady stream of plastic into the ocean. In the marine environment, plastics do not biodegrade, they photo-degrade, breaking up from recognizable items of all sizes and shapes into tiny particles.
There are five gyres in the ocean. One in the Indian Ocean, two in the Atlantic Ocean, and two in the Pacific Ocean. Garbage patches of varying sizes are located in each gyre. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is a floating mass of plastic twice the size of Texas. It is located in the North Pacific Gyre (between Hawaii and California), and is the most famous.
Production of the most common plastic, polyethylene, is on track to jump more than 40 percent by 2028 in the U.S. Fossil fuel companies such as Exxon, Mobil and Dow have invested more than $180 billion into building 17 new plastic production facilities.
A Poem For Our Ocean
Beneath the azure waves, a world of wonder lies,
A realm of creatures, beneath the open skies.
But a shadow looms, a perilous, looming theme,
The danger of pollution, of trash in the marine.
In the ocean’s depths, where coral gardens thrive,
Plastic waste drifts, where marine life strives.
Turtles and dolphins, whales so grand,
Deserve a home free of the debris on the sand.
The ocean’s vast beauty, a treasure to behold,
Yet our thoughtless actions tarnish, and stories untold,
Of seagulls tangled in plastic, of dolphins in distress,
Remind us of the urgency, to clean up this mess.
Let’s unite as stewards, beacons of the shore,
With every piece we rescue, with every call to restore.
For the oceans hold mysteries, so ancient and profound,
We must protect their magic, keep their waters safe and sound.
Educate and inspire, let compassion take its role,
In keeping trash out of the ocean, our collective goal.
Together, we can make a difference, let the message scream,
Preserve the deep blue, and keep our oceans clean.