PHILADELPHIA, December 9, 2019

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and Philadelphia clothier United By Blue today announced a community partnership aimed at removing 25,000 pounds of trash from the Delaware River in the Philadelphia area.

Cleanups will take place at designated streams and creeks along the Delaware in March, April and May. The cleanup schedule will be posted on the Academy’s website, ansp.org, and on unitedbyblue.com. Academy members and subscribers to its newsletter will receive notices of the dates and discounts on online merchandise as an incentive to participate.

“We can’t wait to dig in this spring and make a difference in this important activity that matters to our community and to the planet as a whole,” said Academy President and CEO Scott Cooper. “As a leading water research institution since before the first Earth Day and a leader in the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, we want to inspire everyone to care for our planet.”

“For the past 10 years we have been hosting waterway cleanups in the Philadelphia area, and we could not be more excited to partner with the Academy of Natural Sciences to continue to build on our impact in the region,” said Brian Linton, founder and CEO of United By Blue.

Staggering amounts of bottles, cans, plastics, garments, tires, construction debris, and everything imaginable and unimaginable are dumped in the Delaware River and connecting waterways. The river supplies drinking water for 15 million people in four states.

The partnership brings together a 207-year-old non-profit science research museum and a local business dedicated to sustainable materials and ethical manufacturing for a common purpose and deeply held convictions regarding the environment. 

The Academy of Natural Sciences is a leading natural history museum dedicated to informing and building a movement of environmentally engaged communities for a healthy, sustainable and equitable planet. United By Blue is committed to making a tangible environmental impact by mobilizing communities in cleanup efforts and inspiring people to live less wasteful lives.

Academy staff, members and subscribers, as well as the general public and United By Blue followers will be encouraged to participate in the spring cleanup endeavors. As an incentive, the retailer, which operates two stores in West Philadelphia and Old City, will offer discounts on online merchandise starting Monday, Dec. 9. The discounts will be available with a promo code distributed through the Academy’s newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter, visit https://ansp.org/get-involved/membership/e-news/

About the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

Founded in 1812, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is a leading natural history museum dedicated to advancing research, education and public engagement in biodiversity and environmental science. The Academy connects museum visitors to nature through close encounters with live animals, a tropical garden filled with live butterflies, historic dioramas, science experts, special exhibits, and the towering dinosaurs for which “the dinosaur museum” is famous.

About United By Blue

United By Blue is a sustainable lifestyle and outdoor brand driven by the belief that every living creature is united by the blue of our world's oceans and waterways, and we all share the responsibility to protect them. Our pledge unites our beliefs with our business: For every product purchased, we remove one pound of trash from oceans and waterways through company-organized cleanups. All apparel and accessories are responsibly made using sustainable materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester and bison fiber. United By Blue products can be found in more than 1,000 outlets nationally, in our stores in Philadelphia, and online at unitedbyblue.com.

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News media contact:
Carolyn Belardo, Director of Public Relations, The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
215-299-1043, belardo@ansp.org, | Twitter @AcadNatSciPR | Press Room: www.ansp.org/press