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About Us

Project O is a non-profit, 501c3 organization founded by noted entrepreneur Rich German and based in the coastal town of Laguna Beach, California. By restoring, protecting and sustaining the ocean and all that lives in it, we ensure the wellbeing of humankind now and for generations to come. Our various programs and projects include developing and supporting innovative partner programs for ocean conservation, and educating the next generation to protect the ocean and make cleaning up plastic pollution a priority.

​Stats & Facts

  • The ocean is the planet’s life support system; it provides the air we breathe, water to drink, food to eat, new medicines, a liveable climate, plus beauty and recreation.
  • More than half the oxygen we breathe every day is produced by the ocean, and oceans absorb around half the world’s carbon dioxide.
  • As much as 80% of all life on earth is found beneath the ocean’s surface, making it the world’s largest ecosystem.
  • The ocean and the animals within it are under severe threat from overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction, warming, and acidification, among other dangers.

Source: NOAA, Why should we care about the ocean? National Ocean Service Website, https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/why-care-about-ocean.html.

Founder

Rich German: Business Coach, Speaker, Author, Stand-Up Paddle Boarder, Ocean Conservationist

Rich German is an entrepreneur and environmental advocate with an unyielding passion for the ocean. Since 1999, he has been a respected business coach, captivating speaker, and best-selling author of three transformative books.

In 2010, Rich’s fascination with stand-up paddleboarding ignited a journey that would shape his legacy. Having navigated an astonishing 30,000 miles— more than the circumference of the Earth— he has documented over 2,000 awe-inspiring interactions with dolphins and whales. His photographic work has been featured by National Geographic, The New York Times, NPR, The BBC and more. His latest book, Blue Laguna, is a visual testament to the captivating marine life he has intimately encountered from his paddleboard.

Rich’s passion led him to found Project O, a non-profit organization committed to the preservation and protection of our ocean and the fragile life within it. Through its innovative Blue City Network, his organization is at the forefront of guiding cities toward regenerative practices, harmonizing the progress of urban development with the needs of the environment. Rich’s voice reaches further through his solution-focused podcast, Our Epic Ocean, where he engages with esteemed experts to address the world’s most pressing challenges.

For the past two years Rich has also served as President of the nonprofit OneWhale, an organization working to establish an ocean reserve that will provide sanctuary for whales held in captivity, demonstrating his dedication to the well-being and freedom of marine life.

Based in the breathtaking city of Laguna Beach, California, Rich exemplifies the remarkable potential of aligning passion and purpose. His journey stands as a testament to the transformative impact one individual can make through love for the planet and more importantly to the massive change possible utilizing the power of collaboration. Rich’s dream is a world where humans learn to live in balance and harmony with the natural world.

Rich G Headshots

Our Team

Evelina Marchetti
Chief Operating Officer, Project O
Program Director, Blue City

Evelina is an accomplished fundraising strategist and expert in zero waste event design and production. She is dedicated to keeping the well-being of the planet at the forefront of service to people and profit. For the past six years, she has worked with some of the world’s most distinguished brands, global charities, and non-profit organizations. Her eco-event company was recognized as Best in World Honoree twice by B-Lab, an established international organization that awards and certifies businesses that are actively addressing society’s greatest challenges. Evelina’s experience with climate change mitigation led her to serve as a mentor to the Climate Reality Project since 2017. Her passion to be a part of the solution has drawn her to Project O to collaborate with the world’s top ocean-conservation organizations on the Blue City Certification Network. Evelina resides in Manhattan Beach, CA by the ocean that she affectionately refers to as the heartbeat of the planet.

Alisan Amrhein
Communications Director, Project O
City Liaison, Blue City

Alisan Amrhein is an environmental communicator, writer, and organizer, dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans and waterways. Her professional and academic background spans 10+ years in the fields of environmental conservation, research, and outreach. After graduating from UCLA for undergraduate education and then earning her Masters from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, she became a Sea Grant Fellow with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Since then, she has worked with a number of environmental non-profit organizations in California, and is now excited to expand Project O’s outreach as Communications Director, and support the Blue City program as City Liaison. Alisan lives in the Bay Area with her partner and two dogs. Outside of her work with Project O, you can typically find her strolling the beach, hiking the hills, or camping in the forest.

Shilpa Iyer
City Liaison

Shilpa is an environmentalist and conservationist with a lifelong passion to protect the earth and its inhabitants. She grew up in the Silicon Valley of California, but has travelled across the world throughout her lifetime which has connected her to diverse ecosystems and places across the globe. After receiving a B.S. in Environmental Science and Management from UC Davis, she spent two years in California’s capital analyzing the impacts of development projects on the environment and communities through the California Environmental Quality Act process. She graduated with a Master’s in Sustainable International Development from UC Berkeley in May 2021, which has provided her an understanding of the ways in which social and environmental issues intersect at a global scale. She enjoys hiking with her dog and is an amateur forager.

Photo Gallery

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Videos

Encounter with Orcas
​Underwater Footage of Dolphins
Paddleboarding with a Blue Whale

Articles

Orange County Register logo

Paddlers have hour-long encounter with ‘curious, cute’ shark off Laguna Beach, “Orange County Register,” February 1, 2022

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Bluedoor Magazine

Saving the Sea, “Bluedoor Magazine”, May 26, 2021

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Patch logo

‘Our Epic Ocean’ Founder Shares His Journey, “Patch”, January 2021

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issuu logo

Laguna Niguel Lifestyle Magazine, “Laguna Blue”, April 2020

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Stu News Laguna

Fair Game, “Orange County Register,” February 4, 2022

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Orange County Register logo

Leaping dolphins delight spectators inside Dana Point Harbor on Father’s Day, “Orange County Register,” June 21, 2021

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Laguna Beach Independent logo

Close Encounters of the Oceanic Kind Inspired Laguna Beach Paddleboarder’s Activism, “Laguna Beach Independent”, February 2021

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Orange County Register logo

Four dolphins, including baby, frolic near boats, paddleboarders in Dana Point Harbor, “The Orange County Register”, January 2021

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New Channel 8

WFLA-TV, “’Project O’ Works to Save Our Planet”, August 2021

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Podcasts

Scott Amyx Logo

Climate Change with Scott Amyx, “Interview with Rich German, Founder of Project O”, July 2020

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Good Day Orange County Logo

Good Day Orange County, “How to Love Mother Earth with Rich German”, February 2020

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TV Coverage

ABC News, Kelp Cleanup, June 2021

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