Athletes in Blue+Green

Athletes for the Environment: Inspiring Leadership, Personal Development, and Improved Environments

Athletes are usually on the front lines of "defence," finding out about nature and pollution before others, because they spend more time training, competing and recreating. Accordingly, they depend on clean air, safe water, healthy trails and good environments to train, compete, and perform at their best. Yet these essential conditions are increasingly affected by pollution, extreme heat, water quality issues, and environmental degradation. Athletes in Blue+Green, presented by Ocean Recovery Alliance, is a one‑session educational lecture or set of multiple workshops which helps student-athletes excel in understanding this connection while positioning environmental awareness as a key part of leadership, personal development, and long‑term success.

Today’s athletes are not only competitors—they are visible representatives of their schools, teams, and communities. Colleges, employers, and organizations increasingly look for individuals who demonstrate awareness, responsibility, and the ability to think beyond themselves. This program helps athletes understand how their daily choices, behaviors, and values shape their personal brand. By caring for the spaces where they train and compete, athletes build a reputation for discipline, respect, and integrity—qualities that transfer directly into university life, careers, and civic engagement.

Doug Woodring is the Founder of Ocean Recovery Alliance, and due to his work globally in linking sports, events, and athletes to the environment, he was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. He is a race organizer, and continues to compete internationally in outrigger canoe paddling and swimming. His work with United Nations Environment (UNEP), the World Bank and Clinton Global Initiative, and speaker at conferences globally on environmental topics, makes him a unique asset in translating knowledge and opportunity to athletic ambassadors of the future.

The presentation connects environmental conditions directly to performance and health in ways athletes immediately understand. By framing environmental awareness through athletic outcomes, the topics are relevant, practical, and grounded in real experience rather than abstract concepts.

Beyond awareness, Athletes in Blue+Green emphasizes leadership and influence. Athletes are often the first to notice unsafe conditions, pollution, or damage to shared spaces. This talk empowers students to see themselves as ambassadors—leaders who set standards through behavior, speaking up (but in a positive way) when something is not right, and positively influencing teammates and peers. These leadership skills mirror what universities, employers, and community organizations seek: accountability, teamwork, long‑term thinking, and the ability to act with purpose.

The program is intentionally non‑political, age‑appropriate, and inclusive of all sports and levels. It focuses on health, wellness, fairness, and responsibility, aligning naturally with school or team goals around character education, student leadership, service learning, and career readiness. The messaging reinforces that environmental awareness is not an extra obligation, but a mindset that strengthens personal identity and professional development.

Athletes leave the session with a clear understanding that they do not need to be perfect to make a difference. Instead, they are encouraged to take realistic actions—reducing waste at practices and games, respecting facilities, mentoring younger athletes, and carrying these values forward into college teams, workplaces, and communities. These behaviors build confidence, credibility, and a positive personal brand that lasts well beyond their playing years.

Hosting an Athletes in Blue+Green session demonstrates a school or club’s commitment to developing student‑athletes who are not only competitive, but thoughtful, aware, and prepared for life beyond sport. The program reinforces that being an athlete means representing something larger—protecting the places that make sport possible, while building the leadership, reputation, and values that shape a successful future.

Contact us if you would like to have an Athletes in Blue+Green at your school or team, whether it be for student or adult athletes as well - there is no age limit in this opportunity.

Email Kai at kai@oceanrecov.org