HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Of the many reasons actor Ian Somerhalder is passionate about keeping our oceans clean, one is for the beach walks he takes with his daughter.

“When I was a kid, my parents weren’t walking with me on beaches in Florida and finding trash everywhere,” he said.

Somerhalder has had roles in hit TV shows such as “Lost” and is perhaps best known for “The Vampire Diaries.” Acting is only one of his loves, though, as he has long been an advocate for the ocean — from having his own nonprofit to now supporting conservation organizations and initiatives.

“Our precious water systems are vital to our survival,” he said.

At a recent beach cleanup in Huntington Beach on behalf of the Shiseido Blue Project in Partnership with World Surf League Pure and WILDCOAST, Somerhalder does what he does best: inspiring people to want to protect our oceans.

“You don’t have to be an expert,” he said. “You just have to have a heart, a brain and some gloves.”

As Somerhalder prepped for the cleanup, he constantly reminded everyone why this is so important. According to Wildcoast, by 2050, ocean plastic will outweigh all the ocean’s fish. And Somerhalder says keeping our oceans clean is in our hands.

“I see vastly, wildly educated people…walking into a grocery store and putting a single avocado in a plastic bag. It’s realizing it’s not required for you to check out…those little things,” he said.

At the end of the day, a beach cleanup is great and all, but what Somerhalder says is most powerful is what it will hopefully inspire people to do tomorrow and the next day.

“They will come out here and do this on their own.”

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