If you live in the Charleston area, you’ve probably heard of the Charleston Waterkeeper. Founder Cyrus Buffum had harnessed social media, traditional media, grassroots efforts and other tactics to help spread the word about his mission.

According to the official Charleston Waterkeeper website:

Charleston Waterkeeper is an environmental, non-profit organization in Charleston, SC. Our mission is to preserve and protect the integrity of Charleston’s waterways by defending against pollution and contamination. Founded on September 16, 2008, Charleston Waterkeeper is one of the 193 members of the Waterkeeper Alliance. By encouraging citizens to “take pride, take responsibility, and take action,” Charleston Waterkeeper strives to empower the public to take back our rights to clean water.

At the heart of Buffum’s mission is keeping the waters of Charleston (jurisdiction includes Charleston Harbor, the Ashley, Cooper and Wando Rivers, and all feeding tributaries and waterways) cleaner for current and future generations to enjoy. He fields complaints from concerned citizens, encourages the public to protect our waters and educates the public on environmental issues.

According the the Waterkeeper Alliance’s global website, Buffum’s recent accomplishments include, Using the public’s knowledge, mapped the location of abandoned boats littering Charleston’s waterways and pressured municipalities to clean them up. Holding two successful beach cleanups drawing over 450 volunteers and collecting nearly 15,000 pieces of trash. Working with the City of Charleston’s Green Committee to draft water quality recommendations for the City.

Watch a video about the organization’s latest focus…

Individuals and businesses can become a member to show their support of this effort, receive official updates and more. Click here to learn more about becoming a member.

Also, keep up the Charleston Waterkeeper on their Facebook page, LinkedIn group or Twitter account.