Doug Woodring

Founder and Managing Director

Ocean Recovery Alliance

Douglas Woodring is founder and managing director of Ocean Recovery Alliance, a non-profit organization focused on bringing together innovative solutions, technology, collaborations and policy to create positive improvements for the health of the ocean. He has initiated global programs on plastic pollution which have been endorsed by UNEP, the World Bank and Clinton Global Initiative, and continues to be a thought leader in cross-border scalable cross-border solutions for reduced pollution.

A status check on the UN’s plastic waste agreement

March 24, 2023

by Doug Woodring & Steve Russell

Is this a case of all pain, no gain?
Recycled plastic: There’s market demand, but where’s the supply?

December 2, 2020

by Doug Woodring & Trish Hyde

With social license at risk, demand for recycled plastic is becoming inelastic and those able to supply to exacting standards will emerge and prosper.
How China and the U.S. can innovate on plastic waste

February 14, 2020

by Doug Woodring & Steve Wong

The world's two biggest producers and consumers of stuff stand to play a pivotal role in creating a circular economy, but they'll both have to get out of their own way.
Closing borders to plastics can create even more barriers to a circular economy

June 18, 2019

by Doug Woodring & Trish Hyde

The plastic trade wars threaten countries without domestic recycling systems — which they're unlikely to build in the next decade.
Are you ready for Round 3 of the plastic waste trade war?

March 29, 2019

by Doug Woodring & Trish Hyde

Plastic waste exporting countries will soon need the informed consent from recipient countries to import their waste.
'Clean tax cuts' and the global free market for plastic solutions

August 28, 2018

by Doug Woodring & Rod Richardson & Scott Cassel

An innovative new class of free-market solutions stand to drive up investment and drive down the cost barrier that has left a large gap in recycling and material recovery capacity.
- Circular Economy
- Finance & Investing
Scaling plastic waste solutions, even imperfect ones

August 15, 2018

by Doug Woodring & Tom Domen

Getting from here to a circular economy will take a lot of interim steps. In parallel, we must build the foundations for a new material reality.
- Circular Economy
- Ocean Plastic
Sharks and Starbucks: How brand licensees can impact your value

July 2, 2018

by Doug Woodring

A cautionary tale that's a wake-up call for the coffee colossus.
- Marketing & Communication
How 'catalytic philanthropy' could solve global waste

July 17, 2017

by Doug Woodring

If donors are willing to donate to NGOs addressing education, health or environmental issues, why not also back solutions put forth by small businesses?
- Waste Management
- Philanthropy
Opportunities for plastics in a circular world

April 18, 2017

by Doug Woodring

As world population increases, so does the consumption of resources as economies expand. Without arguing about whether some or all of these resources are finite, it is clear to many that to the extent we can recover material which has become waste after its initial use, the more likely we are to sustainably carry out those activities of consumption in the years to come.
- Circular Economy
- Plastic