Inspiring Figure: Chad Pregracke
Environmental Entrepreneurship Defined
When I first learned about Chad Pregracke several months ago, I was blown away. I was shocked I did not know about him already. Everyone knows about Greta Thunberg, but not about Chad Pregracke?!
Chad Pregracke on tire barge, 2021
I thought that soon had to change. He has had - and continues to have - so much positive impact on our environment, that he is a true inspiration for anyone considering any sort of environmental action.
Chad is increasingly recognized for his efforts to clean up America's waterways: he and his staff of 13 at Living Lands & Waters clean up about 500,000 - 700,000 lbs. of trash from America’s rivers every year.
Read on to find out how he does it and how he built the only industrial-size river cleanup operation in the United States.
The Beginning
Born on February 10, 1975, in East Moline, Illinois, Chad was drawn to the Mississippi River from a young age, finding solace and joy in its waters. Working as a commercial shell diver in his late teens, he noticed the rising amount of pollution and garbage in this iconic American river, notified authorities, and asked for it to be remedied.
But after years of getting told “no” (apparently there is no government agency responsible for cleaning up rivers), in 1997 Chad decided that he was going to clean up the Mississippi himself.
He started regular cleanups and his first year he removed 45,000 lbs. of refuse, mostly from the Quad Cities area (Davenport and Bettendorf in southeastern Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline and East Moline in northwestern Illinois). Armed with determination and a singular vision, he launched Living Lands & Waters, an organization dedicated to river conservation.
What started as a one-man mission quickly grew into a collective endeavor as Chad rallied volunteers and communities to join him in his adventure.
Living Lands and Waters
Now Chad and his team traverse the waterways of the United States of America aboard a fleet of barges, removing tons of debris – from plastic bottles and tires to abandoned appliances – that blight America’s riverbanks. They have worked with more than 180,000 volunteers, and performed more than 1,400 cleanups on 25 rivers, in 21 states.
Indeed, Chad is relentlessly tracking results: here is the mind-blowing breakdown of the 13 million lbs. of trash removed from rivers by Chad and his team since he began doing his work.
Chad Pregracke's impact extends far beyond his cleanup campaigns. With an annual budget just over $3mm, and assets of $5mm, Living Lands & Waters punches way above its weight. And through cleanup efforts, Chad and his team not only remove pollutants from waterways but also raise awareness about the significance of preserving our water resources.
Cumulative Living Lands and Waters statistics: inception to 2022
Their educational outreach programs engage schools, businesses, and communities, spreading the importance of environmental stewardship and promoting a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between rivers and our daily lives.
Through workshops, presentations, and hands-on activities, Living Lands & Waters ignites a passion for conservation in people of all ages. And recognition of Chad's extraordinary contributions has garnered numerous accolades, including the CNN Hero of the Year award, which brought international attention to his work.
In 2024, Chad and his wife Tammy launched their plastic injection molding company, Green Current Solutions. The company manufactures industrial pallets (typically made of wood), out of 100% recycled HDPE (high density polyethylene) using a portion of Ocean Bound Plastics collected at Living Lands & Waters’ river cleanups.
Chad Pregracke's story and relentless hard work embody the power of one person's determination to drive transformative change. He serves as proof to the idea that a single individual, driven by passion and a sense of purpose, can galvanize communities and make a profound difference in the world.
Through his humble, yet visionary leadership, he shows how grassroots initiatives can create a ripple effect of positive change, nudging all of us to be better stewards our planet's natural resources.
Sources:
“Consequence of Habit” Podcast - Episode 52, Chad Pregracke
www.livinglandsandwaters.org - Annual Report 2022
