14 Incredible Environmental Non-profit Organizations in Charleston, SC
Every day is Earth Day at Grit & Grace Studio! We have collected more than 2,000 gallons of oyster shells (and counting!) from Charleston restaurants for integration into SCDNR's oyster recycling program since January of this year.
We're so proud of our team of oyster recycling advocates, and we also realize how much work there is to be done. With Earth Day on the horizon, we want to spotlight some of Charleston's incredible non-profit organizations and the work they do daily to help save our seas and protect Mother Earth.
This is by no means a comprehensive list, and it gives us so much hope to see how many other amazing, hardworking individuals, companies, and Charleston nonprofits share our environmental goals.
These incredible organizations work tirelessly to improve our communities, rehabilitate wildlife, provide clean water, and protect our diverse and fragile habitats. Their work ensures that the beautiful place we call home will continue to flourish and sustain life for generations to come.
As you celebrate Earth Day, we encourage you to support these remarkable environmental non-profit organizations in Charleston, SC. We’re stronger together, and we hope you'll join us to conserve and protect this magnificent coast.
Environmental Non-profit Organizations in Charleston, SC
The world is your oyster, thanks in large part to the efforts of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). SCDNR serves as the principal advocate for and steward of South Carolina’s natural resources. This government agency does everything from organizing large-scale litter pick-ups, protecting threatened species, issuing fishing licenses, and restoring marine habitat.
Their work that’s most dear to our heart, however, is their oyster shell recycling program and oyster reef restoration efforts under the SCORE umbrella (South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement).
The Grit & Grace Studio in-house oyster shell recycling program partners with SCORE to return the shells we collect to their oyster reef restoration program, which requires quarantining the shells and separating them from any accidental litter before bagging the shells and returning them to the Lowcountry waters.
Join us at the next SCDNR litter pick-up, where you’ll find our team members helping to remove plastic cutlery, saltine wrappers, and other waste from the shell mounds!
Ahoy there, water warriors! Charleston Waterkeeper fights for your right to fish, swim, and enjoy the Lowcountry’s waterways without fear of pollution.
This watchdog organization regularly collects samples from local tidal creeks and hotspots to analyze the amount of Enterococcus bacteria present. The Charleston Waterkeeper immediately posts their results so that you can make an informed decision about when and where you swim, SUP, fish, kayak, and sail.
photo credit: @jakeewheeler
This Charleston non-profit organization also offers a mobile pump-out service to boats in the Charleston Harbor, coordinates litter sweeps, runs educational programs, partners with SCDNR for seed planting and shell sorting, and works to hold our community accountable.
They’re making waves all over the Lowcountry (including in the courts), and you can read about it here. The Charleston Waterkeeper also offers a number of ways for you to join the fight for clean water and updates its calendar of volunteer opportunities regularly.
Life’s better at the beach, thanks to Charleston Surfrider. A local branch of the national Surfrider group, Charleston Surfrider “is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean waves and beaches through a powerful activist network.”
Grit & Grace Studio is proud to have partnered with Surfrider last fall to support their litter pick-up efforts, and we love that this group takes a no-holds-barred approach to prevent litter before it reaches the beach. Charleston Surfrider works to convert local restaurants to ocean-friendly practices and to design gardens that both filter pollution and sequester carbon. They’re also the local headliner of the international and cleverly named “Hold On To Your Butt” campaign to address cigarette litter. Keep an eye out for Surfrider’s upcoming volunteer opportunities!
photo credit: Charleston Surfrider
South Carolina Aquarium
We are “turtley” smitten with the South Carolina Aquarium. One of our favorite non-profit organizations in Charleston, SC, the aquarium boasts delightful and informative marine and wildlife exhibits and educational opportunities for visitors. Explore the Sea Turtle Hospital, where you can watch recovering sea turtles and learn how the SC Aquarium nurtures sick and injured sea turtles, and consider joining Grit & Grace Studio as a Sea Turtle Guardian!
The South Carolina Aquarium is so much more than a tourist attraction, and you’ll learn about their fight against plastic pollution, participation in fieldwork and research, and responsible seafood advocacy through the Good Catch program during your visit.
Help the South Carolina Aquarium continue their work by becoming a Sea Turtle Guardian, becoming a member, donating, volunteering, or encouraging your workplace to become a corporate sponsor.
photo credit: South Carolina Aquarium
Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network
The Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network is making a splash as the only non-profit organization in Charleston that exclusively focuses on the protection of whales, dolphins, and seals.
In addition to responding to marine mammal strandings, the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network protects Charleston’s 350 dolphins through scientific research, raising awareness, and educational outreach.
Support the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network by taking the dolphin pledge, becoming a sponsor, reporting dolphin sightings, buying merch, or volunteering.
If you’re looking for an exciting day in the Lowcountry, the Center for Birds of Prey is a real hoot. Their Mount Pleasant location is home to a number of majestic bird species, and their mission is to address and identify vital environmental issues by providing medical care to injured birds. The Center for Birds of Prey is also home to the South Carolina Oiled Bird Treatment Facility and the Avian Medical Clinic.
They offer a wealth of educational outreaches, research projects, and conservation initiatives. Join the Center for Birds of Prey in supporting our feathered friends by visiting their Mount Pleasant location, attending an Owls by Moonlight event, signing up for an annual membership, volunteering, donating, or gifting an item from their Amazon wish list.
photo credit: Chris & Cami Photography
One of the veteran and most trusted non-profit organizations in Charleston, the Sustainability Institute began in 1999 with the aim of preparing, protecting, and sustaining housing in a time when Charleston neighborhoods are facing unprecedented challenges from development and growth, and experiencing increasing vulnerabilities from a changing climate.
The Sustainability Institute assists low-income families by providing weatherization and energy upgrade services to save money and the planet, as well as creating pathways out of poverty through their green jobs program.
The Sustainability Institute also managed a pilot project for the Home Depot Foundation’s Sustainable Cities Institute and managed a 3 year Better Buildings energy efficiency program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance.
The Green Heart Project is helping the Lowcountry turn over a new leaf. This Charleston non-profit organization began in 2009 to reconnect the students of Mitchell Elementary School with fresh, locally-grown produce, as the majority of their students live in a low-income food desert.
The Green Heart Project has grown to include 6 incredible gardens in the Charleston area to support their farm-to-school initiative, as well as promoting education, mentorship, environmental awareness, and proactive citizenship.
The Green Heart Project curriculum, much of which is available online, includes lessons on composting, beneficial insects, soil quality, and the importance of good stewardship. You can support the Green Heart Project by volunteering your time, purchasing merchandise, or donating to the program.
Love where you live? Consider supporting the Lowcountry Land Trust. This non-profit organization in Charleston, SC focuses on protecting ecologically, agriculturally, and historically significant land around the Lowcountry.
Since its inception in 1986, the Lowcountry Land Trust has helped protect more than 138,000 acres across 17 coastal counties. Their focuses include land acquisition and protection, stewardship, ecosystem management and enhancement, creative financing mechanisms, and developing conservation policies.
Donate to help protect Charleston’s iconic Angel Oak tree (the inspiration behind our Angel Oak Earrings), join the Lowcountry Land Trust at their next event, or volunteer.
photo credit: @1katievasquez
Animal lovers, this one's for you! The Keeper of the Wild Wildlife Rescue and Sanctuary is a non-profit organization in Charleston, SC dedicated to preserving and protecting local wildlife. The Keeper of the Wild rescues injured and sick wildlife across 9 counties, taking in an average of 3,500 animals each year.
The organization regularly cares for possums, raccoons, squirrels, fawns, bunnies, river otters, foxes, bobcats, and beavers. They strive to safely release their patients back into their natural habitats whenever possible.
If you find an injured animal, please contact the Keeper of the Wild. You can also volunteer as an animal transporter, a center volunteer, or an animal rehab specialist or treat the Keepers of the Wild to items off their wish list.
Kayaking for the planet? Yes, please! The South Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club is the state’s largest grassroots environmental organization with more than 40,000 members and supporters. They work to “safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation.”
The Robert Lunz Group South Carolina Chapter Sierra Club boasts 1,200 members from Charleston, Berkeley, Colleton, and Dorchester counties. You can support their efforts by attending an event (virtually or in-person), donating, or joining other local environmentalists at one of their outdoor excursions designed to reconnect you to the land.
Fine dining is one of our favorite sports, and we’re supporters of Slow Food Charleston’s belief that “The future of food is the future of the planet.” This local chapter of the international Slow Food group holds that all food should be good, clean, and fair.
This Charleston non-profit organization focuses on defending and advocating policies that promote holistic alternatives to the industrial system, raising awareness of culturally significant heritage foods, connecting people to the land, and promoting food producers and chefs committed to food sustainability. If you’ve got an appetite for sustainability, you can support Slow Food Charleston by becoming a member, donating, or attending one of their local events.
Home is where the heart is, and the Coastal Conservation League pours theirs into protecting the Lowcountry’s natural landscapes, such as our beloved sandy beaches, healthy marshes, freshwater swamps, and pine savannas.
This non-profit organization is building a better future for everyone in our community, and their work centers on four distinct programs: Land, Water and Wildlife; Communities and Transportation; Energy and Climate; and, Food and Agriculture. You can support the Coastal Conservation League through their various giving opportunities.
Raise a glass (of clean water) to Water Missions International! Did you know an estimated one-third of the world’s population lacks access to clean drinking water?
Hurricane Mitch’s tragic impact on Honduras in 1998 spurred Charleston couple Molly and George Greene and their team of environmental engineers to form Water Missions International, which addresses the global clean water crisis by creating custom solutions for each community they serve.
To date, they have constructed more than 2,800 safe water and sanitation solutions, and they have served 57 countries around the world, including the United States in the wake of Texas’ winter storm crisis. Keep up with their latest endeavors through the Water Missions International Media Center, get involved through volunteering, or donate today.
photo credit: Water Mission
We are so proud of our community and all the hardworking people and organizations that make Charleston such a magnificent place to call home.
As a reminder, we recycle 10 oyster shells from local restaurants for each Oyster Jewelry Dish, Decoupage Oyster Garland, and Oyster Candle purchased. To date, we have rescued more than 5,000 gallons of oyster shells and integrated them into SCDNR’s oyster reef restoration projects.
If you’re interested in learning more about the critical shortage of oyster shells and why oyster shell recycling is so crucial, you may enjoy our Oyster Shell Recycling: From Oysters Rockefeller to Oyster Reef Restoration blog post.
One Love & Blessings,