We were lucky to catch up with Meag Schwartz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Meag thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Great Lakes Great Responsibility was born out of a deep love for the Great Lakes and a growing frustration with the plastic pollution threatening these incredible freshwater treasures. The moment of realization came during a trip to one of my favorite Lake Huron beaches in the fall of 2020—I was there solo and picking up trash as it had been a long summer of COVID beach visits. I noticed that there was more trash than usual and that over the years, more and more trash was on the beach or washing ashore. As I cleaned, I counted how many pieces I was picking up and ran some internal scenarios about setting a goal of picking up one million pieces of trash. “How long would it take me? If I averaged 100 pieces per day (even with harsh Michigan winters), it would take me…27 years?!” It quickly dawned on me that this problem is much bigger than what one person can do alone. Could I ask for help from other Great Lakes advocates to help me accomplish this one million piece goal? I knew we needed a grassroots movement, something that could inspire everyday people to take action in a tangible, measurable way. That’s when the idea of a challenge was born: what if we encouraged individuals to take responsibility for their local environment, one piece of litter at a time? So I got out my phone, recorded a quick video asking for help, and posted it on Instagram and that’s when Great Lakes Great Responsibility came to life.

Great Lakes Great Responsibility was built on the belief that small actions add up to big change. By setting a goal to remove one million pieces of trash from the Great Lakes watershed, we created a way for people to see their impact in real time. The logic was simple: give people a clear, achievable challenge, empower them with knowledge, and make it easy for them to participate.

What excited me most was the opportunity to merge education with action—engaging communities, schools, and businesses in a movement that didn’t just raise awareness but actively cleaned up our waters. No one else was framing Great Lakes stewardship in quite this way, and I knew that a collective, social-driven approach could make waves.

This was never just about picking up trash; it was about fostering a culture of responsibility, pride, and care for the world’s most precious natural resource, the Great Lakes.

Meag, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My journey into this work started with a lifelong love of nature, a background in environmental science, and a deep concern for the growing issue of plastic pollution in our freshwater ecosystems. I’ve always been drawn to water, and the Great Lakes are more than just bodies of water to me—they’re home, heritage, and an irreplaceable resource for millions of people.

I first became actively involved in environmental advocacy through my work as Network Coordinator with the Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative. Through the lens of place-based stewardship education, we were helping students better their communities through beach cleanups. But it wasn’t until I realized how much plastic and debris (22 million pounds enter the Great Lakes annually) was ending up on our shorelines, in our rivers, and even inside wildlife—that I knew more needed to be done.

Great Lakes Great Responsibility is all about creating a movement where every person feels empowered to make a difference. We launched the Great Lakes 1 Million Challenge, a community-driven effort to remove one million pieces of trash from the Great Lakes watershed. We provide the education, tools, and platform to help individuals and organizations take action—whether that’s through local cleanup events,, school programs, or simply inspiring people to pick up a piece of litter on their daily walk.

What makes Great Lakes Great Responsibility unique is our community-first approach. Instead of relying solely on large-scale interventions, we believe that real, lasting change can also come from engaging people where they are. Every single person can contribute to protecting the lakes, and we make it easy, accessible, and rewarding to do so. Our challenge provides measurable impact, making it something people can take pride in.
I’m incredibly proud of the community we’ve built. From individual volunteers to schools and businesses, we’ve seen thousands of people step up to be part of this mission. Watching kids get excited about picking up litter or seeing someone post their 20th cleanup on social media reminds me why this work matters. We’ve removed hundreds of thousands of pieces of trash so far, and we’re just getting started.

Great Lakes Great Responsibility isn’t just about cleaning up—it’s about creating a culture of stewardship. Our lakes provide drinking water, recreation, and economic benefits to millions of people, and we all have a role in protecting them. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, a business looking to make a difference, or someone just learning about plastic pollution, there’s a place for you in this movement.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was that everything needed to be perfect before launching. I used to believe that before starting something big—I had to have every detail ironed out. The perfect website, the perfect messaging, the perfect strategy. But I quickly learned that if you wait for perfection, you’ll never actually start.

When I launched Great Lakes Great Responsibility, I didn’t have a perfect nonprofit plan, a team of experts, or a polished brand identity. What I did have was passion, a clear mission, and a community that cared. The idea for the Great Lakes 1 Million Challenge started as a simple, grassroots movement—encouraging people to pick up trash and track their impact. At first, I didn’t have a streamlined way to collect and display data, and I wasn’t sure how I’d scale the idea. But instead of waiting until I had the perfect system in place, I just started. I told people about the mission, set up a way for them to report their cleanups, and built momentum as I went.

This “Ready, Fire, Aim” approach turned out to be the best decision. By launching before everything was “perfect,” I was able to learn in real time, adapt quickly, and grow organically. The community provided feedback, the systems evolved, and soon, what started as a simple challenge became a full-fledged movement. If I had waited until everything was flawless, I probably would have never taken the leap.

The lesson? Action beats perfection every time. The best way to refine an idea is by putting it out into the world and learning as you go.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Building the Great Lakes Great Responsibility audience on social media was all about creating a movement that people could actively participate in. From day one, I wanted followers to feel like they were part of something bigger than themselves, which is why the Great Lakes 1 Million Challenge became the heart of our social media strategy. By encouraging people to track and share their litter cleanups, we turned environmental action into something interactive, measurable, and fun. People weren’t just following us—they were contributing to a collective goal, and that sense of ownership helped spread the message organically.

Consistency was also key. I made sure to post regularly, not just with educational content, but with engaging, shareable posts that built a sense of appreciation and wonder for the Great Lakes. Whether it was a cleanup transformation video, a video about current Great Lakes news, or a fun montage using trending audio, I focused on making content that was both valuable and entertaining. Social media should never feel like a lecture—people want to be inspired, included, and empowered.

For those just starting to build their presence, my biggest advice is to focus on participation, consistency, and shareability. Find ways to involve your audience so they feel invested in your mission. Post regularly and engage with your community—reply to comments, reshare their content, and celebrate their involvement. And most importantly, make your content fun and easy to share. Whether it’s through humor, challenges, or powerful storytelling, give people a reason to spread your message. Social media growth isn’t just about numbers—it’s about building a community that genuinely cares about what you’re doing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.greatlakeslove.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greatlakesgreatresponsibility/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greatlakesgreatresponsibility
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@greatlakeslove
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@greatlakeslove

Image Credits
All images can be credited to Great Lakes Great Responsibility