How Claro Was Born

The Claro Movement arose from the initiative of three friends united by their respect for Nature and passion for the Sea .

The project was born from a small environmental awareness action — seemingly simple, but with a significant impact — that drew attention to the problem of disposable plastic in the oceans .

Inspired by a campaign by surfers in Cornwall, England, who mobilized the community against the use of disposable plastic straws, the Clear Movement was part of a global trend to raise awareness about the risks this material poses to marine ecosystems.

From Movement to Association

The success of the initiative led to the creation of the Claro Youth Association , officially founded in June 2018 in Cascais.

Since then, our work has expanded through awareness-raising actions, environmental education and local impact projects , always with the aim of promoting a more responsible relationship with the ocean .

Our Work

The Claro Association works on several fronts:

  • Environmental Education in schools, to inspire new generations to protect the environment;
  • Events and activities with the general public and in partnership with companies;
  • Collaboration with public entities , such as Cascais City Council and Cascais and Estoril Parish Council , in the development of environmental and community projects.

Our Mission

Promote environmental awareness and reduce the impact of disposable plastic by engaging the community in practical and impactful actions that help protect the ocean and inspire change .

The Team

Carolina Gonçalves

Co-Founder and "Public Relations" of Claro

Carolina is a lawyer, Cristiano Ronaldo in every sport, and a complete workaholic—basically, a human being with a programming bug that prevents her from stopping. If there were a world championship for productivity, she'd already have ten Ballon d'Ors!

Teresa Vale

Co-Founder and Coordinator of the Dive in Cascais and ReciClaro Project

Teresa (also known as Panda) loves Disney movies and they gave her a completely unrealistic perspective on the number of animals a person can have... She is currently the leader of a pack of 5 dogs of different breeds.
At the same time, she manages to be a biologist and a diving instructor!

Inês Pereira

Volunteer and Team Building Coordinator

A marine biologist at heart, Inês focuses her academic career on sustainable fishing, dedicating herself to understanding how to make the relationship between the sea and people more harmonious.

She believes that protecting the ocean begins with understanding those who depend on it—and makes this her mission. Outside of work, she is passionate about cooking (and eating), and discovered photography—in and out of the water—as a way to capture the beauty and calm of the ocean. She loves traveling and dancing, and finds short comedy shows the perfect way to recharge.

Mariana Rocha Assis

Founder of the Social Skate School and Social Media Manager

Mariana lives among surfboards, skateboards and... vegetable gardens
World surfskate champion, professional surfer and one of the sport's great influences in Portugal, she believes that life is best spent outdoors (preferably with sand on your feet and wind in your face).
When she's not teaching skateboarding at Social School or creating content, you can find her tending her vegetable garden or managing a hotel in Sri Lanka (yes, she is a woman of many talents).
A natural entrepreneur and nature lover, Mariana believes that sport is a powerful tool for inclusion—and she proves it every day with her contagious enthusiasm.