Shoreline:

The Paddle Against Plastic

A 430 km paddle across Lake Ontario to expose plastic pollution, and the power of one person to spark change.

About the film

Film Facts:

Location: Lake Ontario (Canada)
Distance: 430 km
Focus: Plastic pollution & shoreline litter
Created by: A Greener Future
Runtime: 47 minutes
Release: 2021

The story

Shoreline follows Rochelle Byrne as she paddleboards 430 km across Lake Ontario, documenting plastic pollution along the way. It’s a personal journey with a bigger goal: to show what’s washing up on our shores and what we can do about it together.

  • Shoreline litter and plastic pollution up close

  • Conversations and moments from along the route

  • The human side of environmental action, small steps that add up

What you’ll see

Film poster of Rochelle Byrne holding her paddle board on the shore of Lake Ontario. She is looking out at the calm blue water with her brown hair in a braid, sunglasses on her head, wearing a black and blue rashguard.

  • Plastic pollution doesn’t stay “out of sight,” it returns to our shorelines and waterways

  • Communities around the Great Lakes can make a real difference through local action

  • Every cleanup, volunteer, and donation helps scale solutions

Why it matters

Take action after watching

If you’re near one of our cleanup regions, the best next step is to volunteer. If you’re farther away, donating helps us keep this work going. Please share the film if you enjoyed it!

Volunteer at an Event
Share: https://www.agreenerfuture.ca/shoreline

Donate

Donations help us run cleanups, recruit volunteers, and grow community action across Lake Ontario and beyond.

3% Cover the Fee
Three stand up paddleboarders paddling along the Toronto waterfront with the CN Tower in the background.

Reviews

“Shoreline is a fantastic display of the impact that one person can make with a paddle in their hands. What an incredible feat Rochelle’s journey around Lake Ontario was, and for such a powerful cause. This educational film inspires us to do better for the planet, one beach cleanup at a time! Way to go Rochelle!”
— Maddi LeBlanc, Pro Stand Up Paddle Border, Team Canada
“Each of us, individually, has an obligation to care for the natural resources of this Province. Rochelle’s story is an inspiration and should motivate us all to reduce our waste and look to a circular economy solution for a healthy, more resilient future.”
— The Honorable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
Mark Mattson, Swim Drink Fish headshot
“In this inspiring and informative documentary, Rochelle Byrne standup paddleboards Lake Ontario’s Shoreline from Kingston to Niagara-on-the-Lake. She showcases the important work she is doing with A Greener Future to raise awareness about plastic pollution in Lake Ontario. Stunningly shot, SHORELINE raises thought-provoking questions about our relationship to this precious natural resource, as well as Virtual Activism in the Age of Technology.”
— Mark Mattson, President of Swim, Drink, Fish and Lake Ontario Waterkeeper

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Shoreline: The Paddle Against Plastic documents a 430 km paddle across Lake Ontario to spotlight plastic pollution and shoreline litter and to show how everyday people and communities can take action.

  • Shoreline is approximately 47 minutes long.

  • The film follows a paddleboarding route across Lake Ontario, between Kingston, Ontario and Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.

  • Yes, the film is suitable for classrooms, youth groups, and community screenings.

  • Yes, the film is free to share! We love community screenings. If you’re a school, business, library, festival, or community group, contact us and tell us:

    • Your location and date

    • Expected audience

    • Whether you’d like Rochelle to come for a Q&A after the film

  • Visit our volunteer page to find upcoming cleanup events and opportunities. We’ll share what to bring, what to wear, and everything you need to have a great experience.

  • You can still be part of the movement:

    • Donate to help fund cleanups, training, and education

    • Share the film to spread the message

    • Organize a cleanup in your area and tag us so we can celebrate and amplify it

  • Donations support:

    • Cleanup supplies and logistics

    • Volunteer training and coordination

    • Data collection and reporting

    • Education and outreach that helps prevent future litter

Meet the Team

  • A young woman with long brown hair smiling near a body of water at sunset, wearing a blue hoodie with a circular logo.

    Rochelle Byrne

    PRODUCER + PADDLEBOARDER

    Rochelle is the Founder and Executive Director of A Greener Future. After falling in love with the sport of stand up paddle boarding, Rochelle embarked on a 430KM journey across Lake Ontario to raise awareness about plastic pollution in the lake.

  • Man with glasses, a beard, wearing a maroon knit beanie and a dark jacket, standing outdoors near water with a cloudy sky.

    Paul Whitaker

    CO-DIRECTOR, CAMERA, EDITOR

    Paul is a UK-born videographer and visual artist. Having spent 2.5 years living near the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto, Paul has developed a passion for protecting the lake and hopes to use Shoreline to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

  • A woman wearing a blue Boston Red Sox cap and a brown sweater holding a long-haired cat outside near a white house.

    Chelsea Brash

    CO-DIRECTOR, CAMERA, EDITOR

    Chelsea is a Canadian visual communications specialist based in the UK. Having grown up in the Toronto area, she developed a strong bond with Lake Ontario and has been fortunate to use her visual media skills to protect the lake she loves so much.

 Behind The Scene Photos

Person walking on a rocky and grassy shoreline near the ocean, with a rocky breakwater in the distance and blue sky with some clouds.
A young man with glasses, beard, and curly hair holding a camera on a tripod, standing on a sandy beach near trees and water, wearing a black cap, white t-shirt, black shorts, sneakers, and a backpack.
Two women are filming a woman standing on a sandy beach near the water, with one woman holding a notebook and the other adjusting the camera. There are cameras on tripods, a paddleboard on the sand, and a few people in the background near the water a
Smiling woman with braided hair sitting on a dock by a lake, wearing a gray long-sleeve shirt and shorts, with a paddle lying next to her.
Two people stand on paddleboards on a body of water, with a city skyline including the CN Tower in Toronto in the background.
Two people paddleboarding on a calm river with boats docked along the banks and lush green trees in the background.
Hand holding a plastic bag filled with trash, with a body of water and a blue sky in the background.
Person holding a handful of small, colourful plastic nurdles outdoors on dirt ground.
Person paddleboarding on a calm body of water with a city skyline in the background.
A yellow No Frills plastic bag floating in a body of water, surrounded by small bubbles and floating debris.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Starboard logo with emblem and stylized text.
A circular logo with the words 'Surf the Greats' surrounding an inner circle containing a horizontal line, a wave symbol, and a small curved line.
Logo of Trailed Paddle Shack featuring stylized mountain peaks and a winding trail.
A circular logo for Paddle Niagara with a silhouette of a person paddleboarding in the center, surrounded by stars and the text 'Paddle Niagara'.
O'Neill logo featuring a stylized wave icon and the brand name in bold uppercase letters.
Black and white logo of Ontario Parks featuring a rectangular image of a forest, water, and hills next to the words 'Ontario Parks'.
Logo of Toronto Island SUP featuring a silhouette of a person paddleboarding on a wave with the text 'Toronto Island SUP'.
Logo for Lake Surfistas with temperature 32°F
Logo with five overlapping circles in shades of black and gray above the word smallchangefund in lowercase letters.
Logo of The Great Outdoors Fund featuring stylized mountain range and text in black and white.
Logo for The Edward Bed & Breakfast
Lush logo with text 'FRESH HANDMADE COSMETICS' on a black background