City to Ocean

City to Ocean is a Brussels-based non-profit that has been working since 2020 to make the city’s waterways cleaner, greener and more vibrant. The organisation runs a wide range of initiatives to tackle floating waste, sewer overflows and biodiversity loss in the Canal and the Senne.

On the water, City to Ocean organises kayak clean-ups along the Canal. More than 7,500 people of all ages have already taken part, raising awareness through a fun, hands-on and collective experience. School workshops, on-foot clean-ups, participatory art projects and educational videos on social media further strengthen this community engagement.

Beyond awareness-raising, City to Ocean also works on structural solutions, including floating green islands, rain gardens, rainwater tanks and Waste Bumpers. Developed by City to Ocean, Waste Bumpers are an innovative system installed along the quays to stop litter before it reaches the water.

The organisation also advocates for concrete action from industry and public authorities. Driven by a committed team and a broad network of volunteers, City to Ocean is transforming Brussels’ waterways, from the city to the sea, for biodiversity and local communities.

Brussels’ waterways hold incredible potential, but many challenges remain before they can fully serve as blue-green corridors. Too often, Brussels residents have lost their connection with their waterways. Our kayak clean-ups offer both an opportunity to reconnect and a powerful way to raise awareness.

With the support of the AETHER Fund, we will be able to offer young people free access to these activities and create a documentary to extend our awareness-raising efforts into schools. We protect what we love, and our goal is for Brussels residents to reconnect with and care about their waterways again.

Structural solutions are just as essential. The AETHER Fund will also help us increase the impact of our communication campaigns promoting the installation of rainwater tanks, floating green islands and Waste Bumpers.