Panelists and keynote speakers were literally and figuratively given a platform to talk about ocean conservation. The ocean-friendly stage and podium were made by local artists, Ethan Estess, with reclaimed fishing rope, wood, and other upcycled fishing industry waste materials. Ethan’s nonprofit project, Countercurrent Art, fosters ocean stewardship via science-based art exhibitions and youth workshops. Furthermore, the conference used recycled guitar scraps from the Santa Cruz Guitar Company and commissioned Santa Cruz Engraving for the surfboard-shaped name tags.