More than 5 trillion particles of plastic cover the ocean's surface, causing serious problems for the Earth. Moen, a leader in water experiences in the home, is using an innovative approach to help address this huge environmental challenge — auctioning off five NFTs of artwork inspired by the five major ocean gyres located across the globe as part of its Mission Moen sustainability commitment.

"When you own something, you care more for it. You want to protect it. To do right by it," said Mark-Hans Richer, chief marketing and innovation officer, Fortune Brands Global Plumbing Group. "As the industry leader, we at Moen already feel a responsibility to care for our planet, which is what inspired Mission Moen, our promise to help protect and preserve our world's most precious resource — water. By putting the ocean into the hands of consumers, we'll give them a chance to have a unique personal stake in improving our world."

Proceeds from the auction will benefit 5 Gyres, a leading non-profit organization focused on stopping the flow of plastic pollution through science, education, and advocacy, to fund its work focused on stopping plastic pollution at the source. Moen also has taken steps to render its NFTs carbon negative to further protect and preserve the environment. The auction for these one-of-a-kind pieces of art will be open April 22-28 at opensea.io/collection/mission-moen.

The auction builds upon Moen's aggressive sustainability goal, known as Mission Moen, which also includes a new commitment being revealed this year — to recover and repurpose 2,000 tons of ocean-bound plastic by 2030. Moen is launching this effort by incorporating recycled ocean plastic into packaging on one of its most popular products — with plans to integrate recycled ocean plastic into products and packaging on an even larger scale moving forward. By both helping stop pollution before it starts, and repurposing existing ocean plastic, Mission Moen will have a full circle impact on fighting plastic pollution.

The ocean-plastic initiative adds to the first commitment of Mission Moen, revealed on Earth Day 2020, which is a promise to use Moen's products and innovations to save 1 trillion gallons of water over the next 10 years.

"Whether it's capitalizing on smart technology, aligning with strategic partners or using creative approaches to help solve problems, Moen continues to focus on creating unforgettable experiences with water, all while protecting our most precious resource," added Richer. "From the 1.5 trillion gallons of fresh water that flow through our products each year, to the more than 300 million cubic miles of water in our world's oceans, we feel a responsibility as the industry leader to help make a difference for every drop."