We Live by the Water — Here’s a Way to Give Some Back

If you’ve ever caught a sunrise over the ferry channel, waded into the Gulf at dawn, or just sat on the beach watching the tide roll in, you know Port Aransas doesn’t just sit near the water — it runs on it. Water is why we’re here. It’s our economy, our recreation, our whole way of life.

So when I heard about Get Blue, Amazon’s new partnership with Water.org, it felt like a cause worth sharing with this community specifically. Because if anyone understands what water means, it’s the Port Aransas community and those who love it.

A quick heads-up: this post contains affiliate links. If you shop through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What is Get Blue?

Get Blue is a new initiative built around a simple idea: everyday purchases can help fund safe water access for families around the world. More than 2 billion people globally don’t have reliable access to clean water — and Get Blue channels a portion of proceeds from participating products straight to Water.org, which provides small loans that let families install the pipes, pumps, and plumbing to bring water home for good.

It’s a self-sustaining model too — once a family repays their loan, that same money funds the next family’s water access.

Amazon has set up a dedicated Get Blue storefront where shopping select products supports this work automatically — no extra cost, no separate donation step. You just shop like you normally would.

Why this resonates in Port Aransas

A few reasons this felt worth a post instead of just a passing mention:

• Port Aransas a water town. Between the ferry, the jetties, the flats fishing, and the beach itself, water isn’t just scenery here — it’s infrastructure for daily island life and livelihood.
• Water access problems feel very real to us. Anyone who’s dealt with a boil-water notice, a busted pipe after a storm, or utility hiccups after a hurricane gets a small taste of what water insecurity feels like. It certainly makes the cause land differently than it might somewhere that’s landlocked. We understand that here.
• It’s an easy, no-extra-cost way to give back. You don’t have to donate separately or change your routine — just choosing Get Blue products for things you’d buy anyway does the work. And a little adds up to a lot.

A few of my favorite Get Blue picks worth grabbing

Hydro Flask 32 oz Wide Mouth Bottle, Harbor Blue
The obvious pick for anyone spending a day on the beach, the boat, or the ferry line. Keeps drinks cold for 24 hours, the wide mouth fits ice easily, and the leakproof straw cap means you can toss it in your bag without a second thought. And the color couldn’t be more fitting. Get your Hydro Flask in Harbor Blue here.
→ 5% from the purchase of this product (not including taxes) will be donated to Water.org through 9/30/26 or while supplies last.

e.l.f. SKIN Holy Hydration! Face Cream with SPF 30
This one’s less “beach bag extra” and more “swap your regular moisturizer for this.” It’s a lightweight daily face cream with broad-spectrum SPF 30, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide — sun protection built into a step you’re already doing every morning, which makes it an easy one to actually stick with before a day outside. Get the e.l.f SKIN Holy Hydration cream here.
→ To support Get Blue, e.l.f. has made a direct donation to Water.org.

Gracie Abrams — Daughter from Hell, Pale Cornflower Vinyl LP
Not a beach item, but a genuinely on-theme one: a pale-blue vinyl pressing of Gracie Abrams’ brand-new third studio album, out July 17. A fun add for readers who’d rather support the cause with something to play at home than something to pack. Get your copy to Gracie Abrams’ Daughter from Hell LP here.
→ $1 from the purchase of this product will be donated to Water.org through 9/30/26 or while supplies last.

⭐️ MY TOP PICK: GAP Get Blue Canvas Tote Bag
This one might get the most actual use out of everything on this list. It’s a roomy cotton canvas tote with a soft, overdyed wash for a broken-in look right out of the box, and sturdy straps that hold up to a beach day’s worth of towels, sunscreen, and snacks. Simple enough to double as your everyday errand bag once summer’s over. Get your cool GAP Get Blue Tote Bag here.
→ $5 from the purchase of this product will be donated to Water.org while supplies last.

How you can participate

1. Browse the Get Blue storefront next time you’re already shopping on Amazon and shop exclusive products from brands like GAP, e.l.f., Olive & June, and Thermoflask that benefit safe water access.
2. Have an Amazon Echo device? Say “Alexa, donate to Get Blue” and Amazon will donate $5 to Water.org on your behalf — at no cost to you.
3. Stream a Get Blue REDISCOVER playlist on Amazon Music to unlock a $1 Amazon donation to Water.org. Through Amazon Music’s Stream It Forward campaign, 18 artists have committed to Get Blue (including The Beach boys, Dierks Bentley, Josh Groban, Lainey Wilson and Parker McCollum). Every time you play a participating artist’s REDISCOVER playlist on Amazon Music, Amazon donates $1 to Water.org.
   → You don’t need a paid subscription to participate; just open Amazon Music and hit play.

Port Aransas runs on water. It only felt right to point my Port Aransas Explorer community toward a cause that helps make sure everyone, everywhere, gets to say the same.

Thank you for your support!