By Hannah Landers

Forget about netting a profit. Mattapoisett native and Northeastern grad Ben Kneppers and his business partners Kevin Ahearn and David Stover are far more interested in netting, well, nets. Through their company Bureo, they transform discarded fishing gear from Chilean villages into plastic cruiser skateboards and a recently launched line of eyewear. In an effort to reduce the millions of tons of plastic dumped in the ocean annually, Kneppers hopes to provide the company’s services “to every fishery in need globally.” Hear about Bureo’s grassroots beginnings and strategies for combatting ocean pollution when the three sail into the New England Aquarium for a free lecture on Sept. 17.

Minnow Complete Cruiser Skateboard, $149-$159 at the New England Aquarium and bureoskateboards.com