Marine Life & Conservation
Marine Conservation Society urges people in Wales to sign up to a war on waste
Charity has launched petition to tackle food and drink litter on beaches
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is asking people in Wales to get behind its call for a Deposit Return System (DRS) on bottles and drinks containers and for takeaway containers to be fully compostable.
The call comes after MCS beach litter data from Wales showed a steady rise in the number of caps, lids and glass bottles found on Welsh beaches in the last five years, as well as an increase in the number of polystyrene and plastic takeaway food containers.
In Scotland, calls for a DRS are really gathering momentum with 60 MSPs already signed up to a motion which welcomes the campaigns for a deposit return system and calls for a quick decision to be made.
Dr Sue Kinsey is the MCS Technical Specialist: “We’re asking the Welsh Assembly to urge the Welsh Government to tackle the problem of bottles, cans and takeaway containers on our beaches. Deposit return systems – where people can return their bottles and cans and get their deposit back – have been known to increase high quality recycling levels to over 90% in other parts of the world and decrease littering. Imagine that in Wales! Plus, if all takeaway containers were fully compostable in Wales, there would be a really positive impact on litter levels across Welsh beaches.”
MCS is hoping people who live in Wales will sign the petition, hosted on the National Assembly for Wales website.
Nowadays fast food waste is everywhere so we tend to not even notice it anymore says Dr Kinsey. “People throw containers away, without realising that they can remain in the environment for hundreds of years. That’s why we want people to support our petition to reduce this type of litter either by making better use of the material or if it does become litter being sure it will compost down.”
The charity is hoping to get at least 5,000 signatures which will trigger a debate at the Welsh Assembly. The petition closes midday on 18th April. You can sign up here.
The Shark Trust is excited to announce that, for two more days only, all donations, large or small, will be doubled in the Big Give Green Match Fund!
Donate to Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants
The Shark Trust is hoping to raise £10k which will be doubled to £20k. This will go towards Basking in Nature: Sighting Giants. And they need YOUR help to reach they’re goal.
The Shark Trust’s citizen science project is to monitor and assess basking sharks through sightings; encouraging data collection, community engagement, and promoting nature accessibility. This initiative aims to enhance health and wellbeing by fostering a deeper connection with British Sharks.
Campaign Aims
- Increase citizen science reporting of Basking Sharks and other shark sightings to help inform shark and ray conservation.
- Provide educational talks about the diverse range of sharks and rays in British waters and accessible identification guides!
- Create engaging and fun information panels on how to ID the amazing sharks and rays we have on our doorstep! These can be used on coastal paths around the Southwest. With activities and information on how you can make a difference for sharks and rays!
- Promote mental wellbeing through increasing time in nature and discovering the wonders beneath the waves!
Donate, and double your impact. Click Here
Marine Life & Conservation
Leading UK-based shark conservation charity, the Shark Trust, is delighted to announce tour operator Diverse Travel as a Corporate Patron
Corporate Patrons provide a valuable boost to the work of The Shark Trust. The Trust team works globally to safeguard the future of sharks, and their close cousins, the skates and rays, engaging with a global network of scientists, policymakers, conservation professionals, businesses and supporters to further shark conservation.
Specialist tour operator Diverse Travel has operated since 2014 and is committed to offering its guests high quality, sustainable scuba diving holidays worldwide. Working together with the Shark Trust will enable both organisations to widen engagement and encourage divers and snorkellers to actively get involved in shark conservation.
“Sharks are truly at the heart of every diver and at Diverse Travel, we absolutely share that passion. There is nothing like seeing a shark in the wild – it’s a moment that stays with you forever!” says Holly Bredin, Sales & Marketing Manager, Diverse Travel.
“We’re delighted to celebrate our 10th year of business by becoming a Corporate Patron of the Shark Trust. This is an exciting partnership for Diverse and our guests. We will be donating on behalf of every person who books a holiday with us to contribute towards their vital shark conservation initiatives around the world. We will also be working together with the Trust to inspire divers, snorkellers and other travellers to take an active role – at home and abroad – in citizen science projects and other activities.”
Paul Cox, CEO of The Shark Trust, said:
“It’s an exciting partnership and we’re thrilled to be working with Diverse Travel to enable more divers and travellers to get involved with sharks and shark conservation. Sharks face considerable conservation challenges but, through collaboration and collective action, we can secure a brighter future for sharks and their ocean home. This new partnership takes us one more valuable step towards that goal.”
For more information about the Shark Trust visit their website here.
For more about Diverse Travel click here.
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