Marine Life & Conservation
PADI Introduces Opportunities for All to Help Save the Ocean on World Oceans Day
Scuba diving enables people around the globe to experience the wonder of the underwater world that covers over 70 percent of the earth’s surface. In celebration of World Oceans Day (June 8), PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) provides opportunities to help people everywhere connect with the ocean and support efforts to preserve and restore it, in whatever capacity possible during these times. This includes an invitation to get involved and enjoy 24 hours of #SavetheOcean on the organization’s Instagram and Facebook channels today, and via padi.com/conservation year-round. Even while diving remains less accessible in many parts of the globe due to pandemic-related limitations, there are many ways that people can still explore and protect the ocean – from home, in their communities and below the surface of their local waters.
“We care deeply about the health and safety of divers, dive businesses and the ocean, and we will continue supporting this worldwide community by encouraging safe and meaningful opportunities for today,” says Drew Richardson, President and CEO of PADI Worldwide. “World Oceans Day serves as a reminder for us all to pause and connect with our blue planet wherever we may be.”
A trusted leader in diver education, exploration and experiences, PADI is dedicated to enabling people around the world to safely seek adventure and save the ocean, wherever you are. With a global commitment to ocean conservation and a mission to create one billion torchbearers to protect the ocean, both above and below the surface, the organization shares several ways new and experienced divers alike can pursue their passion and fuel appreciation for the ocean:
- Learn to Dive From Home – Those who have never experienced this awe-inspiring sport may begin the process of learning to dive now with PADI eLearning®. From the comfort and safety of home, anyone 10 years and older can take the first step toward certification and learn the basic skills of scuba diving via virtual courses. You’ll be ready to dive in and complete your certification with a PADI Dive Center or Resort as soon as you can. “By learning to dive and exploring local waters, you gain a unique vantage point, able to personally witness the impacts we as a human race have on ocean environments, both the good and the bad. With this perspective comes the responsibility – and desire – to be an advocate for the ocean and the life within,” says Richardson.
- Dive Locally – While the ability to travel may be limited, this is no reason to stop you from discovering new places or connecting with nature. Wherever you live, there are waters nearby waiting to be explored – local shores, lakes and quarries shouldn’t be underestimated. As regions around the globe begin to reopen, PADI offers a new interactive map to identify in real-time where diving is accessible. Your local PADI Dive Center will provide further information on current guidelines, any potential restrictions and special safety precautions they’re taking during these times, and how you can get involved in local conservation efforts.
- Shop Ocean-First Products – PADI Gearä offers eco-minded and sustainable products water enthusiasts need and love. To date, PADI Gear products made from recycled ocean plastics have collectively resulted in the removal and reuse of more than 54,779 pounds of ocean plastic. By teaming up with watersports clothing maker Rash’R, PADI Gearnow offers an Earth-friendly alternative to face masks. These dual-purpose cloth face coverings and sun shields are made from plastic bottles recycled from the ocean.
- Citizen Science Dive Opportunities – PADI’s global network of dive centers, resorts and partners in conservation offer ample opportunities to dive for a deeper purpose, from coral restoration efforts to fighting plastic pollution. PADI’s conservation-focused courses are designed to foster a sustainability mindset and drive action to protect ocean health. In collaboration with Project AWARE®, divers learn how to properly survey and remove marine debris through the Dive Against Debris® Specialty To date, PADI divers have removed over 1.6 million trash items from the ocean – data that are now being used by scientific institutions, arming researchers and policymakers with information to drive lasting solutions. The Coral Reef Conservation Specialty, Project AWARE Specialty, and AWARE Shark Conservation Specialty courses also provide participants with information to make a difference for ocean protection. Many PADI Dive Centers and Resorts are currently offering virtual courses and workshops during this time.
“COVID-19 will be behind us in the near future, but restoring the balance between humanity and the seas is a long-term lift addressing a far bigger, far more enduring threat,” adds Richardson. “But even amid the pandemic, you and I can be making a difference.”
Visit www.padi.com/conservation for more information on PADI’s mission to create one billion torchbearers to explore and protect our oceans, and how you can get involved.
The Ocean Cleanup, the global non-profit project, has removed a verified all-time total of ten million kilograms (22 million lbs.) of trash from oceans and rivers around the world – approximately the same weight as the Eiffel Tower.
To complete its mission of ridding the oceans of plastic, The Ocean Cleanup uses a dual strategy: cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) to remove the plastic already afloat in the oceans, while stopping the flow of plastic from the world’s most polluting rivers.
Through cleaning operations in the GPGP and in rivers in eight countries, the cumulative total of trash removed has now surpassed ten million kilograms. This milestone demonstrates the acceleration of The Ocean Cleanup’s impact, while underlining the astonishing scale of the plastic pollution problem and the need for continued support and action.
While encouraging for the mission, this milestone is only a staging point: millions more tons of plastic still pollute our oceans and The Ocean Cleanup intends to continue learning, improving and innovating to solve this global catastrophe.
This announcement comes as governments from around the world meet to continue negotiations to develop a new legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution at INC4 in Ottawa, Canada. Representatives of The Ocean Cleanup will be in attendance and the organization will be urging decision-makers to collaborate towards a comprehensive and ambitious global treaty which addresses plastic at all stages of its life cycle and in all marine environments worldwide, including in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
It is encouraging to see that the need for remediation is reflected in the various options for potential treaty provisions. It is essential that the final treaty contains clear targets for the remediation of legacy plastic pollution, and reduction of riverine plastic emissions.
Tackling plastic pollution requires innovative and impactful solutions. The treaty should therefore incentivize the innovation ecosystem by fostering innovations that make maximal use of data, technology and scientific knowledge – such as those designed and deployed by The Ocean Cleanup.
‘After many tough years of trial and error, it’s amazing to see our work is starting to pay off – and I am proud of the team who has brought us to this point.’ said Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup. ‘While we still have a long way to go, our recent successes fill us with renewed confidence that the oceans can be cleaned.’
The Ocean Cleanup was founded in 2013 and captured its first plastic in 2019, with the first confirmed catch in the GPGP coming soon after the deployment of Interceptor 001 in Jakarta, Indonesia. After surpassing one million kilograms of trash removed in early 2022, the non-profit project has since progressed to the third iteration of its GPGP cleaning solution, known as System 03, and a network of Interceptors currently covering rivers in eight countries, with more deployments set for 2024.
About The Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup is an international non-profit organization that develops and scales technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. They aim to achieve this goal through a dual strategy: stemming the inflow via rivers and cleaning up the legacy plastic that has already accumulated in the ocean. For the latter, The Ocean Cleanup develops large-scale systems to efficiently concentrate the plastic for periodic removal. This plastic is tracked and traced through DNV’s chain of custody model to certify claims of origin when recycling it into new products. To curb the tide via rivers, The Ocean Cleanup has developed Interceptor™ solutions to halt and extract riverine plastic before it reaches the ocean. Founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup now employs a broadly multi-disciplined team of approximately 140. The foundation is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
For more information, visit: theoceancleanup.com and follow @theoceancleanup on social media.
Marine Life & Conservation
Steve Backshall to headline Shark Trust’s flagship event: For the Love of Sharks
Join a host of amazing, shark loving, speakers including Steve Backshall and the Shark Trust team for an evening celebrating shark conservation at the Royal Geographical Society in London this November.
Date: 29th November 2024
Time: 6-10pm
Location: Royal Geographical Society, London
Tickets: https://www.sharktrust.org/Event/flos24
The event will be a celebration of all things shark. Those lucky enough to get hold of tickets will hear from engaging guest speakers with a passion for sharks.
The line-up includes (*subject to change if unforeseen circumstances arise)
Steve Backshall: One of television’s busiest presenters, BAFTA award-winning wildlife expert Steve has been passionate about the wild world ever since he was young.
Steve’s impressive TV career has taken him all around the world, investigating a wide array of species and environments. Steve has filmed over 100 hours of children’s wildlife programmes with the BAFTA award winning Deadly 60 franchise and recently, with Sky Nature, for his new series ‘Whale with Steve Backshall’. He has been a patron for the Shark Trust for 10 years.
Simon Rogerson: is a photojournalist specialising in natural history, diving and the sea.
He is editor of SCUBA magazine, the official journal of the British Sub-Aqua Club. Simon started his career as a crime reporter but gravitated towards his ‘less depressing’ interest in underwater exploration, joining the staff of DIVE magazine in 1999. In 2005 he was named ‘Editor of the Year’ in the PPA’s Independent Publishing Awards. Simon also works as a freelance writer, contributing frequently to the Sunday Times and Telegraph, in addition to BBC Wildlife, Esquire, and a host of international diving magazines. He is the author of a book, Dive Red Sea, published by Ultimate Sports. Now based in Berkshire, Simon has been a Patron of the Shark Trust for 20 years.
More speakers to be announced soon. Head to the Shark Trust website to learn more.
The evening will also allow guests the final chance to see the Oceanic 31, shark art exhibition. Some of the artwork will be auctioned/raffled at the event, while the rest will be auctioned online to raise money for the Shark Trust Oceanic Programme.
For the Love of Sharks is an evening with something for everyone who is interested and fascinated by sharks. Join the Shark Trust, their Patrons, Trustees and Staff, along with a host of supporters for this celebration of shark conservation.
For more information or to buy a ticket: https://www.sharktrust.org/Event/flos24
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