As the UN mentions in this year's message for World Environment Day, the stakes could not be higher, as humanity produces over 430 million tonnes of plastic annually, two-thirds of which are short-lived products that soon become waste.This momentum for global action is clear in the World Environment Day Map, which showcases innovative, community-driven solutions to reduce plastic pollution. Hundreds of activities have been registered. From beach clean-ups in Mumbai, to cloth-bag sewing workshops in Ghana and zero-plastic-waste live concerts in Atlanta.
We will focus on dive clean-ups which are all about picking up the various types of trash that build underwater in our oceans. According to a report by NASA&rsquos Earth Observatory, &lsquoabout eight million tons of plastic flow from rivers and beaches into the ocean every year&rsquo. Carried by ocean currents and broken down by waves and sunlight, the microplastics accumulate as huge garbage patches in the calm centers of ocean gyres (rotating ocean currents). The debris not only spreads across the surface of the water but also drops down all the way to the ocean floor, harming the marine ecology in the long run. Every year, various organisations host ocean clean-up dives that you can be a part of. Remember that most of them require you to have a diving certification and experience.
Dive Against Debris
As part of this initiative, you will be gathering vital survey data from dives that marine scientists and decision-makers can use to advance conservation efforts. You can contribute to the world's largest underwater database and aid in keeping local marine habitats free of trash. This is most likely the biggest underwater citizen science initiative ever.
More info here.
The Ocean Cleanup by PADI
An international alliance to combat ocean plastic pollution has been announced by The Ocean Cleanup, PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®), and PADI AWARE Foundation. Through the use of citizen science research, the organisations will work together to organise individuals at the local level to take action with a global impact. The collaborative effort combines The Ocean Cleanup's cutting-edge technologies with the enthusiasm of the worldwide diving community to gather data that will be used to inform ocean-friendly waste management policy in various nations.
More info here.
The AWARE Week
In Septermber 2022, PADI and watch manufacturer Seiko Prospex together helped marine conservation charity Oceanum Liberandum host the world&rsquos largest underwater clean-up event in Sesimbra, Portugal. This brought together 700 divers for a 12-hour period during PADI's annual AWARE Week. The annual event is held to create positive ocean change through fins-on, fins-off conservation actions, courses and event participation. It advances the PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action, charting a decade of ocean conservation action in alignment with the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
More info here.
Adop The Blue
Adopt the Blue&trade is known to be the world&rsquos largest network of underwater sites for conservation action. It establishes new marine protected areas (MPAs) around the globe, with the goal to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.
More info here.
