Environmental Journalist Anna Turns Shares 10 Top Tips To Dive Into Ocean Conservation This Summer
Environmental journalist and Libraries Unlimited patron Anna Turns shares her top tips for getting hands-on with ocean conservation this summer.
Wherever you live, every stream, river, drain and plughole eventually leads to the sea. So the things you do on a daily basis influence the ocean and all that lives within it. The good news is that your influence can be an incredibly POSITIVE one. Start small and take actions that are fun, joyful and easy to maintain. Here are some ideas to get you started.
1. Plan ahead.
If you live by the sea or if you’re heading on a beach holiday, do your research. Find out if there are any lifeguards on duty or rip tides you need to be cautious of. Check what the weather conditions and tide times will be on the day you’re visiting. The more aware you are of what’s going on along your patch of coastline, the safer you’ll be. If you’re going in the sea, remember to take a buoyancy aid or lifejacket, plus check out the Surfers Against Sewage app for pollution warnings too. (Obviously always take a sensible grown-up with you on your adventures too!)
2. Ditch new neoprene.
If you need a wetsuit, consider borrowing one, renting one or buying one secondhand. Neoprene is made from fossil fuels and the manufacturing process is highly toxic (to the planet and people living near the factories) plus it’s a material that won’t biodegrade. So avoid buying brand new neoprene if possible. Look out for companies that are starting to use plant-based rubber such as Yulex which is a small step forward – ultimately though, non-toxic wetsuits that can be easily repaired and recycled will be the holy grail.
3. Leave only footprints.
It goes without saying that we all need to take any litter home with us and dispose of it in the bin. But it’s also important to remember we need to leave the beach and rockpools we play in just as we found them. Lifting a big stone to peek at what lives beneath is fine as long as we replace it exactly as it was. Obey the “seashore code” to make sure all creatures are well looked after.
4. Become a citizen scientist.
Once you’re exploring by the sea, it’s fun to find out what the creatures you come across are called so take a waterproof identification guide with you. I’m always amazed by what I find tangled in among the seaweed on my local beach – sometimes I’ll find a mermaid’s purse or egg case of a ray, perhaps a washed up jellyfish. If you can, take a photo and better still, take a photo that includes a ruler or measurable item (a 50p coin or library card is ideal), then when you get home you can log your recording and let scientists know. Check out the big seaweed search, record any mermaid’s purses or jellyfish you find. If you ever find stranded marine mammals on the Devon coast, please report them immediately (live standings – call British Divers Marine Life Rescue hotline 01825 765546 to alert a marine mammal medic; for dead seals, dolphins, porpoises or even whales, call the Devon Wildlife Trust’s standings network on 07719 086531). All of this info helps researchers build a clearer picture of what’s happening in our oceans and how we can better protect marine wildlife.
5. Join a bioblitz.
Get involved in an organised coastal bioblitz – it’s a fun way to survey all the species that live within one area over the course of a day. Each bioblitz creates a fabulous snapshot of marine life. It’s also a great way to meet other budding marine scientists and ocean advocates in your area.
6. Keep cool.
Did you know that oceans absorb most (91%) of the excess heat on this planet. So limiting climate change and switching to renewable energy is really crucial.
7. Ask your MP.
Write or talk to your MP so that they realise how much we all want to speed up the change to a greener, fairer, healthier future. Only then will our leaders make more eco-conscious decisions that protect and restore ocean health.
8. Celebrate in assembly.
Talk to your teachers about organising an ocean-themed week or assembly that celebrates what everybody loves about the sea. Sharing your love for the ocean with your friends and classmates, talk to them about your own fun experiences on, in and under the sea to inspire others to get involved.
9. Anchors away.
If you use a boat, kayak or paddleboard, make sure not to anchor or scrape your paddle through seagrass beds. Lots of baby fish and even seahorses hide among the seagrass fronds (blades) so it’s a sanctuary for wildlife, as long as we don’t destroy it. Plus seagrass is pretty amazing too – did you know seagrass is the only marine plant that flowers underwater.
10. Go toxic free.
Remind your grown ups that all plugholes and drains lead to the ocean, so think before you flush, pour or rinse anything down the toilet, bath or sink. Switch to eco alternatives where possible but most importantly, buy and use less! The oceans will be cleaner and healthier for it.
