Filter-feeding whales consume millions of microplastics each day. Look, we all knew this – it isn’t really news. But now we actually know how much.
The study was conducted on blue, fin, and humpback whales (the big, filter-feeding ones). It estimated that these whales consume billions of microplastic pieces each year, somewhere in the range of 2 tonnes per year. That’s about 4400 pounds of plastic per whale, roughly 1-2% of their body weight.
Holy sh*t. That number should terrify and anger you at the same time. It’s outrageous.
Here’s the problem with marine animals eating microplastics – plastic is filling. But not in a good way. They ingest it and even though it fills up their stomach, it doesn’t offer any nutritional value. Plus, they can’t digest it. As they consume more and more, there’s less room for actual food. So ironically enough, they end up starving to death by eating too much.
Tough to decide where we go from here, this is depressing news. Anyone have any ideas on how to solve the ocean plastic crisis? We’re all ears.
In the meantime, we'll make a small donation to the Ocean Alliance if you grab a Whale Tail Long Sleeve.
As much as I love AC/DC, the highway to hell sounds like the last place I want to be. But that’s where we’re headed – “We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator.”
That’s how UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres put it at COP27, the annual UN climate conference. It wrapped up last week, here are the highlights:
It’s great that world leaders are meeting to discuss strategies to battle climate change, it’s one that truly affects us all. But it would be great if they could actually act on change instead of just talking about it.
Ah, what would we do without our politicians?
Hope you have a great week :)
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>Americans set a record last year, discarding 51 million tons of plastic. That’s not a record we should be proud of. Bad news – that’s not even the worst part of it.
The worst part is that only 5% of the plastic waste was actually recycled, meaning 95% of it (~48.5 million tons) ended up in landfills, the ocean, or somewhere else it wasn't supposed to be.
Despite a growing trend in sustainable and zero-waste living, the US has been getting worse at recycling for years. We had our best year in 2014 when 9.5% of all plastic was recycled. Still, that’s not exactly a number to write home about.
So how are we getting worse?
Well, a few reasons.
2. And even though almost 60% of Americans have access to curbside recycling, only 32% of us actually recycle.
3. There are thousands of types of plastic. And unfortunately, the necessary infrastructure simply does not exist to collect, sort, and process the various types.
4. So instead, we ship our plastic overseas to Southeast Asia and count it as “recycled.” It’s cheaper and lets the US off the hook (that’s bad, obviously). Even worse, these countries don’t have the infrastructure either. So we ship it away just so it can end up in the ocean on another country's shores.
TLDR; Plastic isn't really recyclable, largely due to the lack of infrastructure.
There isn’t a single type of plastic packaging in the US that meets the definition of recyclable used by the FTC.
If you’re now wondering “why should I recycle at all?” you’re not alone. We’re right there with you. Ultimately, the best thing you can do is practice the other 2 R’s you learned in elementary school – reuse and refill.
This is also why we switched from using recycled plastic in our apparel to organic cotton - it's better for you and the planet. If you want to learn more about the switch, here's the full story.
Indonesia launched a pilot program to help curb its marine plastic pollution by 70% by 2025. The program will pay fishermen to collect plastic from the oceans, up to $10/ week for collecting up to 9 pounds of plastic/day from the ocean.
If you're thinking that $10/week is not a lot of money, you're right. The average monthly wage in Indonesia is just under $200/month. I won’t dive any deeper into the economics of this - that’s a conversation for another time.
Moving on.
The pilot program ran for the entirety of October – we’re still waiting to see the results. But if effective, the government will invest in the program over the long term.
We’re happy to see this plan in action. But based on the problems with recycling that we just covered, we’re not really sure how this will all shake out.
Hope you have a great week :)
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>Hopefully, that headline was as confusing for you as it was for me.
Well, here’s what it actually means.
A study found that fishing bans in the world’s largest marine protected area actually increased catch rates in nearby fisheries. The study was conducted at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hawai‘i (good luck saying that three times fast).
Essentially, the fishing bans allow the marine protected areas to flourish, providing a safe habitat for species to reproduce. Once fish swim away out of the protected area, there are no laws protecting them from fishing lines.
The study was only conducted in one area on two species of fish, so it’s hard to say if these results hold true across a larger sample size. Regardless, here are the stats from 2016-2019:
Now, we’re still not a big fan of fisheries because they have a tendency to overfish and deplete populations. However, it is good to know that marine protected areas are having a positive effect on the oceans – increased population counts, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
It’s important to note however that this theory only applies to fully protected marine areas. Because there are protected areas that still allow fishing & trawling – that doesn’t sound very “protected” to me.
A recent submarine mission in a deepwater region of the Maldives has revealed a type of ecosystem that “has never been described before.”
And they’ve dubbed it “The Trapping Zone,” a 500-meter-deep world where fish feast on microscopic nekton. And despite their small size, scientists estimate that all of the micronekton in the world weigh a combined 10+ billion tons.
Okay… fish feeding on microscopic organisms – what’s the big deal?
The oceans are largely undiscovered and difficult to map, especially the deep zones. This finding will help scientists gain a better understanding of certain deepwater ecosystems, enabling them to develop solutions that protect species against the effects of climate change.
So far, micronekton aren’t coping well with warming sea temperatures. Without them, entire ecosystems will collapse.
Okay, that’s enough doom and gloom.
No doubt about it, this is still really cool. And with most of the ocean being undiscovered, we’re bound to find more oases like these.
Anyone else hoping they find mermaids?
Hope you have a great week :)
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>I hope you’re having a great Sunday so far :)
Unfortunately, we’ve got two bites of bad news for you today.
Yeah, you read that correctly. Billions.
Alaskan crab populations in the Bering Sea have shrunk from 8 billion to 1 billion over the last 4 years. That number should terrify you.
Scientists attribute the staggering loss to a combination of overfishing, increased predation, and rising water temperatures (Alaskan crabs are cold-water species).
This is a major environmental hit, obviously. But after officials canceled the upcoming crab season (a good move btw), it doesn’t fare well for Alaskan citizens either – the Alaskan crab industry is worth $200 million and supplies 6% of the world’s king, snow, tanner, and Dungeness crabs.
Though a season off should help the crab population bounce back a bit, the issues of increased predation and increased sea temperatures are big problems that a season off won’t fix.
We’ll be following this closely throughout the winter. Hope you weren’t planning on watching Deadliest Catch this year…
Late in 2021, Grupo Nueva Pescanova announced its plans to invest €50 million in an octopus farm in Gran Canaria. The farm would be set in the Port of Las Palmas and plans to produce 3000 metric tons of octopus each year.
There’s a reason that it would be the first octopus farm in the world. Because it’s a terrible idea.
Octopi are among the most intelligent animals in the world. With more brains than tentacles (one central brain & 8 mini-brains, 1 for each arm), it would be a human atrocity to keep these “Einsteins of the sea” confined in tiny cages before being slaughtered for food.
If you haven’t already, check out “My Octopus Teacher” on Netflix. It’s an incredible film that showcases the bond formed between a diver and an octopus he encountered while diving. Backed up by over 300 scientific studies, the film displays just how impressive they truly are. They can:
Unfortunately, there isn’t any legislation in the world that protects octopus welfare on farms or during their slaughter. Regardless, PACMA has organized several protests across the island to sway public opinion and drive out the multinational fishing company. Even PETA has spoken out about this issue – sign their petition!
Side note - I’ve been living in Gran Canaria for the past 6 weeks so this one hits closer to home than most. I live about 2 blocks from the Port of Las Palmas and just witnessed the first protest this past Sunday. Hoping for a planet-friendly outcome on this one.
After all of that bad news, it might be hard to have a great week. But you’ve got this, I believe in you :)
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>Migros, a Swiss retailer, launched a zero-waste coffee capsule system that aims to “revolutionize an industry plagued by colossal waste.” For reference, the industry they’re referring to is coffee, which produces about 100,000 tons of global waste per year.
Look, Keurigs are great. But the plastic K-cups are bad for the environment – everyone knows that.
If you’re a coffee connoisseur, you’re probably shaking your head in disappointment at the very thought of K-cups. We get it, you think you’re better than everyone else.
Well, you’re not. But that’s okay! Because CoffeeB has the solution for caffeine addicts, coffee enthusiasts, and tree huggers.
It blends the convenience of capsules (like K-cups) while preserving the flavor in an eco-friendly ball. Just drop the coffee balls in the machine, add water, and voila – world-class coffee without any of the waste.
They’re currently available in France and Switzerland and being introduced in Germany in 2023. Don’t mind me, just counting down the days until I have one in my kitchen.
P.S. I spent last Sunday at a family-owned winery and coffee plantation learning all about how coffee is made. Next time you order Starbucks, take a moment to appreciate just how much work went into your drink. It’s a lot more than you think.
Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) are the world’s longest-living vertebrates, living as long as 300-500 years.
Before we dive in, here’s something to mess with your perception of time. There’s a very real possibility that several of these sharks have lived through both the Renaissance Period and those few weeks in 2020 when everyone was panic buying toilet paper – that’s crazy.
Anyways, to the topic at hand… The North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) just prohibited the retention of Greenland sharks in international waters, protecting the species from bycatch.
The IUCN estimates that 3500 of these sharks are accidentally caught by deep sea trawlers, making them a vulnerable species on the Red List. These protections prohibit targeted fishing of the species or keeping of the sharks if accidentally trapped in trawling nets.
These protections should help them live out their long lives, nearly half a millennium.
See you next time :)
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>An Australian court delivered a huge win for an indigenous community in the Timor Sea, throwing out the federal government’s approval for Santos Limited to pursue a $3.6 billion offshore drilling project.
The court ruled in favor of Dennis Tipakalippa, an indigenous leader from the Tiwi Islands. He argued that his community was not consulted about the project that would threaten the Tiwi peoples’ food sources, culture, and way of life.
The oil company even went as far as arguing that the traditional owners from the Tiwi Islands were not relevant stakeholders in the project.
Ah, nothing quite like seeing big oil lose to the little guys.
But this is more than just a win for the planet.
Why?
Because Australia has a terrible history of killing indigenous people and exploiting their resources. This rare win sets a precedent that indigenous groups have the right to fight against projects that damage their land.
Hoping to see more of this in the future.
OceanShot announced that Antigua and Barbuda will serve as the host for the launch of their tailor-made coral modules.
OceanShot is a pioneering coral reef restoration project that plans to mimic natural reefs to provide opportunities for colonization by coral and other marine life. As an added bonus, these artificial reefs will protect vulnerable coastal communities from storm surges and sea level rise.
Though the project has its sights set on building reefs around the world, Antigua and Barbuda was chosen as the launch site because most of their corals have already been killed by ocean acidification and warming sea temperatures.
If the artificial reefs can effectively restore a coral ecosystem that’s 90% dead, Antigua and Barbuda will have a fighting chance against climate change.
Even better, early success will create widespread adoption and these modules will be deployed across the world’s oceans to restore biodiversity and protect coastal communities.
OceanShot is swinging for the fences here – we love to see it. Fingers crossed they hit it out of the park.
See you next week.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>This one has a little bit of good & bad. They always say to start with the bad news first, right?
A scientific study led by Arizona State University estimates that ~44,000 sea turtles have been illegally killed & exploited every year for the past several decades.
And two species, in particular, are facing the brunt of this activity: green sea turtles and hawksbill turtles. They account for more than 90% of the turtles killed.
Endangered turtles are hunted for their meat and beautiful shells, which are considered a status symbol in many countries. Most of the hunting occurs in southeast Asia and Madagascar. From there, the turtles are trafficked through Vietnam before being sold in China, Japan, and other popular markets.
The study included data from 65 countries and is considered to be an underestimate as illegal activity is difficult to accurately track. This is awful and it’s part of a bigger problem – the illegal wildlife market. From endangered rhinos to sea turtles, it’s estimated to be worth $23 billion per year.
Conservation groups are working nonstop to prevent the hunting & trafficking of endangered animals. But with so much money to be made in the illegal markets, poachers just simply are willing to take the risk.
The Mediterranean Shipping Company, the largest shipping container line in the world, has rerouted its shipping lanes off the coast of Sri Lanka to protect blue whales.
The readjusted routes came at the urging of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. The ships will now travel 15 miles further south in the Indian Ocean to free up the lanes for blue whales.
Now this might not seem like a big deal but research suggests that this will reduce the likelihood of collision by 95%. And since blue whales have been critically endangered since 1960 after being hunted to near extinction, the lane changes will go a long way in protecting these beautiful animals.
See you next week.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>Wow, what a big surprise. When you stop destructive fishing, fish populations thrive.
Sarcasm aside, this is excellent news for marine biodiversity.
Motorized trawling was banned in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul in 2018. The legislation passed unanimously in the state parliament, much to President Bolsonaro’s chagrin. That guy is hell-bent on destroying the planet, so every loss for him is really a win for the planet.
Local fishers report an increase in both the volume and variety of fish species in the area. One story recalls an elderly fisherman being amazed “because he was still a child when he saw a grouper for the last time.”
The ban is set to hit Brazil’s Supreme Court sometime in the near future for the final say. Let’s hope Bolsonaro doesn’t get his way.
Some 50+ miles off the coast of the UK sits the largest offshore wind farm in the world. And as of now, every turbine is producing power to power residential areas across the country.
How much power, you might ask?
Each revolution of a single turbine powers the average UK home for 24 hours. And collectively, the entire farm produces 1.3 gigawatts annually to power 1.4 million homes across the UK.
When it comes to producing this kind of energy, size matters. The offshore wind farm, named Hornsea 2, spans an area over half the size of New York City. Each of the 165 turbines is 620 feet tall and equipped with blades measuring 265 feet in length. Sheesh.
This comes at a great time for two reasons:
We launched the Fall 22 Collection this week. There are less than 24 hours left in the presale to grab yours AND get 10% off. Check it out before it’s gone.
See you next week.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>Seafood Watch recently added American & Canadian lobster fisheries to its “red list” of species to avoid.
The lobster population is fine, don’t worry. They actually did this because the fishing gear used to catch lobsters is killing North Atlantic Right Whales.
In theory, this leads to a decrease in lobster demand and fewer whales being harmed.
Doesn’t seem like much, does it? Well, check this out – HelloFresh, Blue Apron, and thousands of restaurants around the US pledged to stop selling lobster in response.
In our opinion, this is a good move by Seafood Watch. But lobster fishing is only a piece of the puzzle. The reality is that commercial fishing is killing species at an alarming rate, even ones that it doesn’t intend to harm.
Next time you shop for seafood, make sure you choose the right type.
Thought that you only had to worry about zombie ice? Think again.
Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier, aptly nicknamed the “doomsday” glacier, is “holding on today by its fingernails.”
Not good.
Thwaites is massive, about the size of Florida. It’s also melting really quickly – about 45 billion tonnes per year.
If it melts, scientists predict that it could raise sea levels by as much as 10 feet. For reference, the zombie ice will only raise it by 10 inches.
Not only that, but the doomsday glacier props up other glaciers in the Western Antarctic ice sheet. Once it falls, it’s only a matter of time before the rest of them go too.
I’m fully aware of how catastrophic melting glaciers are for the planet, but I really think scientists could’ve come up with better names. Anyways, I digress.
See you next week.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>Yes, seriously.
A Dutch startup, aptly named “The Great Bubble Barrier,” is blowing bubbles in rivers to prevent plastic from reaching the ocean.
Compressed air is pushed through a perforated tube at the bottom of the ocean, creating bubbles. As the bubbles rise toward the surface, they carry plastic with them. With a little help from the river current, the plastic flows to one side of the river where it is collected.
The “technology” showed promise after a test in the Oude Rijn river. And the team has convinced several other regions in the Netherlands to invest in these bubble barriers.
If this works at scale, we’re looking at a huge win for ocean conservation.
Ironically enough, I’m writing this from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on a 6-hour layover.
One of our favorite (and disruptive) conservation organizations, Greenpeace, dropped 18 boulders in the South West Deeps to stop industrial fishing boats from operating in the region.
The boulders, weighing up to 3000 pounds, are supposed to make it “impossible” for trawlers to operate in the Marine Conservation Zone.
The UK government has called this move “potentially illegal.” Well, so is fishing in a Marine Conservation Zone. Greenpeace responded with “we’d rather the government just do their job.”
We’re big fans of this move by Greenpeace – the government wasn’t enforcing fishing regulations so they stepped in.
But Greenpeace isn’t perfect. What’s that they say about throwing stones in a glass house?
See you next time.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>For the first time since 2018, sea turtle eggs have been spotted in Mississippi. It’s still a bit too early to confirm, but researchers believe that the eggs belong to either a loggerhead sea turtle or Kemp’s ridley sea turtle.
Local populations were destroyed by the BP Oil Spill, several major hurricanes, and commercial developments. Most scientists never thought they were coming back….
We love sea turtles. Who doesn’t? But this isn’t just good news because they’re cute.
Six of the seven sea turtle species around the world are considered endangered, with three of those being classified as “critically endangered.” In fact, Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is the most endangered. So if these eggs turn out to be one of these, that would be a great sign for the species.
Hoping to hear more good news from M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I (just wanted to make sure we spelled it correctly).
No, seriously. A massive chunk of zombie ice is going to raise the global sea level by 10 inches once it melts. This is over twice the amount originally forecasted.
First off, what is zombie ice? Zombie ice is a section of ice that is still attached to a larger piece of ice but is no longer being replenished by the parent glacier. Long story short, it’s only a matter of time before it breaks off into the ocean.
We don’t have time for a full lesson in glaciology (yes, it’s a real thing), but here’s what you need to know:
Ten inches might not seem like much. It’s not until you add hurricanes, typhoons, and severe flooding to the mix. If you live in a place that’s at or below sea level, the results will be devastating. Hope you aren’t planning on moving to Miami anytime soon.
Not so fun fact - In college, I built a global sea level rise projection for my senior thesis project. Aside from teaching myself thermodynamics, the worst part was that every series I ran projected a worst-case scenario of 12-14 inches. Hopefully, we never get there.
We promise to have some good news next week, see you then. In the meantime, do your best to limit your carbon footprint.
Kai
Co-Founder
P.S. We're on Pinterest now, give us a follow! And as always...if you’ve got any thoughts, questions, or feedback, feel free to respond directly to this email. I’ll get back to you soon :)
]]>Surprise, there are more species in the ocean
A recent expedition in the Central Pacific has turned up 30 new species in a deepwater area known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
Most of the species were macrofauna (0.5 mm–5 cm in size), but they did find new species of sea cucumbers and starfish.
So what does this mean for ocean exploration?
Well, with 80% of the ocean still unexplored, we don’t know. There are potentially hundreds of thousands of species we don’t know about.
Hope you weren’t trying to get over your fear of the deep ocean any time soon. Turns out, there’s a lot we still don’t know about the deep blue.
Hawaii takes a big step toward a clean energy future after receiving its last shipment of coal. And without any more shipments, they're officially shutting down the last functioning coal plants on the islands.
Hawaii is one of the most climate-focused states in the country. By 2045, they’re looking to generate 100% of their electricity sales from renewable energy. Currently, Honolulu has the highest solar capacity per person in the country.
And don’t worry about the coal plant employees, the energy company is planning to offer them jobs at their solar, wind, and battery storage projects.
Oh yeah, and we’re dropping the Fall 22 Collection soon. Stay tuned, we’re really excited about this one :)
See you next time.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>Look – we hate spiders as much as the next person, but these aren’t real spiderwebs.
A small-scale coral conservation project in Indonesia is using lightweight cast-iron rods to connect damaged coral reefs like a spiderweb. New corals are grafted onto the rods to help them grow and restore the reef.
Why is this necessary? Well, because corals are being destroyed by blast fishing. And before you ask, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Fishermen use explosives to kill fish species for easy collection.
Reminds us of Homer using the fish zapper in The Simpson’s Movie. And Bart, we share your pain.
It’s still a small-scale operation, but the team has seen solid results. But to scale the project and restore the reefs, the destructive fishing has to stop.
We’re sticking with stories about Indonesia today, there’s a lot going on in the archipelago.
Pop Quiz: How many Indonesian islands are there? Hint: It’s A LOT. Scroll to the bottom to find out.
Anyways… more good news! Indonesia is expanding its marine protected area. They announced plans to protect 10% of their territorial waters by 2030 and 30% by 2045.
This may not seem like much, but their exclusive economic zone spans over 2.4 million square miles. That’s a little over half the size of the United States.
This is all great in theory, but protecting an area of that size is easier said than done. We’ll see how this goes, fingers crossed.
Answer: Indonesia is made up of 17,508 islands, 6000 of which are inhabited.
See you next week.
Kai
Co-Founder
P.S. If you’ve got any thoughts, questions, or feedback, feel free to respond directly to this email. I’ll get back to you soon :)
]]>After decades of decline, the Great Barrier Reef might be making a comeback.
Coral coverage levels in the central & northern regions of the reef are at their highest levels in 36 years. The Australian Institute of Marine Science reported that hard cover coral covered 33% of the central region and 36% of the northern region of the reef.
FYI, hard corals are reef-building corals. Soft corals are more common but have less of an impact on the growth of a reef. So when scientists talk about coral reefs dying, they’re usually concerned with hard corals.
Though this is good news, the Great Barrier Reef is not out of the woods yet. Threats like Crown-of-thorn starfish, cyclones, and ocean acidification still pose massive threats to these ecosystems.
And because it's the biggest reef system on earth, we're ultra-concerned with its health. But for now, we’ll celebrate their return.
Researchers found mangroves growing in freshwater in the Amazon Delta. This might not seem like a big deal, but have you ever seen freshwater mangroves?
That’s because you haven’t – no one ever has. This phenomenon has never been observed anywhere else in the world.
This discovery is huge for the Amazon (and the whole planet).
Why?
Because mangroves are one of the most effective carbon sinks in the world, capable of absorbing 4x as much carbon as tropical rainforests. And in case you forgot, the Amazon has a pretty big rainforest too.
Simply put, these freshwater mangroves are going to help us fight climate change.
See you next time.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>A two-minute read on capping flight emissions in the Netherlands and India banning single-use plastics.
You’ve heard a lot about flights & airports lately, we promise this isn’t more bad news.
Starting in 2023, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (the 3rd largest in Europe), will begin capping flights to just 440,000 per year to limit carbon emissions. Not to get all “doomsday” on you, but this is a big win – the climate is changing faster than ever and we’re running out of time to save this planet.
When you’re on your way to a tropical beach or another vacation destination, it’s easy to forget about the carbon emissions associated with plane travel. Hopefully, other major airports & airlines alike will follow suit to cut down on rising emissions.
In the meantime, do your best to cut down on your emissions by traveling via car or train, booking nonstop flights, and offsetting your carbon emissions.
A few weeks ago, India took a huge step to ban 19 different kinds of single-use plastic ranging from straws to packaging. With a population of nearly 1.4 billion people no longer using these disposable plastics, our oceans would get a welcome break.
Unfortunately, it’s not all good news. The Indian government didn’t give restaurant owners, manufacturers, and market vendors a very ample “heads up” to find alternatives to these plastics, meaning that the law has been relatively ineffective.
Hopefully, everyone can work together to develop an effective solution for both people & planet.
See you next time.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>A two-minute read on the Supreme Court's EPA decision, an endless green power turbine, and a status update on beach plastic in Australia.
The Supreme Court handed down a few controversial rulings before their recess – we’re going to be talking about West Virginia v. EPA.
Essentially, the ruling limits the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. They ruled that Congress, not the EPA, has the right to make that decision.
This is a major blow to the fight against climate change. I don’t have to tell you how bad things have gotten recently – extreme temperatures, more natural disasters, and an unbelievable amount of lives & biodiversity lost.
In our opinion, this ruling is ironically what we’re trying to clean up – garbage. If you want to read the official opinion, check it out here.
That’s enough bad news for one day, let’s get to the good stuff.
After years of development, engineers in Japan have successfully tested a giant deep-ocean turbine that would provide an endless stream of power.
Really… endless?
Shaped like an airplane, the turbine harnesses the energy in deep ocean currents and transforms it into a steady, reliable source of energy.
We love renewable energy. And we really love when it comes from the ocean. Fingers crossed this project continues to move forward.
I know we usually only write about two stories…But that ruling has us bummed out, so we’re adding a bonus feel-good story to raise the mood – and this one has us pumped!
Beach plastic has decreased 30% in Australia in the last six years! Thanks to a range of local initiatives to raise awareness and engage communities across the country, some areas have seen up to a 70% reduction in plastic waste.
Now, weren’t those extra few sentences worth the read?
See you next time.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>A two-minute read on a new marine sanctuary and the first ever trash found in space.
The United States might be getting a new marine sanctuary.
Hudson Canyon, the largest underwater canyon on the East Coast, is poised to become the latest protected marine area in the US.
Located 100 miles off the coast of New York & New Jersey, the canyon stretches over 350 miles and is up to 7 miles wide and 2.5 miles deep at various points.
If approved, it would be the 18th of its kind in the US, meaning protection for hundreds of whales, sea turtles, octopuses, sea stars, and coral reefs.
NOAA is seeking public opinion on this… feels like a no-brainer to us.
The ocean isn’t the only one with a trash problem. For the first time ever, trash has been found in space.
The NASA Perseverance Rover spotted a discarded thermal blanket while roaming across Mars, the first known piece of human trash in space. It was believed to originate from the rover itself, possibly falling off during its initial descent.
We’re already polluting the ocean, we can’t let the same thing happen in space.
See you next time.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>This one isn’t about an ocean conservation org, but it’s a really cool story…
You’ve probably heard that over 80% of the ocean is undiscovered…kinda scary right? Well, a research team from the University of Western Australia just discovered the largest known plant on Earth.
They discovered a seagrass patch three times the size of Manhattan, which is believed to have grown from a single seed over the last 4500 years. It covers about 200 sq km off the coast of Shark Bay. Ironic, huh?
You might be wondering why some plain old seagrass is so important. Well, here’s the deal – seagrass is one of the earth’s most effective weapons against climate change. Despite occupying less than 1% of the seafloor, it accounts for 10% of the ocean’s ability to store carbon. And, it’s 35x more effective at storing carbon than tropical rainforests.
More seagrass = less carbon. Let’s call this a small win for Mother Earth.
The Ocean Cleanup just trialed their new Interceptor Trashfence in the most polluted river in the world. The Interceptor is essentially a really big net – preventing trash from flowing out of the river into the ocean.
The Rio Motagua basin (in Guatemala) is believed to be the most polluted river in the world, dumping an estimated 20,000 tonnes of plastic into the Caribbean each year – that’s 2% of all global ocean plastic emissions.
The Interceptor Trashfence came at the right time. The problem had gotten so bad that “trash tsunamis” were decimating the local environment.
Let's call that another big win :)
See you next time.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>We know we just covered Take 3 last month. But they’re doing some amazing things, and you should hear about it.
They just launched a pilot version of a project they’re dubbing “First Wave.” It aims to tackle tourism-generated litter in New South Wales, Australia. Their initial goal is to surpass the state’s goal of a 40% reduction in litter (hint: they’re going to crush it). Once the pilot program ends, they plan to share their learnings with the rest of Australia and the world to tackle tourism waste.
Why is this important? First off, 80% of all tourism takes place in coastal areas. And we know that plastic is a tremendous threat to our oceans. So reducing plastic waste in areas where billions of people travel every year would be a huge win for the oceans.
Kia just signed a seven-year partnership with The Ocean Cleanup to provide funds and contributions to advance ocean cleanup technology and initiatives.
Though the amount of money is unclear, these added funds will help The Ocean Cleanup accelerate its plastic cleanup efforts, ridding the oceans of plastic even faster.
And as a bonus, Kia plans to integrate some of the recycled plastic into their supply chain, meaning your next Kia might be made with ocean plastic!
P.S. Mark your calendars – World Oceans Day is coming up on June 8th! We have a huge announcement coming that day :)
See you next time.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>In April, Take 3 for the Sea (supported by the LS King Palm Volley) launched their online Surf Life Saving Clubs (SLSC) program for the 2022 surf life-saving season. They partnered with surf clubs across Australia to educate thousands about the impact of plastic pollution and what they can do to prevent litter.
With this program quickly spreading across surf clubs, Take 3 will be largely responsible for raising the next generation of Aussie ocean advocates to fight against plastic pollution in our oceans.
This is a huge step for ocean conservation.
*huge round of applause for Take 3*
The Ocean Cleanup (supported by the Rogue Crewneck) is off to a hot start in 2022 after a record-breaking year in 2021. They launched System 002, the most effective ocean plastic removal system to date.
In just 5 months, System 002, aka Jenny, removed almost 90,000 pounds of plastic from the oceans.
This is awesome work, but there's still a long way to go. That’s only about 1/2500th the size of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
We’re looking to support The Ocean Cleanup again in the future to help them achieve their goals. Stay tuned for announcements on this.
See you next time.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>In March, we dropped The Love Crew and we’re donating 10% of every purchase directly to the Changing Tides Foundation, a women-led conservation org that empowers women to protect the planet.
They just kicked off their “Love Your Mother” campaign, a global effort to plant seeds around Mother Earth and watch them grow. If you want to get involved, plant some seeds and share a photo on social media with #LoveYourMother.
Do right by the planet and plant some seeds this spring.
They also just wrapped up their Plant-Based March. If you’re looking for a recipe for #MeatlessMondays, check out these Loaded Vegan Nachos. We already taste-tested them, they’re 🔥
We also planted 100 mangroves with the help of Sea Trees, an organization that supports community planting and blue-carbon coastal ecosystems. They plant mangroves and restore kelp forests & watersheds to help sequester carbon and reduce the effects of climate change. We've planted 100 so far and are looking to 10x that number soon (stay tuned).
They’re celebrating Earth Month in April (p.s. Earth Day is April 22, 2022, we’re looking forward to it).
They also just launched their newest mangrove restoration project in Laguna San Ignacio, Baja California, Mexico. We’ll keep you up to date with its progress.
See you next time.
Kai
Co-Founder
]]>First off, Sea Shepherd’s Operation Milagro… 10% of each purchase of The Love Crew and the Wavedash Volley SS were given directly to this campaign.
The vaquita are currently the most endangered marine animal in the world, with less than 20 remaining in the wild. Two of Sea Shepherd’s ships, the M/V Farley Mowat and the M/V White Holly are stationed in the Gulf of California, working with Mexican authorities to protect these porpoises.
Gillnets are the primary culprit for the Vaquita’s disappearance. SeaShepherd’s goal is to prevent illegal fishing using these nets and protect the porpoises from being killed by bycatch.
By the way, “Milagro” means “miracle” in Spanish, which is what it’s going to take to save them. That doesn’t mean we’re gonna stop trying though.
For a full write up on the Vaquita situation, check out our blog: How to Save Vaquitas, the Rarest Marine Animal on Earth.
Next up, Coral Gardeners… we adopted 6 Super Corals named KeAloha, Nazare, Mavericks, Cloudbreak, Jaws, and Teahupo’o. Fitting right?
Coral Gardeners crushed it in 2021. Since their inception, they’ve planted over 15,000 corals in Tahiti.
And in 2022 alone, they’re looking to plant 15,000 more. We (and the corals) are looking forward to seeing what they can do.
If you want to check out the full scope of their work, they just dropped their 2021 Impact Report. Give it a read here.
See you next time.
Kai
Co-Founder
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