Be a Dolphin's Friend

People all over the world have greeted the news of the start of the dolphin slaughter in Taiji Japan with sadness, shock and fury. The Cove has highlighted some very gruesome and inhumane practices around dolphin capture and slaughter - a regular event in this Japanese town – and brought it to the centre of international attention.

So instead of the usual blog, I thought I would just do a listing of organisations working to save dolphins and marine mammals so concerned individuals can find further info and get involved in their own way. While we can’t all stand on picket lines or make compelling documentary films, we can support those groups devoted to protecting marine mammals such as dolphins, whales and porpoises. Campaigns depend on individuals to make them a success so I hope you find the info handy and useful (and this is nothing near being an exhaustive or definitive list so if you know of more organisations, please publicise them.

Dolphins in Japan

Save Japan Dolphins
For the latest and info on actions you can take. There is a pledge on swimming with dolphins and captive dolphin shows.

Dolphins in captivity
A cruel aspect of the dolphin hunt highlighted in The Cove is the trade in captured dolphins. It may seem like good ole family fun to take the kids to a dolphin show but the dolphins suffer greatly as a result. Similarly, there are “dolphinariums” where paying customers can swim or snorkel with captured dolphins. The animals may appear content but research has shown detrimental effects on their health and welfare.

Marine Connections – a UK-based charity working for the welfare of dolphins and whales. They have a campaign on captured marine mammals:

Born Free Foundation – an international animal welfare organisation based in the UK – has an informative page on captive dolphins

Humane Society USA’s page on marine mammals in captivity

Marine mammal protection and seafood/preventing by-catch deaths
It’s not just the outright killing but also bycatch (the untargeted and unintentional marine life caught by commercial fishers) to which dolphins fall victim.


Greenpeace’s page on bycatch at sea

Wildlife Trust (UK) has a campaign on dolphin entanglement deaths.

Earth Trust (US) has a project on driftnetting.

Other marine mammal information and campaigns

World Wildlife Fund Protecting river dolphins in South America:

Ocean Conservation Society (US-based) - researching and educating about marine life

Petitions
There are many online. Have a look through Facebook or Twitter.

Here is a fairly well-subscribed one in Facebook titled “Stop the Dolphin and Whale Slaughter in Taiji, Japan”

Another one from Care2: End Dolphin Slaughtering in Japan

Eating greener and losing weight

I must admit that I’ve never been on a conventional “diet” – always hated the notion of regimenting and planning my food. I’d never been overweight and counting calories sounded just daft. Any time a friend or colleague told me about being in some weight loss group or expensive diet, I replied “Why?” or “You’re spending how much to have someone tell you cake is fattening?”

However, age and increasing inactivity had taken their toll on my waisteline. There was the tell-tale signs of a muffin top and I just didn’t feel fit and lean. I wanted to get back into shape and at the same time, to adhere to an ethical/greener eating plan. This was going to be interesting and informative.

I must also confess that I’ve never been a vegetarian (although I don’t ever complain or refuse a good vegetarian meal).

Let the common sense begin
There is some kind of craze about part-time veganism amongst diet-obsessed celebrities. But after trimming away the confusing pseudo-medical/scientific talk by its medical proponents you realise that this just means decreasing your meat and fish intake. Also, having spoken to strict raw vegans, I thought there was something worthwhile there. So I came up with a hybrid and modified version of an eating plan. The rules being:

• No pre-prepared foods
• Less meat, fish and eggs (and the animal products consumed must be free range, organic or ocean-friendly)
• No dairy products
• When it can be eaten raw, eat it raw

So a month ago, I stocked my fridge with more than the usual quantity of fruit and vegetable – did my best to purchase produce labelled “local” from the local grocers. I am trying everything to avoid the big supermarkets these days. The 100 mile radius is a very useful rule or guideline but I have to confess that it’s more guidelines than rules for me at the moment.

Organic is too expensive?
The prices of organic produce used to make my eyes pop but considering how the large operators make their money on volume and scale, it’s more a case of the supermarkets being cheap rather than the small scale organic producers being expensive. Also, I realise now that good food and cheap food are contradiction in terms. If you want to eat healthily and ethically, you have to consider the welfare of the environment, animals and the people who work to produce and deliver the food to our tables.

Even if I wanted to discard “green” eating principles, I still will want to eat the local and organic produce from the farmers’ markets for the simple reason of taste. Fresher local produce just taste better.

Bad food equals empty calories
There are no pre-prepared or quick snack foods in my home now. If I get hungry, it’s a carrot or fruit. It’s good to remind yourself that stuffing yourself silly (the feeling you get after a massive restaurant meal laden with meat, fat and starch) is neither natural nor good.

The reason for the effectiveness of this eating plan is I’ve cut out empty calories. It’s very easy to see why there are very few overweight vegans (and even fewer overweight raw vegans). When your sources of calories are limited, you make the most of them. So by default, I have avoided foods with added sugar and foods high in fat - easy when you make a concerted effort to eat raw produce.

By not consuming packaged and ready-to-eat items, I’ve taken control over what is done to my food. No food is worth being fat for and certainly, no bad food is worth being fat for. The shrinking waistline is a welcome by-product of eating greener. Honestly, it’s no gimmick but a lot of common sense.

The ethical carnivore; eating the entire animal

Maybe not THE ENTIRE animal but if you choose to eat meat, consuming most of the edible parts from the animal. What could be greener? This means eating the organs/offal, utilising the bones and other remnants. Put simply, the parts considered unpleasant in North America.

Travelling and eating in many developing countries has opened my eyes to the “waste not want not” principle. A walk through a food market in Asia will reveal some delicious gems from various parts of the animal (those euphemistically called “variety meat” in North America). Crunchy chicken gizzards charcoal roasted with spicy dips, beef tripe with salad and stewed ox tendons are just some of my highlights. Some not-so-memorable dishes include chicken rear ends on skewers and chewy pig entrails soup. In the Mediterranean, parts such as ox tail, pig trotters, brain and testicles are eaten regularly. Even the not-so-gastronomic British can pull off a good steak and kidney pie. Here is an article from the Bangkok Post – a Thai’s perspective on Westerners’ approach to offal.

Why is eating innards better for the environment?
We can’t deny that meat production takes its toll on the environment. It takes land, feed, water, transportation and production to get the meat to the consumer’s table. As it takes 10 kg of cereal to produce one kilo of beef, then we should not be wasting any part of the animal. Unless you deliberately avoid meat, eating offal is more environmentally friendly.

Is eating offal safe?
People are worried about contamination and organs being storage tanks for harmful pathogens. There’s probably some truths to this as we saw during the BSE/Mad Cow crisis in the UK during the 1990s. In order to reduce the probability of BSE contaminated meats entering the system, there was a ban on beef on the bone and certain types of offal. We are well aware that industrial farming methods gave rise to BSE. If the entire animal has been raised in factory conditions with low hygiene and upkeep, then the organs are bound to contain harmful substances in increased amounts. Therefore, if the animal is raised in humane conditions in an organic setting, the organs are bound to be safer – as well as the muscle meat. Also, a Swedish study conducted in 2003 claimed that raising organic beef on grass rather than feed, reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 40% and consumed 85% less energy.

Better late than never – join the glorious gut eating masses!
There may be a change amongst those who’d originally turned their noses up at offal. I’ve been seeing calves’ brains and various other organs at the more posh delis around town. Perhaps more people are asking themselves why it’s perfectly OK to eat one piece of an animal and not another. And essentially, that is what meat is – a piece of what was once a living animal, muscle and organs. It’s good to look at the animal and its parts and see our food for what it really is rather than as neatly trimmed pieces wrapped in plastic.

Chris Cosentino is a US-based chef who has given offal a central role in his cooking. His “head to tail” cooking approach is an eye-opener as he is a well-known high-end chef – with numerous appearances on popular television programmes. The sight of this man with a handful of entrails and organs may be strange – or even revolting – for some but the importance of such an approach can’t be missed.



A quick glance through google will yield a rich picking in offal recipes. They really are worth a try as there’s more to life than just pork chops and chicken breasts.

More Sushi - the sustainable kind - please

Being a metropolitan city with a sushi restaurant on nearly every street corner, why is Vancouver not full of greener sushi restaurants? Last week, the news about a Seattle sushi restaurant going fully sustainable started a buzz in Twitterland and in blog space. Mashiko has a wonderful looking menu and if they’re doing their bit for the ocean, I would not hesitate to choose this place when I’m next in Seattle. But I have to ask why the sustainable sushi restaurant is not the norm?

What am I REALLY eating?
First, see what’s good and what’s bad. A guide or suggestion list of sustainable seafood is a useful tool to take to the restaurant. In Canada, the Sea Choice Guide is an excellent source of information. In the US, the Monterey Bay aquarium has a well-established Seafood Watch guide. For the UK, there is the Marine Conservation Society information. For Continental Europe WWF has a listing of guides.

Is a tuna a tuna? The confusing issue of labelling
It’s not only the species and types of fish we have to watch but there is a big problem around labelling. According to Ocean Wise, Canada has a rather weak seafood labelling law. A name such as “snapper” is utterly useless as it covers thousands of different types of fish (some may be perfectly good to eat while others may be endangered). The Bluefin Tuna, a species in the news recently, is just one of many types of tuna. When a diner orders “toro” at the sushi restaurant, s/he doesn’t know if it contains Bluefin or another type of tuna. The David Suzuki Foundation is spearheading a campaign to change the law.

Time and again, the customer is always right
The movement is consumer-driven. The Ocean Wise programme by the Vancouver Aquarium is an example of a marine conservation organisation working with restaurants to promote sustainable fish. The programme helps restaurants in making sustainable options available to their clientele. Approved items will have the Ocean Wise logo displayed on the menu and this allows clientele to easily identify the most sustainable options.
Customers/diners enquiring what they’re eating leads to restaurants demanding sustainable fish from their suppliers. This in turn leads to suppliers changing their stock priorities. Diners see positive choices, avoid the non-approved ones and the restaurants don’t find it worth their while to have the unsustainable options. This alters their purchasing choices from their suppliers.

More positive choices please
So what about the lower-end places (the takeaways, eat-all-you-cans and the everyday hole-in-the-wall operations)? Ocean Wise is anticipating a first big mid-cost sushi restaurant on the major massive sushi hub of Robson Street to get on board. Although the programme started with the more high-end restaurants, there is greater demand by the wider sushi-eating public and surely, the restaurants must be taking note.

Below is a video of a demonstration by a famous Japanese sushi chef, very much a fixture here in Vancouver. Chef Tojo shows how to make a sushi that looks mouthwatering but the concept is simple – using fresh, local and sustainable fish.

Making the scuba diving liveaboard memorable

If you really want to really scuba dive on a holiday, the liveaboard is probably the best way to get your dive-for-the-buck.

My first liveaboard was exciting and a bit daunting at the same time. I’d just received my Open Water certification and was really keen on getting out and diving on my own. I made it a bit easier by booking an all-inclusive with a London-based dive school and all I had to do was just turn up at the airport and off I went. As first trips go, it was a rapid learning curve (with some confusion and not wanting to look like a moron.

Boats range from the state of the art with amazing amenities to the most basic. Be prepared and take what you need. If you need rental gear, organise this in advance.

When you don’t know anyone on the boat, it’s nice to break the ice. Don’t hide in your room. Meet your fellow travellers and the crew. The outside deck is a lot nicer anyways. You’re going to be living in small tight surroundings with few other people. Being good neighbours and friends will make the trip more enjoyable and pleasant.

Non-diving companions? Best to leave them behind. A boat trip with a partner or a family member may sound like fun but imagine what it would like being the odd one out: being left out of all the pre-dive excitement and anticipation, not having anything to say at the post-dive huddle, quietly watching the boat companions toasting another great day of diving, hoping for a nice snorkelling opportunity and being seasick for all your efforts.

Before you book
Check immigration requirements about required visas etc.

If you are fairly new to diving or if you’re looking for your first liveaboard, mention this to the travel agent or diveshop. Many sites have certification level requirements. It’s also nice to be with people at a similar level and experience.

Review timing of your flights and sailings. Unless your trip is a package including flight, transfers and the boat, make sure you allow enough time between flight arrival and boarding the boat. A delayed flight can mean you miss the boat. Also, remember the no-flight time required between your last dive of the trip and your return flight home. Generally, the last day of the trip should be a no-dive, no fly day and it can be spent doing nothing by the poolside, sightseeing on land or getting in the last minute shopping.

If you have special dietary requirements, mention this when booking.

Make sure you have adequate dive insurance. Divers Alert Network (DAN) is a membership-based organisation that offers a comprehensive range of dive and travel insurance.

Seasickness

Unless you’ve got sea legs, be prepared and take medication with you. Some motion sickness remedies can make you drowsy so it is always a good idea to ask a doctor who knows a bit about diving.

Once the sickness hits, it will be difficult to keep down the medication so take the tablets BEFORE the journey starts.

A bigger boat is generally more stable. Trip booking sites usually have the specs for the boats. If you aren’t sure, ask the agent or tour operator.

Health and safety
• Limit your diving to what you are allowed under your level of certification (this includes depth maximum, overhead environments, mixed gas diving, decompression diving)
• Listen to the trip briefings
• Listen to the pre-dive briefings
• Stay away from out-of-bound and crew only areas
• Always abide by the instructions of the captain and the crew. Don’t jump in for a swim unless you’ve been told it’s safe
• Consume alcohol in moderation. There is strong evidence linking drinking with diving ailments
• Stay well hydrated. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration contributes to many ills on a holiday
• Because you’re on a boat, you’ll get an opportunity to do a lot of diving. Do not feel compelled to do every single one offered. If you are feeling tired or fatigued, sit it out and nap.
• Getting a good night’s rest is very important - not all that easy if you’re a light sleeper. Anchoring, motors revving and a moving boat make sleeping difficult. This is where the afternoon surface interval comes in handy for a kip

Small things to make life more comfortable
• You never have enough towels on a liveaboard – take few of your own
• Take comfortable boat-appropriate clothing – things that are easy to get in and out of, preferably quick-to-dry
• Waterproof containers and bags will come in handy when you want to keep things dry
• Pack light and small – those cabins are not huge
• Once you’re off, you won’t have a chance to restock on anything – CHECK to make sure you have everything you’ll need for the trip
• Take a good book. Sometimes, you will just want some solitary time to yourself
• Don’t forget your spares kit – containing your basic tools, spare O-rings. Boats usually have the basics but it’s nice to be prepared and able to do your own minor maintenance

Otherwise, bon voyage!

Why I don’t cycle

Two weeks ago, the folk of Vancouver – or the media representing them anyways – were talking about just one thing. Yes, it was the start of the Burrard Bridge cycling lane experiment. The City has implemented a trial of allocating one of the lanes of a multi-lane bridge to bicycle traffic. Sounds like a great idea? If you read and listened to some of what was being spewed in the mainstream press, you would have thought the masses were out after the Mayor’s head. “Overcrowding!” “Congestion!” and “Pandering to the cycling minority” were just some of the headlines.

I really do hope the cycling lanes will be a success and that the entire culture around transportation changes. This can’t happen soon enough. Perhaps in a few years, even road-cowards like myself will take up cycling. But for now, I do not cycle for what I think are very sensible reasons.

I don’t want to get myself killed by an inattentive driver
It may be their lack of timing or spatial perception but there is a breed that should not be driving. It’s very easy to obtain a driver’s licence and unfortunately, very hard to lose it. There are risks I’m willing to take but death at the hands of someone who doesn’t think a solid metal object travelling at high speeds can’t kill a human being? No. If daytimes are frightening, I can’t imagine cycling after dark (even if you are a lit up Christmas tree with all those reflectors and fluorescent clothing.

I don’t want to get myself killed by a criminally reckless driver
Then there are those who will try to jump a green and make a turn where cyclists and pedestrians are crossing. Their line is “might equals right”. And what cyclist would argue with a car? This bully of the roads has killed and injured countless people over the years. In many towns and cities, the authorities have cracked down and started encouraging people to report dangerous and reckless driving to the police.

I don’t want a car to accidently steer off the road and kill me
If a cycle lane means the edge of the car lane then I’ll take the bus instead. There has to be a lane set aside SPECIFICALLY to accommodate bicycles. There is a good video on the whys and hows of bike lanes at:
http://local.theoildrum.com/node/3061


So I return to the main point. Cycle lanes are good and we need more of them.

Take a walk

Last month, I attended a lecture on walking – yes walking – given by a group working to promote walking. Their website states:
“Walk21 exists to champion the development of healthy sustainable and efficient communities where people choose to walk.”
Simple sounding objective but it’s really a task, socially and politically to not just get people to walk but to make our communities walkable. To facilitate walking, the environment has to be safe and walking routes have to be accessible. Easier said than done.

The automobile lobby has done a great deal to obstruct and halt public transportation and to make towns and cities walker-unfriendly. Many US and European cities are perfect examples of how public transportation and road sharing (with cyclists and walkers) have been made the butt of political and civic priorities.

Why is walking important? To for one, walkable places are more civilised places. Imagine a community where no amenities and services exist within walking distance from residential areas. For poorly lit roads, no sidewalks, dangerous crossings – think antisocial behaviour, no social activities, no interactions between neighbours. Think of a lifestyle where everything depends on the motor vehicle, a culture where the out-of-town mega shopping mall is king.

Walking communities are healthier. It’s absolutely no coincidence that obesity and poor health are directly related to walkability. Walking is an activity nearly anyone can engage in – there is no special equipment required, it costs nothing and no special training or skill is needed. A bit of walking will keep most people fit. Or there is the bizarre but commonly done ritual of driving to the gym to walk on the treadmill and driving back home.

Some common reasons cited for people not walking:
• Walking is unsafe because of traffic – circular logic maybe? We can’t walk so we drive.
• There are no places to walk (no crossings, sidewalks or accessible walkways) – a serious shortfall on the part of planners and architects.
• The fear crime – the dangerous streets are those without pedestrians.
• There’s nothing to walk to – no shops, entertainment venues or services. Who would want to open a retail outlet where there are no people about...

What is required in the long term to make communities more walkable is a change of culture and an injection of political will. In the immediate future, there has to be a realisation that walking is an important part of life. In cities and towns where successful changes have been made to enable walking, car drivers have come to accept that they have a part to play (and give up that sense of entitlement). City planners, architects and roads authorities have a vital role to play in making sure walking is put to the fore of their projects. As for the walking members of the public, we have to walk more and become more strident.

The Diva Cup is no longer a joke - neither are sanitary waste mountains

I felt compelled to buy the Diva Cup several week ago after seeing various adverts and hearing first-hand accounts of how convenient it was and of how much less sanitary products (tampons and towels) you would end up using.

Back in the 1990s women cringed at the mere thought of using a menstrual cup (a contraption worn internally to catch the blood and muck worn internally). Toxic Shock Syndrome was the big tampon-related anxiety of the day and environmental concerns didn’t rank high on the minds of most women.

Today, the much derided muck-catcher’s modern equivalent is a different story. The most well-known is the Diva Cup and it can be found in popular drug stores everywhere – not just obscure specialist shops. You can also find many manufacturers in the re-usable sanitary towels niche.


Women didn’t want to be blamed for sanitary waste filling up landfills or being washed out into sea. Why should we be guilt-ridden and put on the spot? Don’t men go through huge amounts of disposable razors with their non-biodegradable plastic creating havoc?
Male or female, the throwaway lifestyle is not sustainable and that is a fact. More than $2.5 billion are spent on non-reusable sanitary products each year in the US alone. Consider the average woman’s menstruating life span at 40 years and that’s a lot of money and a hell of a lot of sanitary waste.

When you consider it’s not all that unpleasant to switch to reusable sanitary protection, why not be proactive? Talk about it, tell your friends and family and get them to try. Not only are we helping out the good ole environment, we could be saving ourselves money! My Diva cup cost me $40 and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that I may be quids in after several months.

It’s time to get off the “I’m entitled to my female share of the landfill” mindset and move onto the “I will do my bit to lessen my share of that landfill”. We’re all in this world and have to do more (or a bit less in this case).

Women’s Environmental Network (UK)
Lunapads – Reusable sanitary towels/pads
Diva Cup

Fish decline - Not just flavour of the month

It's quite heartening to see all the buzz about declining fish numbers generated by the very highly publicised reception of the movie documentary The End of the Line and the awareness around World Oceans Day. Everything from the smallest grassroots movements to the highly-publicised antics of celebrities (including the most salacious naked fish stunts and protests by washed up stars) have raised a great deal of awareness and that can only be good.

Lets hope that this is not a flavour of the month, like so many before it. The celebrities may have their spotlight with their fish stunts (for today’s attention-seeking famous set, fish is where it’s at whereas last year, it was babies, leaked out sex videos and stays at rehab). But once the issue of fish depletion is out of the headlines, will the public forget and resume eating bluefin sandwiches?

Less fish, great disasters
For everyone, regardless of their fish-eating status, the plight of the world’s fish is serious. Overfishing (combined with pollution, climate change, inefficient production procedures and uncontrolled growth of industry) has created a dangerous scenario. Nothing happens in the oceans without substantial knock-on effects. The entire marine ecosystem will be affected – not to mention the ecosystem on land. Fish are not only products for consumption but their health is the barometer of the ocean's health.

Healthy fish stocks are vital for communities, their employment, their culture and their very survival. In Canada, decimation of the cod fishery on the Atlantic coast has resulted in the loss of 27,000 jobs. The British Columbia salmon stocks which had sustained and facilitated some of North America’s most complex Aboriginal societies are now “missing”. All over the world, social and economic relationships are under pressure because of what is happening to the oceans.

Fish is NOT just posh nosh
The London A-listers may be cut up by the notion of Bluefin Tuna running out at Nobu (Heavens, they may have to resort to eating Pollock!) but for the world, the issues are a bit less trivial. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that 950 million people worldwide rely on fish and shellfish for more than one-third of their animal protein. Fish is the main source of protein for 2.6 billion people according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Report by World Fish Center states that Fishery is Peru’s fourth biggest exporter. Senegal, with a GDP of just $1,000, relies on fishery for a fifth of its total export and for the average Senegalese, fish make up 43% of dietary protein. When over a sixth of the world’s population suffers from chronic hunger, the importance of protecting a vital food source is clear.

Making the choice for sustainable fish
There are various guides to inform the consumer on which fish to avoid and which to consume. The British Marine Stewardship Council has the Fish to Eat. In the US, the Monterey Bay Aquarium produces the Seafood Watch. In Canada, the Sea Choice Guide uses the familiar red, yellow and green categories. It sounds all so simple but solutions often are.

Shark Fin Soup? No Bloody Way!

Those of us who love the sea find the mere idea of shark finning revolting. Not only is it cruel and wasteful, the practice of shark finning could have a devastating effect on shark numbers and on marine ecosystems. Unfortunately, shark finning continues because of one thing: demand.

A wasteful and grotesque industry
A quick reminder of what is involved in shark finning: The fins are cut off from a live shark and the remainder of the animal is thrown back in the water. The mutilated shark then sinks to the bottom of the sea to die.

Fishing fleets equipped with long line and hooks to target tuna used to release the accidental catches of shark but having become savvy to the monetary value of shark fin, they now collect the fins.

This is extremely wasteful. The fins make up a tiny portion of the animal and there is very little demand for shark meat. Improved fishing technology has meant an increase in the numbers of sharks caught and finned. Most of the shark finning take place in the high seas but some coastal populations in developing nations have taken on the practice of finning and drying on land – as this can be lucrative - and this poses problems for shark populations in these particular areas.

A threat to shark numbers is serious for the sea as a whole. Sharks develop slowly, gestate slowly and have fewer young than most fish. They can decline rapidly when fished in large numbers and recovery takes a long time. As sharks are at the top of the food chain keeping other species in check, their decline can have devastating effects for the entire marine ecosystem.

In most countries, it is not illegal to sell shark-fin – unless it has come from a protected species.

Who is eating shark fin?
Most of the demand for shark fin has traditionally come from Asia (notably Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan). All over the world, demand from Chinese consumers drives on the trade. In the last decade, the increased number of wealthier citizens in China has skyrocketed demand.

Shark fin soup has been a highly-prized item used to honour special occasions and many restaurants cater to banquets and parties with this unsavoury catch.

A perusal through the menus of some popular Chinese restaurants here in Vancouver is revealing. Yes, restaurants still serve shark fin soup. Some are quite brazen and feature it prominently in their menus. Others are more coy and use euphemisms to advertise their soups (“luxury golden seafood special”). Admitting to serving or eating shark fin doesn’t bring the instant revulsion akin to eating dogs and cats nor are sharks fluffy and cute like baby seals. Sadly, the importance of maintaining a stable marine ecosystem is not first and foremost on the minds of happy Chinese wedding feast guests.

But does this mean we can only despair and stand idly as shark populations are driven to extinction?

The customer is always right
Earlier this year, a campaign by outraged shareholders and shoppers halted the sale of shark fin soup targeted at the Chinese New Year’s market by Loblaws/Canadian Superfoods. Anti-Shark Fin activists also leafleted events taking place around New Years’ celebrations in Toronto with some positive outcome.

If enough diners enquired about a restaurant’s policy on shark fin, the management and owners will be forced to take notice. Many don't appreciate negative publicity. Ultimately, the consumer is in control and they can vote with their wallet. We may not be able to do anything about what’s happening in China but we can refuse to eat in outlets selling shark fin in our own towns and cities.

A glance through Twitter shows that many still brag about consuming shark fin soup. Perhaps it’ll go the way of fur coats; once it was a status symbol - now it’s a vulgar display of bad taste. That can’t happen soon enough.

Finning Facts (From The Shark Trust)

*Hong Kong is the world’s shark fin trading centre, accounting
for 50-80% of fins traded worldwide.

*Currently the EU supplies 27% of all fins imported into Hong Kong.

*Sharks’ life history makes them vulnerable to exploitation –
for example, Basking Sharks take 15-20 years to mature,
have a 2-3 year gestation period and produce only 4–6 pups.

*Wet fins typically represent < 5% of a shark’s body weight.

*Some Atlantic shark populations have declined by up to 80%
in the last 15 years.

*Sets of shark fins can sell for more than US$700/kg, with
hammerhead shark fins among the most valuable by weight.

*A single Whale Shark pectoral fin can sell for up to
US$15,000.

*Global trade in shark fins is increasing, and the market for
shark fin soup is estimated to be growing by 5% per year.

*The EU’s fin to carcass ratio is among the weakest in the
world.

*A third of European sharks, and a total of 110 species of
chondrichthyan fish are listed under a threat category on the
IUCN Red List, with a further 95 species Near Threatened.

Responsible diving from reef to land

During my time in the scuba diving industry, it was standard to teach the basics of responsible diving. There were the “don’t touch anything” and “look after the environment” lessons and it was reassuring to think scuba diving and other nature-intensive sports were unique; participants were stakeholders in the marine environment. But as in any sport, there will be occasions when we need reminding of the importance of sustainability, good practice and the world beyond the reef.
Do the research
Where are you going? Information is powerful. For one, do you want to go to a region of the world that is considered unsafe for tourists or has a history of political despotism? Sounds common sense but many an un-researching traveller headed for the unpleasant shock of a lifetime. On a smaller level, does your resort of choice have a policy and commitment to eco-tourism? Does it support local conservation efforts or does it fight them? And does the dive operator implement good practice?
Don’t just stick to popular guidebooks for information and take anything from official tourist brochures with a large fistful of salt. It’s always useful to ask those who’ve been there and done that. Online discussion forums on dive travel can be found on sites like Scubaboard and Divernet.
It’s not just the fish – PEOPLE count
You can't forget the human communities and the wider world. Does your resort or diveshop hire local people? Where does your money go?
Responsible tourism management also involves avoiding practices that undermine local cultures and communities. People and natural environments are intrinsically linked and detriment to one results in detriment to the other.
Maximising the positive and minimising the negative

Eco-tourism proponents and practitioners always talk about minimal impact. This refers to behaviours and actions that don’t damage the environment or affect local communities in a negative way. Does the operator take part in conservation schemes (such as marine cleanups, turtle release programs etc)? Are there no connections to harmful practices such as putting captured marine life on display? The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) offers further info.
Value for money should not equal use and abuse
While it's all fun to be fixated with the bronzed European scuba diving instructors, don't forget people like the boat captains and the local crew and resort staff. If it's customary to tip, it should be done fairly. I have often heard people refuse to tip, claiming tips are subsidies for low wages. This may be true but really it’s an excuse for mean-mindedness. It's also very embarrassing to go shopping with an extreme bargainer. Can they not pay more than 50 cents for a pair of shoes? Why does someone who earns $60,000 plus annually - and who can afford two big holidays per year – insist on paying so little for a souvenir? Those extra two dollars may have fed the vendor’s children for a day or two.
Get the entire story before jumping to conclusions
Sometimes, it's good to look further into the situation and not be dismissive immediately. I remember a trip to Bali where some guests were horrified to see children lugging dive equipment and tanks. "Gross exploitation" was the cry. Fact was, the village adjacent to this particular site owned the reef and the wreck on it and it controlled the operations (charging, numbers allowed etc). The money the villagers received from Sherpa duties enabled them to send their children to school (among other things that money can do) and children only worked outside of school hours.
In the water
Categorically assume that you should never remove anything from a dive site - unless you are there for that purpose - such as a cleanup, marine conservation or research. Even items you assume to be junk and remove with good intention - may be home for some marine critters. Always ask the dive operator or guide about what you should and shouldn't remove.
Good buoyancy control and mastery of movement are essential. If you’re new or a bit rusty, do a quick refresher when you arrive at your dive destination or back home before your holiday. In major cities, diveshops offer pool evenings where you can go through a skills circuit to brush up on the basics. Here is a good article from Scuba Dive Magazine.
Watch how you go and watch where you go. Don't enter that wreck or cave unless you've been informed that it's safe to do so. It can be dangerous or you may damage marine life.
Assume you can't touch any living creatures - corals, fish or others. They may injure you – or worse – you may injure them.
Ocean Etiquette from the NOAA offers some further tips.

Happy diving and stay safe.

Fashionable Recyclable

A few weeks back, I attended a fashion swap at the home of a friend of mine. I wondered why we didn't have these events more often as they are easy to organise, are a great way to meet up with old friends meet new people, have some good food and drinks and most important - keep those clothes in the system and have you looking your fashionable best.

It’s estimated in Canada that we have 7kg per capita worth of textiles in our landfills. Clothing make up over 4% of the landfills’ total. It takes a great deal of fuel, water and energy to manufacture clothing. According to a British government information page, people there purchase 2 million tonnes of clothing each year and 3.1 million tonnes of carbon emissions result from the manufacture of these items. Many synthetic fabrics are difficult to break down once they are disposed and the manufacturing can involve harmful chemicals. UK-based Continental Clothing announced earlier this year they will be the first in the world to place “carbon footprint labels” in their items. It sounds a good direction for the clothing industry and hopefully, this will become the norm in the years to come. And if we can keep more existing clothing in use, we will have cut down greatly the impact we have on the earth and its resources.
Onto the fun. A fashion swap party can be extravagant or simple. The choice is up to you. Get the host to cook, do a pot-luck or order out. If you want to splurge, call in a caterer who specialises in local organic foods. Add some nice brew if it's an adult affair (There are many local beers and wines that taste great to liven up the occasion).
Lay out the clothes and have everyone go round examining the wares. Make it a free-for-all; a case of it fits, take it. Or be creative and let avarice be positive. If there’s a pair of the season’s latest Jimmy Choos in mint condition and everyone is eyeing it, make it an auction item with proceeds going to a charity of the buyer’s choice.
And if you don't find anything your style or size, who cares. Take the unclaimed clothing to your favourite charity shops. These items will then either be purchased locally with proceeds going to the charities or be shipped to developing countries (where second-hand clothing is the only attire most can afford).
My friend’s swap evening was a wonderfully cosey and friendly affair with generous portions of her home-made eats (with the most popular being the baked confectionaries and home-made bread), good conversation and a fair quantity of drink going well into the night. Friends and co-workers chatted about the bad boss, new acquaintances were made and most of us went home with something “new” for the wardrobe.
The outcome is that everyone has a nice evening, save some money and do their little bit to ease the burden we create on our planet through our fashion habits.

How much water am I really worth?

I was sitting in a nice little coffee shop yesterday drinking my decaf. I was reminded of the "water footprint" and thought how much water was used/wasted in making this little luxury item - from seed in the ground to my afternoon cuppa.

It turns out 140 litres of water is required to cultivate the beans, water the bean plants, process and brew a cup of coffee. So multiplied by the number of coffees per week, month, year and you get a lot of water for a little bit of brown caffeine infusion.

There is an excellent website by the Water Footprint Network . You’ll find in graphic form how much water it takes to produce common items – such as meat and coffee – that we take for granted. There is also a Water Footprint Calculator that you can tinker around with by imputing various aspects of your consumption habits to get an estimate. I played a bit with the calculator and found – a bit to my surprise – that a great bulk of my water consumption came from meat even though I thought I had a relatively low-meat and balanced diet. Globally, the world uses 200m litres of water each second to grow its food. When you think about it, the numbers seem astounding.

I am not one for guilt complexes or extreme deprivations. It’s nice to have the little luxuries and treats but it’s really worth thinking and reminding ourselves that there is a water cost to everything and this water doesn’t come out of thin air.

The jaunt starts

YES! This is my inaugural piece. Thank you for joining me and I'm glad to make our acquaintance as you are probably someone interested in ocean sustainability and are a keen water-activities pursuer. Hopefully, we’re part of a much bigger and rapidly growing band.

I'm on this jaunt as I have realised over my years working in both the corporate and non-profit fields that sustainability and good practice in our sporting lives and daily lives is crucial. Having worked in diversity and human rights, I know that respect for the physical environment goes hand in hand with respect for human dignity and the right for people everywhere to have control over their lives.

Furthermore, having worked in the scuba diving business for a few years and enjoyed diving all over the world, I know that those who come into close contact with the ocean environment are those who want to protect and preserve that environment. Getting an entry level certification (with the mandatory textbook reading on the "good diving practice" chapter) is only a start. I know that for myself, I have viewed ocean environments and marine life in a completely new light since I started venturing underwater and the nice by-product of this "hobby" is that the education process never ends. Every day, there's something I find interesting about marine environments and what we do to it (and unfortunately, the news is often bad).

The good news is, the notion of sustainability and good practices is very much mainstream today. I can recall, in the 90s, those bandying such phrases as green, eco-friendly, and sustainable were often dismissed as cranks and hippies who never got off the trip. Now, those cranks are well inside the tent.

So I hope Sea Forever will be seen and enjoyed by many – from scuba diving enthusiasts and those interested in getting involved in ocean pursuits to those with an interest in all things to do with sea, land and responsible living. My objective for this blog is to be a mix of informative, interesting and useful reads for those interested in exploring the issues but more than that, I hope it'll be a fun and entertaining stop.