Conservation
The ocean is our most important resource. It provides us with half the Earth’s oxygen, regulates the planet’s temperature, and is a major source of food. Not to mention that hundreds of jobs are related to ocean activities and it is a great place to relax and have fun!
As scuba divers we see firsthand the impacts of pollution and irresponsible human behavior. Nothing is more disheartening than seeing trash in the ocean, dead reefs, and sick fish. Areas that once were colorful and full of life are now underwater deserts. The most influential ambassadors for protecting our oceans and waterways are scuba divers because of what we have personally seen.
What are some basic steps you can take today?
- Pickup trash at the beach and in the water. Don’t limit yourself to just your trash, if you see someone else’s blowing in the wind or floating in the water, pick it up!
- Use reef safe sunscreen. Many commercial sunscreens contain chemicals that are harmful to coral and marine life. Look for sunscreen that is reef safe and don’t contain chemicals like oxybenzone or octinoxate.
- Reduce use of plastics. So much of what we use today is plastic. It is cheap and lightweight which makes it practical. However, plastic can take up to 500 years to decompose and often ends up in our waterways. Ask any diver and they no doubt frequently encounter water bottles, shopping bags, and plastic caps. Do your part by utilizing reusable bottles and shopping bags whenever possible. Every little bit matters!
Contact us to learn more about our marine conservation projects and how you can help!
Sandhills Scuba is dedicated to doing our part in cleaning up our most valuable resource thru education and action. We seek to improve awareness with training such as PADI’s Project AWARE Specialty course [hyperlink to course], Coral Reef Conservation course, and Dive Against Debris Specialty course [hyperlink].
In addition to education, we take action with marine trash pickup projects, participation in invasive species programs, reef restoration, and fish count surveys. We also donate a portion of our revenue to marine conservation organizations.
