UKDIVING
Emma James , BSAC Council
A life-size , recyclable sperm whale
Selkie moment
Extinction Rebellion at 10 Downing Street Poo protester
Trout mask replica
On the Albert Embankment Rebecca Oliver of Clidive with nudi
pressing conversation if large amounts of sewage continue to enter our rivers in the approach to the next general election . Star speaker at the rally was BBC presenter Chris Packham , a hero among conservationists for his determination to speak out on environmental and animal welfare issues . He criticised October ’ s Budget for not mentioning nature , and warned that people want to see more rapid action on water pollution .
“ This is very much a time when we want to see our politicians putting planet first and understanding that this is a long-term investment that ’ s required to recover these
ecosystems and it needs to go in place now ,” he said .
What effect can a one-off protest have ? Steve Reed , the Environment , Food and Rural Affairs Secretary has said he shares the public ’ s anger and claims to have taken immediate action to start tackling what he calls the “ pollution scandal ”. The industry regulator Ofwat has promised that water companies will be held to account for past failings ; it has recently opened an enforcement action against the wastewater companies .
Mary Tetley , BSAC ’ s CEO , thanked the members who attended , adding that
water companies must be held to account for their shortcomings . “ Water pollution is impacting on all our lives , as well as marine life ,” she said . “ There are times when we can ’ t enter the water in certain locations around our coast , because it is actually deemed to be unsafe due to sewage discharge . And we are just visitors to the water – we are lucky we don ’ t have to live in it . Ultimately we need to ensure that real change comes into effect , and the March for Clean Water is just a start , a way of letting the government and the water companies know that we expect progress on this issue .” �
Marching past Parliament BSAC ’ s Julia Branagan
BSAC HQ contingent River goddess blessing
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