Jane Maddocks introduces guest columnist Kerry MacKay of the GRAB Trust , who will set out how divers can contribute directly to environmental protection
ENVIRONMENT
Taking it further
Towards a pollution solution
Jane Maddocks introduces guest columnist Kerry MacKay of the GRAB Trust , who will set out how divers can contribute directly to environmental protection
Healthy seas are important to us as members of BSAC . Sewage dumping in rivers and seas directly affects marine life , and our diving . Microplastics are everywhere , and we seem challenged by some of the ways we need to change our behaviour if we are to slow down climate change in a meaningful way . With a background in archaeology , I know that sea level rise is not new . I dive on drowned landscapes regularly , after all . What is different is the level of pollution of our rivers and oceans . My own expertise does not lie in this field , but I know a diver who has practical experience in bringing simple pollution-solutions to a wide range of individuals . Here , I ask Kerry MacKay to introduce herself in this column .
What do we need do to help keep our beautiful oceans clean ? You ’ ll be relieved to know that you probably already do several things that help .
My name is Kerry MacKay and I ’ m going to be sharing my top tips for how we can reduce our impact on the marine environment . I ’ ll look at a different marine pollution issue for each of my columns and give ideas about what we can do to improve the situation .
So , who am I to tell you this ? In my day job , I work as a Beaches and Marine Litter Project Education Officer for a small charity in Scotland called The GRAB Trust . I work with local schools and community groups to support beach cleans and litter picks . We encourage people to undertake Marine Conservation Society Beachwatch surveys .
Kerry MacKay enjoying beach life
I also create and host a range of fun and educational workshops on the topic of reducing waste to try to instill environmentally responsible behaviour in our society . Workshops range from a story set under the sea for a nursery , to role-playing as the leader of a country at a COP climate summit .
Although we are only funded to cover Argyll and Bute in person , we have a bunch of fun videos and downloadable workbooks freely available . So if you , or a young explorer you know , is looking for something exciting to do , search for us on YouTube , “ The GRAB Trust - Reducing Waste ”. This is also ideal for activities if the diving is blown out .
Like you , I ’ m a BSAC diver . I love diving and did my very first try dive over 10 years ago . I ’ ve worked my way up the BSAC ladder to Advanced Diver and I am due to sit my Advanced Instructor Course and Exams later this year . I dive in Scotland all year round and
90 % of my diving has been here in the
UK . I love doing Seasearch dives , playing with my camera , teaching , cleaning up litter I find , and of course , nudibranch hunting .
Throughout my small-scale pollution-solution reports , we will explore the tiny particles involved right up to the global scale of problems . My background in Ecology will help us explore this vast and complex web of interactions and hopefully allow us to untangle some of the knots our lifestyles of convenience are creating .
I am certainly not an expert in any one of the fields of marine pollution that we will be discussing , and this is a rapidly changing world with exciting new technology emerging every day . But I hope you will join in this journey of discovery so we can all make our lives that little bit better , for us and the planet .
So , I look forward to sharing all sorts of pollution-busting tips over the coming months . If there is a particular topic you ’ d like me to discuss and provide tips on , then please write to the Editor at simon @ scubamagazine . co . uk
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