1. WHY IS CONSERVING AND PROTECTION THE OCEANS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
The oceans are awesome, home to millions of Earth's plants and animals! Spending as much time out in mother nature and feeling its force makes me extremely happy, whether that’s attempting to surf waves or exploring the off-piste terrain snowboarding with friends, I always return home feeling refreshed and super hyped. We recently had a daughter which only reinforced in me the urgency to preserve the oceans, mountains and forests for future generations, the reality is our children will not survive if we don’t all act now, scary huh!
I have seen first-hand the effects of climate change teaching snowboarding around the world, the seasons are getting shorter, and the glaciers are melting. The scientists have all the data and evidence to back this up, look at the mass coral bleaching in the great barrier reef, it’s dying fast!
2. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT IS BETTER FOR THE OCEANS?
We do all the usual things; recycle, use re-useable coffee flasks and water bottles to reduce our plastic waste, checking labels and doing our research to see if fish is caught sustainably. If we go for a surf or walk along the beach, if we see litter, we will be sure to pick it up and find the nearest bin or take it home. They may seem like small simple actions, but we all need to do our little bit as one by one it all adds up to saving the bigger picture.
I work as the lead creative designer, part of the WWF-UK brand and wider strategic communications team, our team champion creativity and good design to engage new and existing supporters in the fight for our oceans. At the beginning of the year, we teamed up with Sky for ‘The Ocean Hero Campaign’ enabling everyone, no matter who - to take actions for ocean recovery in their own lives and to call on the government to take ambitious action too.
More recently I had a lot of fun creating the art direction and identity for the ‘Walrus from Space’ campaign that received great media coverage. The artic ocean is becoming more acidic as it absorbs carbon dioxide, in turn this is messing up the eco-system for Atlantic and Laptev walrus. We are calling for the public to help contribute to conservation science by spending as little as thirty minutes searching for walrus in thousands of satellite images taken from space, so get involved!
3. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE SURFING INDUSTRY SPECIFICALLY CAN BE DOING TO SUPPORT THE HEALTH OF THE OCEANS?
As well as being mindful of our carbon footprint and making businesses sustainable. Surf companies can use their brand presence to share content and educate audiences into making better choices for our oceans. It’s essential that we all come together to lobby the government, without them making laws big businesses will continue to put profit over our oceans and planet. We have less than 10 years to bend the curve on climate change, the turning point for our ocean, or we risk destroying them. We need the Government to not only commit to a 10-year strategy, but to keep the promises they have made that will halt the devastating decline of ocean health, maximise the potential of the ocean as a climate hero and set our ocean on the path to recovery.
4. CAN YOU RECOMMEND ANY BOOKS, BRANDS, ORGANISATIONS OR PEOPLE OUR FOLLOWERS SHOULD CHECK OUT FOR INSPIRATION?
Yes, Rapanui the circular fashion clothing brand have a super sustainable business model and great designs too! I will wear clothes with holes in that have lost their shape, which I think embarrasses my partner as she often says I look super scruffy. I’ll argue of course that I’m helping to save our planet by not enabling fast fashion until the garment falls off me. Rapanui encourage you to send their products back to them and will cover the postage in the UK. They’ll then recover and remanufacture the material into a new product and reward you with a discount for your next purchase. Everyone’s a winner, my partner included.
Check out Surfers Against Sewage, they are doing some great work with organised beach cleans and lobbying of the UK government to end sewage pollution. Not forgetting WWF of course! You can follow us on all the usual social media channels to learn more about the work we do as a charity fighting to save our one shared home.
ANY FINAL MESSAGE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?
Love your planet or it won’t love you back!