The first time I felt the water wrap around me, I knew I had found something special.
It was a crisp morning when I approached the Ocean, the sun barely peeking over the horizon, casting a golden hue over everything it touched. I had always loved waterโits ebb and flow, the way it seemed to have a life of its ownโbut that day was different.
As I slid into the Ocean, the cool water enveloped my body, instantly washing away the heaviness that clung to me like a second skin. The weight of my disability, the constant ache in my joints, and the ever-present strain of daily life seemed to dissolve, leaving only the sensation of being cradled by the gentle waves.
Despite my inability to swim, I felt a profound sense of autonomy in the water.
I could maneuver myself, floating with the gentle currents that brushed against me, guiding me wherever they wished. I had often felt confined to my wheelchair, limited in movement and opportunities, but here, I was liberated. I was in control of my own body in a way I hadnโt experienced on land. Each push and pull of the water felt like a dance, a rhythm that allowed me to glide, sway, and spin in a graceful ballet, even if I wasnโt swimming in the traditional sense.
Floating on my back, I gazed up at the sky, the clouds shifting and morphing into fantastical shapes. It felt as if the Ocean was whispering to me, reminding me of a freedom I often forgot existed. Each ripple that passed over me was like a hand brushing away my worries, the pressure in my body gradually releasing with every gentle movement of the water.
It reminded me of the hydrotherapy sessions Iโd attended, where the water was meant to heal, yet those moments had always been tinged with the stinging scent of chlorine and the sounds of shouting voices. Here, those distractions were removed. The Ocean was pure and unadulterated, a sanctuary where I could truly appreciate water in the way it had been intendedโsoft, soothing, and enveloping. There was no urgency, no pressure to perform or meet expectations; just the serene rhythm of nature and my own breathing.
I took a deep breath and sank beneath the surface, feeling the coolness surround me like a protective cloak.
In the quiet depths, I found a serenity I craved. It was just me and the water, the world above muted and distant. I closed my eyes and listened to the soft thrumming of my heartbeat, the rhythm syncing with the gentle lapping of waves against my skin. In those moments, I was no longer defined by my disability; I was simply a part of the Ocean, a drop in an endless sea.
With each visit, the Ocean became my sanctuary.
I would return time and again, ready to release the pressures of the outside world. The water was more than a refuge; it was a partner in my journey, granting me a sense of autonomy that I struggled to find on land. I could move freely, guided by the water’s embrace, discovering the possibilities that lay within me. It taught me that sometimes, to find solace, I simply needed to surrender to the flow.
Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Phoebe!
Coconut for the Sea: What an Ancient Tradition Teaches Us About Ocean Conservationย
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โAs we offer the sea our prayers and coconuts, we remember our bond with her, for she gives and we take, a balance we strive to keep.โ
– Poonam Keni from Koli Community, Ratnagiri, India
My journey with Ocean conservation has been a winding road, and perhaps its most meaningful turn happened not with science or activism, but through tradition. Specifically, by witnessing the age-old festival of Narali Purnima with the Koli fishing community in Mumbai.
This festival, dedicated to Varuna, the god of the Ocean, is a humble, and powerful expression of respect for the sea, its drama, and its bounty.
Growing up, my approach to Ocean conservation was straightforward: remove waste, reduce damage, respect marine life.
But stepping into the celebrations of Narali Purnima added layers of understanding I hadnโt anticipated. Narali Purnima, observed each year as the monsoon season draws to a close, signals the beginning of the Koliโs fishing season.
The festivalโs name is derived from โnaral,โ or coconut, which the community offers to the Ocean in gratitude and as a request for safety. To the people, this is more than a custom, it is a reminder of their dependence on the sea and an annual reaffirmation of their respect for it.
The scene is one of breathtaking beauty. Women wear vibrant saris and adorn boats with garlands of marigolds and coconuts. There is an aarti (prayer) ceremony for Lord Varuna, asking for his blessings over the waters. The coconut here represents both the past season and the promise of a new one, while it gently floats off the seaโs surface.
The atmosphere hums with reverence as the community gathers, each person carrying an awareness that they are not just taking from the sea, but exchanging, returning, and showing their respect for the Oceanโs endless generosity.
But itโs not just about the visual splendour, Narali Purnima is timed to respect the seaโs cycles.
For centuries, the Koli people have refrained from fishing during the monsoons, allowing the fish populations to replenish undisturbed. Itโs an act of sustainability practiced long before modern conservation came into existence.
As I observed this, it struck me: the festival is more than ritual. Itโs a reflection of the communityโs ancient understanding of balance, a balance that the rest of the world is only beginning to fully recognise.
At its core, Narali Purnima is about living harmoniously with the Ocean. Watching this tradition, I felt that conservation is not just about imposing limits and strategies but also about adopting an attitude of mutual respect. The Kolis donโt see themselves as separate from the Ocean; rather, they see their lives intertwined into its cycles.
It was in this moment that I truly understood conservation is a matter of listening, of respecting the wisdom that traditions carry and remembering that communities like the Koli have honoured these principles for generations.
As I continue my work in Ocean conservation, I now carry the spirit of Narali Purnima with me.
Itโs a lesson in humility and respect. Itโs a reminder that protecting the Ocean is a shared responsibility, and one that must honour both the science and the cultural wisdom surrounding us. The Ocean, after all, sustains not only marine life but also the human lives bound to it through tradition, sustenance, and spirit. And for that, the least we can do is offer a humble coconut in gratitude.
As I reflect on the lessons of Narali Purnima, I am reminded that conservation is more than an act; itโs a lifelong bond of respect and gratitude. The Koli communityโs traditions teach us that the Oceanโs well-being is intertwined with our own, urging us to protect its abundance for future generations.
โThe sea is our motherโshe gives us life, and we must care for her as she cares for us.โ – Koli Proverb
In every season and every offering, the Kolis remind us that true conservation is about honouring this relationship, ensuring that the Ocean can sustain and nurture us all.
Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Ajay!
Ajay Sawant is an award-winning Ocean-climate communicator and EE 30 Under 30 honoree. He works as the President at ThinkOcean Society and is the High Seas Youth Ambassador for Asia (India). He is also the founder of Generation Artivism.
Can traditions become Ocean-friendly? The story of Thailandโs Loy Krathong Festival
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Our Ocean, rivers, lakes, canals and other bodies of water have provided us with so much for centuries.
They sustain ecosystems, support livelihoods and offer vital resources. Itโs no wonder that they are appreciated and celebrated worldwide.
In Thailand, a full moon night in November, during the Loy Krathong Festival, is dedicated to worshiping the goddess of water.
The Loy Krathong Festival involves floating a โkrathongโ (a small floating lantern). This is an act of paying gratitude to the goddess that personifies all bodies of water and apologising to her for polluting the waterways.
Each year, I celebrate Loy Krathong dressed in my traditional Thai dress, making the krathongs and sometimes teaching younger students to do the same. Iโve floated them in a river, swimming pool, pond and even virtually with my school class through a website.
Photo credit: Natthanicha Luengvoraphan
This tradition has been ongoing since the 14th century and with a growing population, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) reported collecting 640,000 krathongs in 2023. With this vast amount, the environmental damage to the waterways cannot be overlooked.
The materials krathongs are made of make a huge difference.
Traditionally krathongs are made using a banana tree trunk, banana leaves, flowers, and candles. In the past, plastic and styrofoam were popular materials but since have reduced in numbers due to awareness of their adverse environmental impacts.ย ย
Materials that do not decompose have numerous impacts on wildlife, human health and economic costs. Aquatic animals can mistakenly ingest these materials or become entangled in them, leading to injuries. Microplastics and chemical leaching can lead to health issues from making their way up to the food chain.
The economic repercussions include the expense of clean-up efforts and the impact on tourism. Polluted waterways could reduce the appeal of natural sites, potentially deterring and disappointing tourists.ย
Recently, bread krathongs appeared with the idea that they would leave no waste, as fish would consume them. However, when excessive amounts of bread krathongs were floated, they ended up rotting as not all the bread was consumed. Since then, there has been an increase in the range of feasible creative alternatives.ย
How is the tradition of the Loy Krathong Festival becoming more sustainable?
BMA reports that 96.75% of the krathongs were made with environmentally friendly materials in 2023, a 1.05% increase from the previous year. In recent years, there has been a huge experimentation of materials people have brought to celebrate with. Some examples include ice, coconut shell, and cassava which take a short time to disintegrate.
Technology and innovation can be used to our advantage in allowing people to participate in events like Loy Krathong Festival without physically floating krathongs to reduce environmental impact.
In 2023, a technology known as projection mapping allowed visitors to doodle their krathong design on paper. These were then projected onto a river in Bangkok where 3,000 digital krathongs were floated. There are also multiple online platforms where people can write out their wishes and watch an animated krathong float across the screen within the comfort of their own homes.
For those who still want to continue the tradition in its original form, people are embracing the practice of floating one krathong per family or group of friends to reduce the number of krathongs that need to be collected.
Experimentation and exchange of ideas can create a ripple effect, leading to more impactful solutions that enable more people to help continue tradition responsibly while enjoying it in new and innovative ways.
Seeing how tradition and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand is encouraging to witness. Itโs inspiring to see how people are becoming aware of their environmental impact, striving for greater sustainability through creativity and innovation.
This is just one example of a tradition that demonstrates how cultural practices can adapt to modern environmental challenges. As we continue to innovate and integrate sustainability into various customs, it is clear that we hold power and capability in honoring both heritage and the health of our Ocean.
Photo credit: Natthanicha Luengvoraphan
Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Ferra!
Ferra, from Thailand, is a certified island girl with a deep love for the beach. She believes in everyone's power to care for our planet and hopes to inspire action through her story.
The power of water and the science of passive coolingย
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When interests collide: My love of water and fascination with ancient architecture.ย
I have always been fascinated by, and attracted to, water.
My parents would vouch for the fact that I immediately seek out the nearest body of water whenever we have the opportunity to travel… whether that be the warm Caribbean Sea, the stunning beaches of the Hamptons, or the cold glacial lake water in the Adirondacks in Upstate New York. And as a child, they could never get me out of the bathtub!
My natural curiosity and desire to learn has led me to study various subjects of interest in STEM disciplines, and through my university studies I have discovered a genuine passion for ancient architecture and the associated technology and building techniques.ย
Iโm a huge fan of interdisciplinary research (i.e. combining strategies and information from across disciplines), which leads me to introduce an unlikely connection to our Ocean, or more correctly water, that I discovered while researching the “Scirocco rooms” of Sicily, Italy.
How water was used to cool scirocco rooms hundreds of years ago.ย
The “scirocco rooms” are not rooms in the commonly understood sense, but rather man-made, underground caves. From the art historical perspective, they are important social gathering spaces.
Scirocco rooms were mainly constructed and used in the city of Palermo and rely on ancient technology to facilitate passive cooling.ย
During the summer, the dry and sandy Scirocco Winds from the Sahara Desert in Africa blow across to Sicily and send temperatures skyrocketing … to upwards of 40ยฐC! Hence the need for a naturally cooled space, especially before the invention of air conditioning. These “rooms” were lavishly decorated in the 16-19th centuries and used as an escape from the sweltering heat of the summer months.
What is passive cooling anyway?
It is the process of naturally cooling the air flowing through a space without the use of external power or energy. So, the natural cooling properties of convection currents, properties that are hugely amplified in the presence of water, created a comfortably cooled space.ย
Views of the tunnel leading to the scirocco room. On the left is the base of the โwind-towerโ and on the right is the qanat (Arabic for โcanalโ), covered today. Image credit: Saeli, Manfredi and Enrico, 2022. “La Camera Dello Scirocco Di Villa Naselli di Gela A Palermo.” La Camera Dello Scirocco – Periodico di Arte Cultura e Societร .
How passive cooling works in a scirocco room:ย
Water flows from a natural spring across the terrain of Palermo to the scirocco room. Amazingly, the clay terrain naturally filters the water, and when it arrives in homes, farms or scirocco rooms it is sparkling clean!ย
The natural course of the water (flowing entirely due to gravity) is diverted into scirocco rooms through man-made canals designed after the Ancient Persian structure called qanat (process explained later in diagram). ย
The flow of convection currents is enhanced by the evaporation of the water in the canals, cooling the air more and at a faster rate. Itโs like when you hop out of the pool in cool weather, you are instantly shivering.ย
The water is also directed to fountains, pools, and artificial waterfalls. This not only created a pleasant atmosphere aesthetically in scirocco rooms but also made it comfortably cooler for guests.ย
So, we can see that the power of water, found everywhere around us and flowing naturally through all sorts of terrain, can be used as a sustainable cooling mechanism, thanks to the natural principles of physics.ย ย
The Ancient Persian technology used to cool scirocco rooms includes qanat (the Arabic word for ‘canal’), to divert water, and “wind-towers”. The “wind-towers” act as the main point of hot air expulsion. These two features are still widespread and regularly used in the Middle East, such as in the city of Yazd in Iran.ย
Take a look at the diagrams below to see how these “wind-towers” work and how they amplify the convection currents.ย
Hereโs what I would like you, dear reader, to take away from my exploration:ย
By sharing my research through various formats, including now through this Wavemaker Story, I would like to encourage all readers to uncover any and all of the wonderful and exciting connections to our Ocean… however unlikely and niche they may seem… and share this with those around you, because you never know how, or who you may inspire.
I discovered the amazing power of water in a completely un-STEM-related context. I was able to dive deep into the history and science of the use of water in architecture and find that water tied generations of Sicilians together through this architecture.
Our Ocean, and water specifically, hold great potential for ecological and sustainable solutions to current pressing issues as in the case of passive cooling. Our ancestors knew this quite well and I believe there is much to learn from pre-industrial societies.
Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Sana!
Sana has always loved being in the water, although the Ocean was somewhat daunting. However, once she learned a bit more about deep sea creatures and the mechanisms behind hydraulic energy, the Ocean became a great fascination! She is pursuing master's studies at the University of Cambridge (U.K.) and researching the interconnection between the power of water and it's importance to the visual culture of early-modern (16-18th centuries) Europe.
Green tourism and Thailand’s unexpected wildlife revival
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Being well into summer, tourism in Thailand is at its very peak again.
It may not be obvious but the beaches that you see today have undergone a significant recovery during the pandemic. Many called it a miracle in disguise. It was a turning point that allowed for a more sustainable path forward to emerge.
To understand why, let’s go back in time.
During the pandemic, I took part in a beach clean-up as a high school community service project. When I arrived, I could see that all the beaches were empty, and it was unusual to see them without people as I have always linked the two together.
However, it was peaceful.
There was a lot less litter than I remember from my visit a few years ago, where there was trash every 5 meters along the coast and floating in the sea. I felt relieved for the Ocean and its community โ this was probably the first break it had in a long time.
Photo by Ferra, a Wavemaker
In the south of Thailand, numerous sea creatures such as fish, sharks, turtles and dugongs made unexpected appearances.
There were multiple news reports of localsโ observations of sea life, indicating that there has been a promising recovery of the marine ecosystem. I even saw my first shark in the Ocean at Maya Bay in 2023, a clear and unforgettable sign I witnessed firsthand.
But it wasn’t always like this.
As often happens, many of the following problems occur because of us, and our impact.ย
Pollution can arise from littering, air emissions, noise, or oil and chemicals. The most prominent is litter, ingested by marine animals or accumulating in Ocean gyres. Microplastics are another significant threat which cause toxic chemicals and disrupt food chains.ย ย ย
In the Mediterranean Sea, marine litter accumulates 4.7 x faster during the high tourist season.ย This mostly happens due to too much waste, from lack of resources, food waste and unfamiliarity with waste systems.ย
Anchoring and other marine activities damage corals and other marine environments such as seagrass beds. Anchors can impact 7.11% of the coral at popular sites every year. This has severe repercussions as corals are one of the slowest growing creatures โ massive ones grow merely 0.3 to 2 cm per year. ย
Photo by Ferra, a Wavemaker
How did this crisis turn into opportunity?
With the absence of tourists during the lockdown, conservationists seized the opportunity by repairing 30,000 fragments of coral in Maya Bay, Ko Phi Phi Lee; collecting rubbish and cleaning the beach.
Moving forward, there will be rules such as limiting the number of tourists per day at popular tourist sites such as Maya Bay, Similan islands and Koh Tachai. Additionally, closing off the island at certain points of the year and increasing the strictness of regulations to move towards a sustainable future.
Photo by Ferra, a Wavemaker
What is green tourism?
Green tourism is a more responsible way of travelling. It means being mindful of the destinationโs natural resources and the local community to minimise our environmental impact.
Nowadays, hotels are being more sustainable by eliminating single use amenities and promoting the re-use of products. When travelling, itโs up to us, too, to make a positive impact.
Here are a few tips to be more sustainable when travelling:
Support local businesses & communities
Bring your own refillable water bottle (if there are no refillable stations, I often ask nearby stores/restaurants which may have large containers of water)
Consider traveling during off-peak season
Take public transport, walk or cycle
Stay on path and avoid interacting with wildlife
Avoid collecting seashells and sand
Do your own research on how you can minimise your impact at the destination you plan on visiting
After seeing the Ocean come back to life, I felt hopeful that we can indeed restore its health.
With green tourism, we can reduce our ecological footprint and make sure that the breathtaking destinations will be there for us and future generations to cherish. I believe that the Ocean and people can thrive together, but for that to last, we must appreciate and take care of it.
Cover photo by Prinn Vajrabhaya
Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Ferra!
Ferra, from Thailand, is a certified island girl with a deep love for the beach. She believes in everyone's power to care for our planet and hopes to inspire action through her story.
Individual actions can change the world: Noah finds a forest in the sea
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Empowered by our Wavemaker workshop, Dala has illustrated a storybook about how our actions can change the world; we canโt wait for you to read it.
We ran a competition around creativity and sustainability at the Arts University Bournemouth, UK. The Green Futures project challenged students to attend our Wavemaker Workshop, learn why the Ocean is so important, and our role in safeguarding it, and submit an artwork in response.
We received 12 artworks โ Dalaโs book being one of them โ answering the question โWhat changes would you like to see to ensure an Ocean positive future?โ
Often, the Ocean is thought to be impossibly deep and limitless.
The Ocean is vast, but it has its limits. For decades, we have used the Ocean as a dumping ground, without considering the impact of our actions.
Dalaโs story, written for children, explores the moment when someone comes along and says โHey, this isnโt right. We need to do better.โ
These actions can change the world.
They can inspire others to rethink their own choices and make better ones, too.
Dala, a Wavemaker from the Arts University Bournemouth, chose a unique way of delivering a powerful message about imperfect environmentalism.
His book addresses cultural and global issues, aiming to make the world better.โฏ
The illustrated childrenโs book, โNoah finds a forest in the seaโ tells the story of Noah, a small girl, whose dream is to see the Ocean.
But when Noah gets there, she discovers that the beach isnโt quite like as she had imagined.
We wonโt spoil the story for you โ youโll have to read Dalaโs book, below, to enjoy it โ but weโll remind you: Little actions, multiplied by millions of people, have the power to change the world. In this book, but in real life, too.
The inspiration for this story struck Dala five years ago while he was sitting on the beach, enjoying the beauty of the Ocean.
He observed a little girl collecting empty bottles around her, and her act of kindness stayed with him long after.
Back then, Dala made a promise to himself to create the book someday. He says โI firmly believe that when you make a promise, the universe conspires to help you fulfil it. I could never have imagined that I would end up studying at an art school and illustrating this book.โ
Dala (Minh Hieu Nguyen), a Wavemaker, specialises in narrative and packaging illustrations. Through his illustrations, he addresses cultural and global issues, aiming to make the world better. He was born and raised in a beach town, and his whole childhood was filled with kites, waves, and sand.
Citizen science: Monitoring the turtles of the Red Sea
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The Red Sea is a storied body of water that many have heard of, but few are familiar with.
Its history will bring up names like Hatshepsut and Moses, and its present is fraught with tales of piracy and political unrest.
But thereโs another side to the Red Sea. As the most northern tropical sea, it boasts an incredible biodiversity that makes it both stunningly beautiful and ecologically vital.
I had the pleasure of spending two weeks with TurtleWatch Egypt 2.0, an organisation dedicated to monitoring the endangered sea turtle populations of Egyptโs Red Sea coast.
They launched as an initiative in 2011, and registered as an NGO in 2022. I was curious to learn more about marine conservation in my home country. To my luck, TurtleWatch was the perfect place to start.
Photo by Raimond Clavins
Based in the small town of Marsa Alam, their day-to-day work may be a dream for many thalassophiles.
Mornings are spent diving in bays rich with seagrass and corals, snapping photos of sea turtles and measuring data like shell length and water temperature.
Of course, their work has less idyllic parts too. Never-ending paperwork, grant applications, and database updates are just as important to the organisationโs functioning.
Photo by Micol Montagna
Thereโs one other thing that makes TurtleWatch especially unique: citizen science.
They were the first initiative in Egypt aimed at involving divers and snorkelers in marine conservation research.
How? By allowing visitors to the Red Sea to upload their own sightings and pictures of sea turtles, TurtleWatch taps into the potential of everyday people to contribute as citizen scientists.
These contributions help TurtleWatch identify important feeding and gathering sites for sea turtles, and better understand their movements and short-term migrations. It also helps them assess the impacts people have on these endangered animals.
They use this information to not only improve conservation and protection efforts, but to organise training sessions for dive centres and deliver โturtle talksโ to young children, students, and tourists.
Photo by Micol Montagna
Citizen science is not a new concept.
It has been used around the world to classify galaxies and track illegal fishing. But in a place like the Red Sea, which is understudied and where data is insufficient, TurtleWatch has managed to greatly extend their eyes and ears beyond their local vicinity.
Sightings come from all over the coast, and in 2023 they received over 1000 sightings.
It makes perfect sense: Egyptโs Red Sea coast is filled with towns and resorts buzzing with snorkelers and divers, so why not involve them in the effort to protect the very marine life theyโve come here to enjoy?
As with everywhere else, the Red Sea hasnโt escaped the destructive impacts of people on the natural world.
Coastal development and tourism are polluting the marine environment and leaving physical scars, while warming waters and acidification are harming the Red Seaโs ability to withstand changes.
The good news is that corals in the Red Sea are some of the most resilient on the planet and could help us protect other corals reefs in the future.
But before thatโs possible, we will need better regulations and more marine protected areas to safeguard the Red Sea.
Organisations like TurtleWatchโwith the aid of citizen scienceโare doing their part to provide much-needed data and help protect this beautiful sea for future generations.
Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Serag!
Disclaimer:ย Ocean Generation has no official affiliation with TurtleWatch. Mention of or reference to TurtleWatch is not an endorsement or sponsorship by Ocean Generation. The views, opinions, and activities of TurtleWatch are independent of Ocean Generation.
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Serag Heiba
Serag is an Ocean advocate and storyteller from Alexandria, Egypt. He recently graduated university in Hong Kong where he studied environmental engineering, and is now working on a magazine about the Red Sea. You can find more of his past work on LinkedIn.
The art of not drifting apart: life lessons from sea ottersย
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I took pride in my stubbornness as a young child. My family can attest to this.
For many years I used to make a point of objecting whenever museums or art exhibitions were suggested as โfunโ family activities.
Wandering around such places for hours on end did not exactly line up with my vision of crafting mud pies in the garden to serve to my siblings.
My exception to this rule was the Seattle Aquarium. Seattle Waterfrontโs Pier 59 is home to habitats with names like Life on the Edge, Crashing Waves, and Window on Washington Waters, showcasing the vast diversity of life in the Ocean.
To this day this aquarium remains an established part of the itinerary whenever Iโm in Seattle.
Two current aquarium inhabitants are particularly special to me. Mishka and Sekiu are sea otters who I could watch for hours as they effortlessly glide through the water and playfully twist and turn and bump into each other.
I have a soft spot for this species because it was a sea otter poster that first persuaded me to break my previously steadfast no โfunโ family activities rule and step foot in the aquarium.
โWe hold hands in our sleep, so we never drift apartโ.
These were the words written on that poster. I learnt that this phrase describes the way some sea otters have been observed to hold each otherโs paws while resting in a group (called a โraftโ).
Since that first aquarium visit, I have gone on to pursue a degree in biology. My days are now filled with learning about the pressing challenges of global biodiversity loss and climate change, alongside uplifting stories of conservation success and awesome cutting-edge research.
One of my friends asked me recently if I had to choose one takeaway from my degree to share with others, what would it be? Given the breadth of the field of biology I took some time to think about it.
โWe hold hands in our sleep, so we never drift apartโ
I read these words again, this time printed on a Seattle Aquarium magnet, and now have an answer for her.
As a species, humans have picked up a habit of drifting apart from nature.
Societies across the world have grown, developed, and flourished. But societal complexity has historically come at the cost of increased disconnect from the wild.
Take a moment to consider where the food that you consume comes from. The journey the coffee beans took to give you that morning brew. The origin of the materials in the clothes that you wear.
Nature provides these resources that fuel our lives.
Yet for many products, disconnect from nature is a goal. After all, meat encased in neat plastic packaging is more comfortable to consume than the reminder of its origin in nature.
Humans benefit from the natural biological, chemical, and physical processes, such as nutrient cycles and food webs, that occur within ecosystems. Examples of these benefits, known as โecosystem servicesโ, include resource provision, crop pollination, clean water, and climate regulation.
Recognising ecosystem services is crucial because harm inflicted upon nature diminishes its ability to provide these essential services.
It can be easy to forget that humans are a species too. Our scientific name is Homo sapiens. Humans are an inherent part of nature, and yet we often detach ourselves from it. Itโs as if when we walk out of that aquarium we are no longer connected to the Ocean.
This could not be further from the truth.
All our actions, big and small, impact the planet. As is characteristic of human nature, we have the potential for good, bad, and everything in between. For instance, while overconsumption puts pressure on ecosystems and the services that they provide, conservation programs act to preserve and protect the environment.
It is up to us โ as imperfect human beings โ to try our best, maximise our positive impacts and minimise the negatives.
So, how can we avoid drifting apart from nature?
Reconnect with nature by spending more time outside
Katie is in the final year of her integrated masterโs degree in Biology at the University of Oxford. Her masterโs research explores how the extraction of construction minerals (such as sand, gravel, and limestone) impacts biodiversity globally. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Katie learnt about the importance of effective science communication, and she is a strong advocate for making science more accessible.
Katie also completed an internship at Ocean Generation; contributing to our Science Team.
Diving into Kalk Bay: Exploring its past, present, futureย
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My earliest, enduring memory of the Ocean is a stretch of sea rolling away from a vibrant fishing harbour in Kalk Bay, Cape Town.
The harbourโs position along the False Bay Coast, as well as its rich marine life, played a crucial role in the cityโs early development and prosperity. Little did I know this place would also play an important role in my own life.ย
Kalk Bay: A link to my childhood and the last connection to my grandmother.
The colourful fishing boats in the harbour that frame the glorious, shimmering stretch of Ocean in my mind like a postcard, idealised to a point far from reality. Today, with names like Star of the Sea and Lucky Strike, those old wooden boats seem struck in a rapidly receding past.
Change has come in great variety and moved with incredible momentum. All aspects of the scene have been altered – from the oceanography and to the social structures and human dimension surrounding the harbour.
I find it interesting and unsurprising, that when asked to think of a memory about the Ocean, the one I recall is so entangled with the influence of mankind. These two elements – human and Ocean – have been linked for centuries and seem unable to escape one another.
I feel this tension reflected in the complex and often contradictory nature of our social and ecological aims moving forwards as a society.
Progression too often comes at the high cost of our marine health, a lack of respect for our past and insufficient foresight for our future. All of this points to the difficulty in honouring and preserving our collective pasts whilst building future horizons in sustainable ways.
New strategies for managing the natural environment and its resources should include integrated approaches with new frameworks, stakeholders and communities.
Kalk Bay as we see it today
The Kalk Bay area may be reminiscent of the past, but the issues it faces are very much of the present. The harbour is one of the few still in operation, albeit a far cry from its thriving commercial days. Subsistence fishing (the practice of catching fish for personal consumption and not profit) is carried out with a handful of crayfish boats heading out each day.
With reduced operation has come tourism and commercialisation. You will find restaurants, pop up stalls selling gimmicks, and seals, who emboldened and adjusted to the crowds, sunbathe on the jetty.
Just as the Ocean below has been altered by rising sea levels and an increased frequency of extreme temperature events, so too has the harbour. Unsurprisingly, the advancements and demands of modern life have been the indirect driving forces behind this change.
All the usual culprits – overfishing, climate change, overpopulation, and coastal development- are part of this problem. Fish stocks caused by overfishing and the violations of size regulations have impacted marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of local fisherman.
Coastal development have also contributed significantly to these detrimental changes by increasing pollutant runoff and nutrient loading.
This illustrates just how interrelated Ocean and coastal ecosystems are and how integral they are to both human and aquatic life.
Not all hope is lost for Kalk Bay
Thankfully, thereโs been a growing awareness of and respect for some of these pressing human-made threats, which has led to the establishment of marine protected areas. Currently, 15 % of South Africaโs total marine areas are protected with 1.7 % of this area fully protected.
Evidently, the South African constitution recognises the need for these conservation efforts and acknowledges the responsibility that the fishing and tourism industries have.
Eco-tourism has emerged as a way of protecting and sustainably using the environment, without negatively impacting economic growth and job security.
We need solutions that engage local communities living in coastal areas. This would encourage the safeguarding of natural resources, improve the quality of peopleโs lives, and potentially assist in building bridges between sections of South African society that has historically been divided.
Approaches such as these work towards achieving a balance between developmental goals and environmental concerns; itโs of course an ongoing process. Therefore, itโs important to thoroughly research and address the priorities and gaps in this area with input from various stakeholders.
My grandmotherโs childhood saw the days when man could still outrun his actions without stopping to catch his breath and consider any of the implications. The harmony between human and Ocean that existed was only ever on a short-term loan, one with dangerously high interest.
The future seemed as it always does to those on the shores of the present: An island far away.
The generation of young people to which I belong to understand that preservation isnโt about merely respecting the present but also about securing the future. Therefore, my faith in the collective creativity and problem-solving abilities of the next generation of changemakers gives me hope for the future of our marine and coastal ecosystems.
Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Katie!
Katie is a part-time writer, full-time Ocean enthusiast and aspiring scientist. The Ocean has always been a place of wonder for her, occupying a special place in her imagination. Currently studying at Cambridge University, Katie explores her passion for environmental advocacy and activism as an ambassador for sustainability within science.
The world was our oyster, when the oysters became our world
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An experience paving the way for community-led marine conservation. ย
Like many of us, until recently I had only ever associated oysters with gourmet restaurants and fine dining, an out of reach delicacy plucked from some distant, murky seabed.
After working with oysters, they are now a familiar part of the local marine wildlife, and a hugely important component in the global effort to restore and conserve our Ocean.
I spent my summer interning with Seawilding, a community-led marine habitat restoration organisation in Scotland. Their mission is to restore seagrass meadows and native oyster reefs, through planting seagrass, growing oysters to form new reefs, and developing successful methods that others can follow, to enable coastal communities across the UK and further afield to take action.
Photo by Wavemaker Story writer Sophie Coxon.
The seascape of Loch Craignishย ย
Set on the gleaming shores of Loch Craignish, the first time I slipped under the surface was like entering a whole other world.
The salty water enveloped me with an icy embrace, and the seabed materialised below. Vast meadows of seagrass glistened green, with dappled sunlight sparkling through the water column and catching the tails of Goldsinny wrasse and the occasional lonely pipefish.
Snakelock anemones waved like flowers from the grass heads, and red feather stars snaked their arms towards me as I glided past.ย ย
The fringes of the meadow gave way to soft mudflats, where sparring crabs and dancing prawns entertained passersby. Gobies and flatfish buried themselves in the sand, and large shoals of herring flicked like glassy shards in the distant blue. ย
The oyster reef was by far my favourite; thick layers of oyster shells stacked haphazardly covered the seafloor, carpeted by algae, barnacles and clumps of bladderwrack.
Fish darted in and out of crevices, startled by my shadow, and starfish lay clustered on the rocks, arms splayed as if holding hands. The plethora of animals, and the richness of the life surrounding me was quite literally breathtaking, so much so that I almost choked on the seawater a number of times.
It was inspiring to see so much diversity thriving in Scotlandโs waters.
The work Seawildingโs team has achieved is clearly doing wonders for the wildlife of Loch Craignish, however this is only the tip of the iceberg in the marine conservation and restoration work we need to undertake, not only here in Scotland but across the Ocean.ย ย
Photos by Wavemaker Story writer Sophie Coxon.
The health of the Ocean is essential to us, not only as societies through its cultural significance, but also through its physical services.
Without healthy marine ecosystems, food stability will crumble, coastal erosion will rapidly creep up on communities, and the impacts of climate change will be less cushioned and more sorely felt.ย ย
Scotlandโs marine wildlife: Then and nowย
Scotlandโs coasts were once prolific with wildlife. Historic records speak of rivers โoverflowing with salmon, onto the banksโ, estuaries that had seemingly endless shellfish stocks, and open Ocean brimming with endless shoals of fish.
Oysters were once the food of the poor, and lobster was a common centerpiece at every dinner table. Lush seagrass meadows flanked the shorelines and wildlife flourished, everywhere.ย
Dredging (removing sediments from the seabed), overfishing, and pollution threaten our coastlines more than ever before, and with the pressures of climate change increasing with each day, we must start taking action to prevent further losses.
Seawildingโs work, enthusiasm and passion for the marine environment is a sparkling example of how communities can come together to create real, positive change โ something we should all strive towards.
Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Sophie!
Disclaimer:ย Ocean Generation has no official affiliation with Seawildling. Mention of or reference to Seawildling is not an endorsement or sponsorship by Ocean Generation. The views, opinions, and activities of Seawildling are independent of Ocean Generation.
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Sophie Coxon
Sophie is a final year student studying a BSc in Ecological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. She is a passionate scuba diver, snorkeler and beach-comber, and loves to combine her love of creative and scientific writing with marine research and communication. She hopes to work in reef ecology and restoration, and make a real impact in the marine conservation world.
How to tell the difference between sustainable fashion and false claims like greenwashing
The fashion industry is swept up in buzzwordsโโโespecially when marketing sustainable fashion. โEco-friendlyโ, โnaturalโ, โgreenโโthe list goes on. But what do they mean? Do they have substance, at all?
Most of them are fluff, jargon to make a brand sound environmentally conscious without any true scientific backing as to their impact on our blue planet. Sustainability is easy to market, but hard to prove.
Saying that, we can welcome our next buzzy term into the mixโโgreenwashing.
What is greenwashing?
No, greenwashing is not an expensive non-toxic clothing detergent or the latest dry cleaning method.
Greenwashing is โthe act or practice of making a product, policy, activity, etc. appear to be more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than it really isโ.
What is greenwashing in fashion?
Greenwashing in fashion can range from a fast fashion brand debuting a โsustainableโ collection that lacks evidence supporting how it is environmentally conscious, to sprinkling eco-friendly terms into marketing without defining what they mean.
In short, greenwashing is the use of false claims to hop on to the sustainability trend without evidence (if only Legally Blonde had come out now, Elle would be all over this one!).
How can you tell the difference between sustainable fashion and false claims?
5 ways to identify greenwashing in fashion.ย
If you see these red flags, run!
The use of sustainability jargon, such as โgreenโ, โeco-friendlyโ, โsustainableโ, and โnaturalโ in marketing without a definition explaining what the brand means when using the term.
A fast fashion company that comes out with new items often (think: daily, weekly, monthly, even large numbers released seasonally) markets their new line as โsustainableโ.
Releasing large volumes of clothing indicates that the company as a whole is not following an earth-conscious business model and thereby cannot justify one of their lines truly being sustainable.ย
Claiming fabrics to be โorganicโ or โnon-toxicโ without certifications to support (see below for more information on certifications to look for).
The lack of scientific reports exploring their sustainability impactโ. If a brand has the data to prove how they are sustainable, they will show it.
Using the term โveganโ to make clothing sound like a healthier, cruelty-free alternativeโ, when the fabric is derived from petrochemicals (meaning, they are fossil-fuel derived plastics). ย
However, some โveganโ fabrics are plant-based materials, which would be a sustainable alternative.ย ย
The brand has sustainability reports backed up by data readily available.
Sustainability reports can include their efforts towards lowering carbon footprint, reducing water usage and overall waste, treating and paying garment workers fairly, and outlining future sustainability goals.
How traceable is your clothing?
Clothing is fully traceable back to the source, such as the farm that grew the cotton or the alpaca whose wool you are wearing.
Is your sustainable clothing certified by credible sources?
Fabrics and processes can be certified by credible sources, such as:ย
โก๏ธ What does a GOTS certification mean? Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) ensures no pesticides or insecticides are used in farming and all chemistry used by the brand in the production of clothing is in alignment with being truly organic.
GOTS-certified facilities also adhere to social criteria based on leading social sustainability standards.ย ย
โก๏ธWhat is OEKO TEX in the fashion world? OEKO-TEXยฎ is all about chemical safety. They have a variety of certifications, but the most popular one is the STANDARD 100 which ensures that the final product was tested to confirm that it is free from over 3,000 different toxic chemicals.ย
โก๏ธWhat does bluesign credibility mean? bluesignยฎ approved facilities look at the overall chemistry used by a brand from fiber to finished product to ensure safe chemistry practices are used.ย
โก๏ธWhat is Fairtrade? Fairtrade International and Fair Trade USA follow criteria that support ethical working environments for farmers and garment workers, eco-friendly practices and prioritise fair pay.ย
ย
Are the clothes you’re wearing part of circular fashion?
โCircularโ fashion stops the linear โtake-make-wasteโ model of fast fashion and instead closes the loop on production, including responsible manufacturing, use, and recycling for every garment.
Look for brands that have take-back programs to recycle and reuse garments when they are at the end of life.
Is the clothing you’re wearing from small batch production?
A brand launches only a few items at a time in a limited supply to combat waste from the fashion industry, such as increasing landfills.ย
Now in the know.
Although greenwashing is an indicator that the industry is slowly becoming more conscious of their impact on the environment.
But the only way to truly make a positive difference is to be honest and straightforward in their environmental efforts.ย ย
Every decision we make โ from what we wear to what we eat and how we move โ has an impact on the future health of our Ocean and planet.
With these tips to spot greenwashing, youโre now equipped to decipher the sustainability cons from the true conservationists. Go forth with your newfound skill and tell a friend.
Lydia Dupree is a biochemist and author of peer-reviewed articles in her field. She dives deep into the literature to explore the impact the fashion industry has on our health and environment, and shows how to easily implement sustainable fashion into our lives.
To protect Earthโs most precious ecosystem โ our Ocean โ we must first understand its importance. Ourย Wavemaker Programmeย empowers young people between 16 โ 25 to use their voice and talentsย toย make a positive impact on our blue planet. This piece was written by one of our Wavemakers.ย Submit your own story.
Ocean threats don’t just impact the environment and non-human creatures, but our own health and wellbeing too. One key way the environmentโs degradation can impact us is through eco-anxiety.ย
Shrinking ice caps, disappearing biodiversity,โฏfiercer bushfires, heat wavesโฏ, and flash floods. Theย effects of climate changeย are difficult to ignore.
These disasters not only causeโฏimmense physical destruction – aย growing body of evidenceย shows they’re alsoโฏtaking a toll on our mental health.ย
What is eco-anxiety anyway?ย
Eco-anxiety is extreme worry about current and future harm to the environment caused by human activity and climate change.ย
Eco-anxiety can be caused by the stressful and frightening experience of “watching the slow and seemingly irrevocable impacts of climate change unfold, and worrying about the future for oneself, children and later generations“, according to a 2018ย report.
How do I know if I have eco-anxiety?ย
Eco-anxiety can feel like feelings of loss, helplessness, frustration, and guilt, as the sufferers feel they are unable to stop climate change.
Feeling this anxiety is an emotionally mature state to be in, which shows that you are aware of the crisis that we are all facing.ย
So, whilst it can be unpleasant, it can show a willingness to face painful truths and facts, and that should be acknowledged and almost (though not quite as simple as this) be celebrated. But how?ย
When facing eco-anxiety, remember youโre not alone.ย
First of all, try to recognise your feelings as completely reasonable and necessary, rather than push them away.
Taking time to acknowledge my feelings helps me maintain a healthy relationship with them, and often motivates my work and activism.ย ย
Finding your place inย a communityย can also be a huge help with feelings of despair and anxiety. There are a lot of support and activist groups you can joinย (read on to the tips section to see some example groups).ย
Shared belonging and concern can be a great support and working towards tangible solutions can give a much greater sense of control in overwhelming circumstances.ย
Know whenย to seek professional help:ย
If your eco-anxiety is so severe that it causes you to be unable to function, or feels unbearable, you could consider seeking professional help. Try to bring empathetic understanding and connectionย to, ideally, find meaning in this experience.ย
It is often the loss of meaning that causes people the most suffering.
Understanding that these feelings have meaning can be comforting. The ideal is to find balance between feeling these emotions, and then using them in different ways to create meaningful change, better relationships with your family and friends, maybe even more meaningful work and activism of some kind.
At least know that you are not alone with your fears.ย
Eco-Agency: Steps toย tackle eco-anxietyย ย
Since 2017, and especially since autumn 2018, there has beenย increasing coverageย about eco-anxiety and climate anxiety in various media.ย ย
One focal point in this discussion has been the young climate activist Greta Thunberg, who has openly spoken ofย her climate change anxiety.
Climate anxiety became perhaps the most discussed form of eco-anxiety, and it was often discussed in relation to the children, youth, and young adults who participated in climate action.ย ย
More studies on theย mental health impacts of climate changeย have been published.ย In 2020, books for the general public began to appear, providing suggestions for self-help and social action in order to alleviate eco-anxiety and especially climate anxiety.
Book recommendations to learn more about eco-anxiety and how to deal with it:
Acknowledging that there are many people feeling this anxiety and looking at options of how you could help yourself and others, helps you move from an eco-anxious mindset to an eco-agent perspective.ย ย
Eco-agency is being proactive in looking after yourself and your wellness within your environmental actions.
It means ensuring you are mindful of your mental health and keeping fit and healthy. The next couple of tips are ways I found have helped me move from eco-anxiety to eco-agency.ย
Tips to deal with eco-anxietyย
Here are five steps I find have helped me live, cope with and overcome eco-anxiety.ย
1. Try and live in alignment with your valuesย
The impact of individual actions can be very small, but psychotherapistย Mary-Jayne Rustย suggests that changing your lifestyle to be more compatible with your values can help with eco-anxiety.
โMy individual actions are not actually capable of solving climate change,โย she said.
While changing how you live and travel may help you by letting you live more closely in accordance with your values, you shouldnโt feel ashamed for not being fully able to comply with these.
โThe systems in which we are all enmeshed essentially force us to harm the planet, and yet we put all that shame on our own shoulders,โย said Marris.ย โThe shame is not helping anybody.โย
3. Focus your efforts on changing systems, not yourselfย
Marris argues that we canโt get where we want to be through individual action, and that accepting this has therapeutic benefits.
โI donโt think a complete narcissistic focus on the self is healthy,โย she points out. Instead, Marris suggests you can have a much more meaningful impact by working with others to lobby governments.
The Grantham Institute advises letting your MP, local councillors and mayor know that you think action on climate change is important and writing to your bank or pension provider to ask if you can opt out of funds that invest in fossil fuels.ย
4. Find like-minded peopleย
Finding a community of like-minded individuals can help you express and share your feelings of eco-anxiety. You canโt solve climate change on your own. Joining a group of some kind will enable you to make friends.ย
Iโm not an expert on mental health but I feel like making friends is helpful โ giving you a space to share your thoughts and feelings.ย ย
The importance of talking about your experiences โ the challenges as well as the positives โ and bringing other people along with you.ย
Talking about the practical things you can do in their day-to-day lives can give you some sense of control back and empowers you to take ownership of your choices and agency.ย
I’d be lying if I said that there wasn’t a lot of time when you think, โWhy do we bother?โ But, when you sit down, chat to other activists or advocates and have a bit of a think about it, you realise that there’s a huge amount that we can still do.
Yes, our planet and Ocean are in trouble. But it’s in our power to protect what’s left and make a meaningful difference. And that’s why we do this. That’s why we carry on.ย
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![Katie, a Wavemaker shares this quote: My faith in the [...] next generation of changemakers gives me hope for the future of our marine and coastal ecosystems.](https://oceangeneration.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/next-generation-of-changemakers-gives-hope-for-marine-ecosystems-1024x604.jpg)
![Woman diving into the Ocean shared by Ocean Generation in a Wavemaker Story. There's a quote that reads: I spent my summer [...] restoring seagrass meadows and native oyster reefs. Photo by Sophie Coxton.](https://oceangeneration.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/community-led-marine-habitat-restoration-organisation-Scotland-restore-seagrass-meadows-and-native-oyster-reefs-1024x604.jpg)
