Author Archives: oceanlifeeducation

Saving Our Seas

save our seasAs World Ocean Day approaches, it’s timely do a health check on the biggest part of our planet – and the prognosis isn’t promising. It’s estimated there are 5 and a quarter TRILLION pieces of plastic in our waterways – or put simply 15 grocery bags of garbage for every metre of coastline in the world! Take a moment to consider that – enough rubbish to completely cover the shoreline of our planet, several times over.

Even more frightening is the prediction that the volume of plastic will out-weigh fish in our seas in the next 30 years – is this the legacy we want to leave our children? It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the problem, but it is possible to turn the tide on plastic waste, one piece at a time.

Education is a big part of the solution – making the connection between rubbish on the ground and the state of our oceans. Wind and rain carry plastic bags, lids, straws and packaging into rivers and our drainage system, sending them on a one way journey to the sea. We don’t have to live within coo-ee of the coast to be making the situation worse.

Removing rubbish from public areas is certainly a step in the right direction but long term, we need to change our disposable lifestyle. Convenience has cost our planet dearly and while re-usable requires more planning, effort, and often expense, can we really afford not to?

The ocean produces more than 70% of the oxygen we breath and absorbs carbon dioxide to help keep the planet healthy. At Ocean Life Education we make it our mission to help the youngest members of community understand and respect our oceans by connecting with our ocean ambassadors. Older children have the opportunity to study the ocean environment in more depth in our Marine Biologist for a Day programs.

We are always blown away by the passion and dedication of many of our younger generation towards marine conservation – but to really make a difference, we all have to get on board with the need to save our seas.

 

Hands On Holiday Learning

20161113_095649_resized_646x363Ever wondered how many teeth a shark has?  How long sea cucumbers live for?  Which animal throws its stomach out through its mouth to eat?  Ocean Life Education’s Marine Biologist for a Day Program is designed for children with a curiosity about the marine environment and all the animals who live in it.

This program delves well below the surface to provide kids with an in-depth knowledge about sea creatures and clears up some common misconceptions about the ocean’s much maligned apex predator.

Director of Education, Richard Coward, says sharks are always a popular topic on the day.

“So much of what we think we know about sharks comes from movies like Jaws and most of it is incorrect.  Sharks are not attracted by human blood and we’re not on their preferred menu.”

As part of the hands on nature of the program, children get to touch different shark jaws, learning about the shape of their teeth and why they vary so much between species.

An essential part of the learning process is making sure the information is delivered in a fun and tactile way.

While meeting Rainbow, the freshwater turtle, children discover how simple pollutants such as plastic bags are proving fatal to sea turtles. They learn how the reptile’s digestive system prevents rubbish, mistaken as food, from being regurgitated.

For Richard this environmental message is a key point he wants to get across in the program. “We treat the ocean likes it’s invincible but it’s not.  Every little thing that ends up in the sea has the potential to make animals sick – and if they start to die off, the impact on humans is huge as well. Making that connection between sea and land is vital for the planet’s future.”

While stroking sea stars, handling sawfish rostrums and observing a baby shark from close quarters, the children absorb a huge amount of interesting facts, which they share with their parents in a presentation at the end of the day.

Marine Biologist for the Day is a unique program run by Ocean Life Education during school holidays on the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.  It’s suitable for 7-12 years olds and is ideal for anyone with a passion for the ocean and a desire to make a difference to the lives of sea creatures.

Find out more

Going International

27654597_329491477543568_5883821825959801009_nLanguage proved no barrier for a group of International students meeting our animal ambassadors for the first time.

The children from China and Japan were on a study aboard program hosted by John Paul International College in Brisbane.

While a translator was on hand for some of the more complex explanations, the students needed no help bonding with the sea stars, sea cucumbers and spiny sea urchins.

Having the unique opportunity to gently touch animals they have never encountered before enhanced the learning experience for the students, who will spend up to 10 weeks studying in Australia.

The Shark jaws were a big hit with the kids who were fascinated to find out these predatory fish are far more complex than the killing machines they are unfairly portrayed as in the news.

But hands down the favourite of the visits was Rainbow the freshwater turtle who handled all the excited shrieks and adulation in her usual calm manner… and just maybe replacing the koala as the favourite Aussie animal!

 

New Year Resolutions

plastic_ocean1_634x423Ok let’s be honest – a few weeks into January and most of our New Year resolutions have already fallen by the wayside – destroyed by all the excesses that make summer so much fun!  And while it’s fantastic to want a fitter, more fabulous you, the time has come to devote our energies to fixing the environment instead.

The health of the ocean is declining and even if you don’t live within coo-ee of the coastline, chances are this will still impact on you at some stage.  Its estimated more than one third of the world’s population depends on seafood for 20% of their animal protein.

And while issues like overfishing and global warming need to be tackled on a large scale, there are many simple steps we can take to improve the quality of our waterways and the lives of their inhabitants – not just for us but for generations to come.

Here are 5 achievable resolutions for 2018…

1.   The last straw! They may be convenient – but at what cost?!  Not only do straws clog up our landfill, but they’re amongst the top ten items found on beach clean ups.  They’re not recyclable and they take hundreds of years to break down – a big price to pay for a single use item with a lifespan of around 20 minutes on average!  Reusable glass, stainless steel and bamboo varieties work just as well in your smoothies and don’t cost the earth!  http://www.biome.com.au

 2.   BYO Cup!  Disposable coffee cups are another item that just won’t go away – no matter how much we try to ignore them.  It’s estimated our caffeine addiction is adding 60,000 kg’s of coffee cups to land fill and the environment every year.  And while no-one is suggesting cutting back on your favourite brew, taking your own cup can make a world of difference.  And if one of the many glass or ceramic varieties aren’t practical, there are collapsible coffee cups that are easy to cart around.  https://cupy.com.au/

 3.   It’s in the bag!  The problem of single use plastic bags is well documented to the point that several states including Queensland are now planning to ban their use.  And while it does take a little more effort to BYO, sea turtles of the world will thank you!  Unfortunately, your average green turtle cannot distinguish between floating flimsy plastic and their favourite food – sea jellies.  And with the added bonus of being less likely to break than the plastic imposters, reusable bags are a great way to show you care!

 4.   Take 3 for the Sea!  It’s simple, doesn’t take much effort and could help save the sea from turning into plastic soup!  Every time you’re near a waterway just pick up three bits of rubbish and dispose of them.  The beauty of this environmental movement is any age, any fitness level can help create a cleaner coastline and prevent further waste from ending up in the sea.  Imagine what could be achieved if everyone of us did this simple task every day!   http://www.take3.org/

 5.   Learn more about our impact!  Ignorance is not bliss – the more we know, the better equipped we are to prevent environmental problems getting any worse.  Read up, keep across local conservation issues and help educate children about being responsible global citizens right from the start.  Ocean Life Education has made it our mission to care for the sea and all who live within it – help us to spread the world through one of our fun filled programs.  https://www.oceanlifeeducation.com.au/programs