Category Archives: Resources & Activities

Why Fast Fashion is a Problem for the Ocean

fast fashion definition

 

Australians are considered to be the second highest consumers of textiles in the world. Clothing prices are often relatively low and many of us get a buzz from frequently wearing new clothes. But does striving to have the latest designs come at too high a cost to the environment? Read on to as we explain why fast fashion is a problem for the ocean.

What is Fast Fashion?

Fast fashion refers to trendy clothes that are mass produced and made and sold quickly and cheaply, enabling people to buy new clothes often. In order for the clothes to be sold cheaply, the workers who make these clothes are often paid very low wages and the materials are poor quality.

In the past, the fashion industry released new designs on a seasonal basis – four times a year. Nowadays some big fashion houses release a new line every week, producing almost twice the amount of clothing today than they did in 2000. Alarmingly, many of these garments are hardly worn at all and up to 85% go into landfill each year. In Australia that is thought to be enough to fill an area the size of Sydney Harbour. So, this is obviously a big issue.

The Role of Social Media in Fast Fashion

Social media has created social shopping and enabled fashion sellers to reach their audiences (the buyers) quickly, easily, constantly and cheaply. Most of us have been attracted to make a purchase by a quicky snappy offer and most of us enjoy a bit of retail therapy from time to time. But do we actually need all this stuff, or are we just on the fast fashion tread mill and being told what we need and making purchases without really thinking about it too much?

 

fast fashion ocean dump

 

The Fashion Industry

Creating trendy clothing takes a huge amount of resources. The fashion industry is one of the largest producers of carbon, the world’s largest user of water and produces 20-35% of the microplastics in the oceans.

Materials & Ocean Microplastics

Textiles used by the clothing industry fit into two broad categories: natural and synthetic. Natural materials such as cotton and wool are made from plant and animal sources and tend to be more expensive and last longer. Fast fashion relies on low-cost materials and quantity over quality, so synthetic, plastic- based materials such as polyester, acrylic and nylon are preferred. These synthetic materials produce non-biodegradable waste that is a major source of pollution in our oceans. Each time these garments are washed, thousands of tiny fibres are released from them and travel through our water ways to the ocean. Up to 75% of ocean creatures may have ingested ocean microplastics and suffer long term issues as a result.

 

ocean microplastics

How You Can Help Reduce Fast Fashion Waste

Obviously, the fashion industry need encouragement in the form of policy to encourage a refocus on making things that last and so encourage reuse and recycling. But if we don’t buy those garments in such quantity in the first place, we can make a significant difference ourselves.

The first and most simple thing you can do to help reduce fast fashion waste is to take a step back and think about whether you actually need the item. Do you already have something similar? Why not save the money? From here you can start changing your behaviour by simply shopping more mindfully.

 

Tips for Combatting Fast Fashion

-Think before you buy – do you actually need it and put the money to better use?

-Avoid buying new items cheaply each season, and instead be prepared to invest in high quality pieces that will last

-Start looking further into the brands you buy from and investigate their eco-credentials. Do you actually want to give them your money if they don’t care about the environment?

-Be prepared to ‘make do and mend’ – maybe you already have the item, but it needs a stitch or two?

-Check out the bargains in the op shops

-Share what you learn with your friends and others

-Support charities and organisations that are tackling fast fashion

Of course, there is no one simple solution to the issue of fast fashion but shopping mindfully and thinking about what that cheap items represents and whether you actually need it is a very good place to start.

 

Further reading

For more information about Human Impact on the Ocean, check out our website for courses and free resources

Sources

nature.com

greenpeace.org

 

marine biologist for a dayCheck out our Marine Biologist for A Day Program – Ages 7-12 years

 

Our Goal

Ocean Life Education’s goal is to educate children about how our lives are interconnected with our ocean and to inspire them to feel a responsibility to take action to protect it.

What is Endangered Species Day?

Endangered Species Day is celebrated on the third Friday of May each year to focus minds on education and taking action to protect threatened species. It is happening on 20 May 2022 and is the perfect opportunity to focus on the topic of human impact in schools. Discussing issues that are close to home is often a great way to bring learning to life. Read on to find out about Australia’s endangered species and for some great ideas for activities in the classroom and on the coast.

Threatened Australian Marine Species

Australia is home to an incredible diversity of marine species. Unfortunately, today a number of Australia’s marine species are registered as threatened and in need of protection. Understanding these threats is the key to inspiring action to protect them, so educating school-aged students (plus the general population!) is crucial.

 

The following Australian marine species are threatened:

Australian sea lions, dugongs, dolphins, hammerhead sharks, blue fin tuna, whales & sawfish as well as leatherback, loggerhead and the olive ridley turtle.

Threats to Marine Animals

The main threats to marine animals come from humans in the form of:

  • Ocean noise
  • Ship strikes
  • Climate change
  • Entanglement in fishing gear
  • Plastics and ocean debris
  • Over-fishing
  • Irresponsible fishing practices

How Can You Protect Marine Animals?

If we look at these threats one by one, it is interesting to note that as individuals we can actually make a difference to all of them. Take ocean noise and ship strikes, we can ensure that when we travel the ocean we do so with competent crew or that if we are the crew, we are mindful of the threats we may pose and take steps to respect the marine environment to the best of our ability. By reducing our unnecessary carbon and single use plastic usage, we can contribute to reducing that threat. As for stray fishing gear and irresponsible practices, we can vote with our feet and try and ensure that we buy seafood that is caught in a responsible manner and pick up any debris we see on the beach or in our waterways. With a little effort from us all, we can make a difference and protect marine animals.

Endangered or Threatened Species?

A threatened species is defined as any plant or animal species that is at risk of extinction. In Queensland, threatened species are classified under the following classes:

Extinct, Extinct in the wild, Critically endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable

Therefore, endangered species means threatened species!

Activities for Endangered Species Day

  • Read an article or book about an endangered species; discuss why it’s endangered and examine ideas to help protect it
  • Go on a beach walk and discuss habitats, human impact and how marine animals rely on a healthy environment to survive. Ocean Life Education would be happy to guide a tour for your students.
  • Have a class discussion about plastic usage and get the class to focus on their own usage using our free resources (click image for more downloadable activities)

 

  • Schedule an Ocean Life Education incursion focusing on endangered species, why they are endangered, what is being done to help, and how our everyday actions make a difference.
  • Here is an outline of our Human Impact incursion. Click the images to find out more…

 

 

Incursion: Human Impact – The Earth Under Threat

Our conservation & pollution messages influence how students care for the marine environment in their daily lives.

Students will:

*Learn what humans do can harm the marine environment

*Identify how changes to the marine environment; like weather patterns, land clearing, over-fishing and pollution, affect all life

*Realise individuals can make a difference in caring for the marine environment

Incursions

Further Reading

Free Ocean Life Education Resources and Activities

Endangered Species Resources and Curriculum Ideas

Shark Resources & Threats

 

Sunshine Coast Rockpool Guide

 

Both adults and budding marine biologists will love discovering the black sea cucumbers, rose barnacles and sea stars plus many more creatures that make their home in the waters of rocky shoreline areas. For some great places to go rock pooling at low tide, check out out Sunshine Coast rockpool guide below…

🦀 Point Cartwright, Buddina

A local treasure between the river mouth and the headland. Bountiful sandy rock pools with loads to see, perfect for kids to explore safely at low tide.

 

 

 

🦀 Kings Beach, Caloundra

Sheltered rock pools with abundant marine life and plenty more to do.

 

 

 

 

🦀 Shelly Beach

Renowned for its ankle-deep rock pools that abound with marine life.

 

 

 

 

Remember to stay safe and be mindful of the tide! And…don’t put your hands in where you cant see what’s there. You never know, there may be a Blue Ringed Octopus lurking around!!!!

Rock Pool Identification Guide

 

 

 

 

rock pool identification

 

Blog

Rock Pools Rock

 

Humpback Whale Teaching Resources

 

Each year, from May, around 50,000 Humpback Whales migrate from their feeding grounds in the chilly waters of the Antarctic, to warmer waters off Australia’s East and West Coast to birth and mate. The migration can easily be seen from the coast and the acrobatic whales make awesome viewing. So, we decided to create some inspirational humpback migration teaching resources to engage students and to celebrate the arrival of the whales!

 

HumpbackCurriculum Humpback Whale Teaching Resources

These image-based humpback whale teaching resources are designed to assist in teaching curriculum themes such as human impact, habitats, adaptation, and classification, using an iconic and topical subject. Resources include downloadable videos, infographics, fact sheets, maps, a migration calendar, presentation, activities and more.

 

Humpback Whale Topics Covered Humpback eye

  • Humpback Migration Route
  • Humpback Habitats
  • Humpback Fast Facts
  • Adaptations & Anatomy
  • Humpback Classification
  • Humpback v Toothed Whale & Food Webs
  • Humpback Reproduction
  • Why We Need Whales – The Whale Pump
  • Human Impact
  • How to Help Protect Whales

 

A Sample of our Humpback Whale Teaching Resources

Migration Route Map – detailing how the whales travel up the West & East Coast

 

Whale Food Webs

Food Webs – baleen versus toothed whales

 

 

The Whale Pump – how whales help us breath

 

 

Activity – The Plastic Ocean Cycle

 

 

Humpback Whale Videos

We have used impressive humpback whale videos featuring whales being whales! We put the videos to music that should bring a smile to student’s faces!

 

 

 

 

Educating Students to Protect

We believe that educating students is the best way to inspire them to want to protect the ocean and marine life. The resources pack closes with a section on how students can protect humpback whales.

 

 

5 Ways You Can Protect Humpback Whales

  1. Educate yourself & your friends
  2. Whale watch with a responsible company & keep 100 metres away
  3. Report sick or injured animals
  4. Reduce plastic usage & do not litter
  5. Support a whale charity:

 

Whale & Dolphin Conservation au.whales.org/

Marine Conservation marineconservation.org.au/whaling/

Sea Shepherd seashepherd.org.au/

Humpback & High Rises hhr.org.au/

Resources & Courses