Caught Inside - World Earth Day

Help us celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with some simple steps listed below to start making a difference through our everyday lives.

We’re also donating 10% of all online sales for the next 24 hours to ocean conservation charities.

So whether you need a new set of fins or gearing up for that future trip, now is the perfect time to upgrade your hardware.

HERE ARE 5 EASY WAYS YOU CAN HELP THE EARTH, EVERY DAY!

1# - Grab Garbage On Your Daily Beach Walk, Alone Or With A Friend

We all live and play around the world’s oceans but there are some eye-watering facts that we hope will motivate you to get involved with one of the many great organisations dedicated to protecting our beaches and waterways.

Did you know that eight million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean every year or that an estimated 100 million marine animals are killed by plastics each year? And just thirty years from now there is expected to be more plastic in the ocean than fish! You can help improve these devastating statistics….

Here are two organisations doing great things locally and beyond.

The Surfrider Foundation

Dedicated to protecting the ocean through conservation, activism, research and education, The Surfrider Foundation is currently running a campaign called Rise Above Plastics. The campaign aims to reduce the impacts of plastics in the marine environment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics. The community is being encouraged to reduce its ‘plastic footprint’ in a range of ways including beach clean ups. Surfrider Foundation branches hold clean ups monthly and sometimes ever more frequently.

Sea Shephard

While Sea Shepherd’s main mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans, it also works to conserve and protect species and safeguard the biodiversity of our delicately balanced oceanic ecosystems. You don’t have to board a massive ship and seek out illegal whaling activities in order to get involved with Sea Shepherd. Its Marine Debris Campaign is run by volunteers and facilitates coastal and river clean-up activities. The extensive network of volunteers have organised a rolling calendar of clean-up events at beaches all over the country so keep an eye on Facebook for events near you. 

#2 - Go plant-based for a day (or a day a week)

For some, cutting back on animal products is a walk in the park while others find it impossible to entertain. According to the Earth Day team, our food system accounts for more than a quarter of all greenhouse gases, making animal agriculture one of the largest contributors to climate change. If you’re ready to make a change, start small: one meal and one day at a time. Don’t focus on what you have to cut out, instead, concentrate on increasing your intake and enjoyment of fresh and local fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains. Check out your local farmers market or the nearest delivery service for the best fresh produce and start now!

#3 - Minimise Food Waste At Home.

In making changes at home, we can all help fight the food waste war. Decreasing the amount of food waste in your household is one of the simplest ways to minimise your impact on the environment.

Here are some easy tips to help reduce food waste!

Plan your meals

By planning meals based around what ingredients you already have at home, you can save money when shopping and avoid mealtime stress. One great tip is to change your thinking from “what do we want to eat?” to “what can we make with what we have?”.

Perfect Portion Sizes

Cooking the right amount can help you eat well, reduce leftovers and maintain a healthy weight. Try not to ‘supersize’ your servings and let people serve themselves to suit their appetite.

Keep It Fresh

Storing food correctly will help you keep food fresher for longer, reduce your grocery bill and preserve food nutrients. Did you know popping paper towel in with leafy greens will help them keep crisp? Many foods can be frozen if you’re not going to use them up straight away. Whizz your stale bread into breadcrumbs and store it in the freezer for later.

Love Your Leftovers

Make the most of your efforts in the kitchen and don’t let excess food go to waste. Leftover vegetables make great frittata, roast vegies make a delicious salad when mixed with leaves and balsamic. Follow MidWaste on Facebook for more tips to give leftovers a new lease on life.

 

#4 - Use Less Water

97.5% of the world’s water is locked in seas and oceans, too salty for human use. And most of the remaining 2.5% is in the ice caps. So we humans depend on the tiny bit available as fresh water – an essential natural resource for life.

But we don't just use water for drinking. We wash in it, clean with it, and use it to produce everything from clothing to food. Crop production – including feed for livestock and biofuels – is putting a great strain on freshwater supplies.

Learn more on how you can reduce the amount of water usage.

 

#5 - Support An Ocean Conservation Charity

An initiative that we at FCS are proud to be a part of is the Gowings Whale Trust.

Created by our owner John Gowing, the aim of the charity is to increase people’s knowledge, involvement and understanding of the humpback whale and to garner support for the beautiful creatures that we have the pleasure of seeing from our shorelines in whale-watching season.

Learn more about the programs and how to support our whale community here. 

Stay tuned for more from our Caught Inside series. Get in touch via social and let us know what you’d like to see. Together we can make it through this!