Sea’zing Sustainability

Today I wanted to write about a topic that is extremely close to my heart, sustainability. It’s a very hot and hyped at the moment and unlike most trends, it’s a subject I’m so pleased to promote and champion!

It’s personal passion project of mine to help raise awareness, as any of you who are regular readers will know I am an ocean baby and I have dedicated my life and career to spending as much time by or in the sea as possible. I have a connection with the water and the world beneath the waves that words can not describe and therefore helping to protect it is something I’m consciously making an effort to do.

Swimming to me is like walking, I learned as a baby and went on to swim for England as a teenager, I then learned to scuba dive as soon as I was 16 and have continued to travel the globe and explore the under-water world ever since. Sadly though, my haven is under threat.

The latest studies reveal that around 12.7 million tonnes of plastic waste are washed into the ocean every year. These plastics are an over spilling from landfills as well as purposeful human disposal into the ocean itself. The figures are so high it’s hard to put that amount into perspective but that’s roughly equivalent to dumping a rubbish truck full of plastic into our oceans every minute. Plastic, a substance that will not bio degrade or disappear naturally, plastics that will effect the entire eco system by its mere presence on the ocean floor. It’s a catastrophic realization but one that is luckily being highlighted by so many amazing brands and organisations around the world. Movements and word of mouth that educate the public, including even this post, are making a huge difference and I for one have listened, learned and acted on the information.

There are so many ways in which we, as a nation, as the only ‘animals’ on this earth who can, make a difference. The rest of those living on earth and in the oceans are depending on us and though we may have lost our way protecting it, the smallest aid or slight change of lifestyle can make a huge difference.

Alongside my words in this post are photos of me by my beloved ocean in a swimwear brand called Away That Day. Since being introduced to this brand and learning about their ethos as a company it has been the only swimwear brand I have bought in 2019. The fabrics are created from recycled plastics that have been found in the ocean. Rubbish from the landfills, abandoned fishing nets and also additional debris and plastic waste. The brand has really opened my eyes to the way in which the fashion industry can help preserve and protect the ocean. The company is completely plastic free and the designs are simply gorgeous! It’s been a huge change for me as it kick started my awareness when it comes to fashion brands and sustainability and I am now making a conscious effort to only buy from brands with the same ideals.

My chosen swimwear brand aside, there are so many other ways to join the sustainability brigade and whilst I’m certainly not living a guilt free eco-life, here’s just a few of the things I’m making a conscious effort to do in my every day lifestyle when I’m at home in London:

• I am a vegetarian, I haven’t lead a lifestyle of eating meat or fish since the age of 8. As a child I could never grasp quite why humans would chose to eat other living beings if we didn’t have to. It’s not something I ever really talk about openly as it’s not a new thing for me and it’s always been a personal choice but if you are looking to aid a more sustainable lifestyle cutting out meat and fish for even a few days a month could make a huge difference.
• Taking a reusable water bottle out and about – This for me has been a very recent change and yet, the most simple and easy transition. Rather than buying 2/3 plastic bottles of water a day I now have a metal bottle with me at all times. The great thing about ‘bearing a bottle’ is I now save so much money too! Every restaurant, coffee shop and fast food counter offers to fill er’ up and as I am only ever really drinking water it is benefiting our planet and my purse strings 😉 If I ever do forget a bottle by chance, I’ll make sure I at least re-use the one I buy for the day. Every little really does count!
• Using recycled/cotton bags at the supermarket – This is something I’ve been doing ever since moving to central London as, honestly, the strength of a re-usable bag aids my food shopping haul to my door massively! It’s another one of those ‘why wasn’t I doing this before’ lifestyle adaptations because to think of all the plastic bags I used to dispose of on a weekly basis through pure ignorance is quite outstanding!
• Treating Littering Seriously – It’s a running joke between my friends and I but I have always treated littering as a serious crime. I have no idea where it stems from but I am that girl who will see someone drop something on the street and seed red. I’ll run after it, then walk it to the person who dropped it asking them to wait and put it in the bin, regardless of who or where they are. If I am at the beach or out and about at home I won’t leave so much as a piece of fluff on my path. Not only will I pack up my own rubbish for the day I’ll add in any straggler pieces. I will also often pick up rubbish from sea beds when I’m snorkeling or diving. Once the rubbish is in the ocean it’s there for good, not on my watch!

Some small but conscious actions that will make a world of difference, I’d love to continue to ‘better’ my lifestyle down a path of sustainability and I’m so pleased to now see so much awareness being raised for the issues our earth is facing. Small but mighty, are you all in?

I wrote this post as an entry for a blogger competition being run by Yellow Zebra Safaris, they have asked creators to write a post about ‘Sustainability in 2019 and beyond – what changes have you made to your personal lifestyle in an attempt to live more eco-consciously’. I have always said my biggest dream would be to return to Kenya for a safari holiday and Yellow Zebra Safaris have the most amazing tailor made options, for more details check out their website here. Wish me luck!!! <3