Going Plastic Free for July and Protecting Sharks
It’s the 1st of July which means it’s the start of the 10th annual ‘Plastic Free July’ campaign. It’s also a Wednesday which means a brand new episode of The Ocean Impact Podcast. This week’s guest is the inspiring Madison Stewart, otherwise known as ‘Shark Girl’. Read on for more information on Plastic Free July, the new podcast episode, and a live interview coming up this Friday with Kate Nelson, aka Plastic Free Mermaid.
Plastic Free July is back
Now in its 10th year, the Plastic Free July campaign is back to inspire people all around the world to reduce their dependence on single use plastic for the month of July. Founded by Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, the movement began with a couple of participants in Western Australia, and has now garnered the participation of 250 million people across 177 countries in its decade-long lifespan.
Rebecca, who is also the founder of the Plastic Free Foundation, has just released her new book: ‘Plastic Free: The inspiring story of a global environmental movement and why it matters’. The book commemorates the 10th anniversary of the movement by recounting the incredible journey of how the ripples of one statement – “I’m going plastic free next month, who wants to join me?” sparked a worldwide movement, and is filled with tips and stories from people around the world who have taken on the plastic-free challenge, including insights from OIO co-founder Tim Silverwood.
It’s never been a better time to reduce personal plastic use and seek alternatives. The Covid-19 crisis has unfortunately resulted in a major spike in the use of single use plastic - medical waste from personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves has increased, and concerns around hygiene have deterred businesses from using reusable products such as coffee cups. Legislation banning single-use plastics has even been postponed in several countries as a result of the pandemic. So, it’s on us to get creative with how we can continue to reduce our reliance on plastics across all aspects of our lives.
Take 3 For the Sea is running an awesome campaign for Plastic Free July this year, calling on all of us to #ChooseNude when it comes to buying our fresh produce. This means refraining from buying fruits and vegetables wrapped in unnecessary plastic packaging. Are you up for the challenge? Head towww.take3.org/ChooseNude to take the pledge now.
Episode 14 of The Ocean Impact Podcast with 'Shark Girl' Madison Stewart
What were you doing at 14 years old?
Unlike many girls her age, Madison Stewart was diving with sharks on the Great Barrier Reef and sharpening her skills in filmmaking to commence what would become her life's work: protecting these vulnerable and misunderstood marine creatures. Now a passionate and fearless filmmaker and campaigner for shark conservation, Madison has done amazing work in educating people about sharks and their importance in the ocean ecosystem.
When Spielberg took Jaws to the big screen all those decades ago, a death sentence was cast upon an untold number of sharks. Fear, misinformation, mismanagement, by-catch, shark fin soup, shark mitigation and the shark meat trade have left the global shark population teetering on the edge whilst science concludes with conviction that these apex predators are essential to a healthy ocean.
So, what on earth does one do about this perilous and tragic situation?
“My mum taught me to start small, focus on the issues around me and things I can change. I started with a fishery that was operating on the reefs I grew up diving and that spiralled me into taking on the world and conservation issues everywhere” Madison told Whalebone Mag in 2019.
Her latest endeavour, Project Hui, aims to prevent boats from shark fishing, through supporting alternative revenue sources for fisherman in countries dependent on the practice. The project takes a wider angle approach to the problem involving education and income initiatives for women and improving waste management and clean water infrastructure.
In this episode Tim speaks with Madison whilst she's in Covid-19 lockdown at her home near Byron Bay, Australia. Tim explores the depths of what makes the 2017 Australian Geographic Young Conservationist of the Year tick. What makes this remarkable young woman befriend a notorious Floridian shark hunter, take on giant supermarket chains for selling toxic shark meat, or establish a sustainable tourism project in one of the world's largest shark fishing communities? Tune in for all the stories and answers.
For more information and to support Madison's work please visit:www.projecthiu.com and @sharkgirlmadison
Listen or watch the full podcast episode now by following these links:
YouTube
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Soundcloud
We’re going live with Plastic Free Mermaid
This Friday at 5:30pm on the @oceanimpactorg Instagram we’ll be going live with @plasticfreemermaid Kate Nelson, talking all things plastic and how you can reduce your dependence on single use items during the month of July (and beyond). See you then!
