Ocean: Environmental

Dr Sylvia Earle, marine biologist, oceanographer and President and Chairman of Mission Blue, shares her thoughts on the importance of World Ocean Day. Mission Blue inspires action to explore and protect the ocean, uniting a global coalition to inspire an upwelling of public awareness, access and support for a worldwide network of marine protected areas known as Hope Spots. Mission Blue’s impact lies in how we support Hope Spots around the globe. The organisations continue to fight for these special pockets on earth – not only on World Ocean Day, but every day, every month of every year until the entire ocean can recover through a network of comprehensive marine protected areas. Make a tax-deductible donation today to help Mission Blue build a network of Hope Spots large enough to save the blue heart of our planet.   mission-blue.org

Sporting greats assembled on a floating tennis court to shine the spotlight on the plastic problem and launch Adidas’ sustainable collaboration Made With Parley Ocean Plastic. A week out from the Australian Open and floating roughly 10 kilometres off the coast above the world’s largest coral reef system, a barge that regularly travels through the Great Barrier Reef for important environmental marine construction and dive projects was transformed into a floating tennis court. Ian Thorpe, Jess Fox, Nathan Cleary and Steph Claire Smith hit out on the floating court, promoting the adidas tennis apparel range Made With Parley Ocean Plastic, which will debut at the Australian Open in Melbourne starting 17 January 2022. Adidas ambassador Ian Thorpe said “The design of the new Adidas Tennis range Made With Parley Ocean Plastic, is inspired by the Great Barrier Reef, so it was appropriately launched in the stunning heritage-protected Queensland marine park today to raise awareness and positive discussion around how we can help End Plastic Waste. “Plastic is a problem that has reached unfathomable proportions: Unless we change course, there will be more plastic waste in the sea than fish by 2050. This waste is destroying the oceans.” The Adidas tennis court surface will be fully recycled into a sports court, donated to a local Townsville school, paving the way for school kids to unite through sport and play a part in creating a more sustainable world.   adidas.com.au/parley

Scientist Charlie Veron has spent his much of his career underwater charting the world’s coral reef wonderlands. Now, as the Great Barrier Reef faces its biggest challenge, the 77-year-old reveals an ambitious rescue plan for the future. He is collecting the 400 species of coral on the Great Barrier Reef to preserve in a coral ark, or biobank. It’s a bold plan, but could it be the solution to future-proofing our precious world heritage-listed site.   greatbarrierreeflegacy.org superyachtgroup.com Read more at https://ab.co/3a3GwVD #AustralianStory or subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/c/abcnewsindepth #GreatBarrierReef  #CharlieVeron