THE ENVIRONMENT
For years man has discarded his garbage and trash beneath the waters of the planet. It is easy to toss something into the water and have it disappear from view. Out of sight, out of mind. It sure beats digging a hole and burying it! This process is now coming back to haunt us.
According to the April 2000, Rodale's Scuba Diving magazine, "In many regions, as much as 60% of reef is at risk from human impacts, including overfishing, destructive fishing practices, sedimentation, and pollution." The magazine included a map of the Earth's reef locations according to World Wildlife Fund and World Resources Institute:
Divers see the result of discarding waste. From dead sealife, coral bleaching, and litter on the ocean floor are evidence many people resemble pigs. Many divers will not just pass over a plastic plate or plastic bucket. They will pick it up to be discarded in a trash receptacle after the dive. That is one of the best uses for a BC pocket!
PADI's Project Aware is worth contributing to. They ahve done a lot to improve environmental awareness. In a PADI Certification Envelope is a Project Aware flyer that explains what this worthwhile organization is about. The following is Project Aware's ten suggested ways divers can protect the underwater environment:
You might even consider getting the Project AWARE's Limited Edition Version of the PADI Certification Card:
