21 Jan How Much Plastic?

As scuba divers, have you ever thought about just how much plastic is in our lives? Not only is my dive watch band plastic but so is most of my regulator, as well as my fins and even mask.  The dry bags, some dive flags, buoys and so much more are all plastic.  Now, I know plastic is a way of life and part of our every day, in fact it is almost impossible to imagine life without it but I read an article today in The Washington Post that gave me pause.  The headline stated “By 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans , study says” .  That is pound for pound. What a terrible tragedy that would be. I’m sure you have also heard about the ocean gyres that are giant garbage collecting currents located in several different areas of the world’s oceans. We need to do anything we possibly can as individuals to stop the damage now.  At Sea Experience Dive Center we are dedicated to helping protect our oceans and these wonderful places we get to scuba dive. We recycle our garbage, report ghost nets, pick up garbage while on dives, remove fishing line from our wrecks and reefs as well as sponsor Underwater Cleanup dives. Our waters off Ft Lauderdale are quite clean but we do occasionally find the odd plastic bag or beverage bottle.  The next time you come diving with us, try bringing your sea snips and a small catch bag for picking up garbage.  Next time you are walking down the street or enjoying the beach, stop to pick up the piece of garbage before it has a chance to end up in the ocean. Every little bit helps.  Plastic is part of scuba diving and almost everything else we do and it makes our lives easier and more economical but as individuals we can make a difference.