The Reef-World Foundation - the charity which coordinates Green Fins internationally in partnership with the UN Environment Programme - led another series of successful ocean conscious business seminars at at DEMA Show (13-16 Nov 2019). These free events, which were attended by representatives across all segments of the dive industry, help businesses and professionals find ways of seating sustainability at the heart of their business model. This session focused on the topic of ocean conscious manufacturers.

Ocean Conscious Manufacturers

Chloe reconfirmed how far the industry has come and that Reef-World wants to drive it to go even further. The biggest piece of feedback the charity has had in recent months is that there’s only so much operators can do at destination. To transform the industry and achieve the vision of making sustainable diving the social norm, there is an urgent need to engage the industry as a whole and mainstream the environment throughout the entire supply chain. Something Reef-World would like to address is the waste and damaging ecological footprint associated with manufacturing dive equipment and supply and provisions for operations.

Chloe shared Reef-World’s Ocean Conscious Suppliers List and asked attendees to add to it with their knowledge. This collaboration will help Reef-World build a database of ocean conscious suppliers around the world which will make it easier for businesses, particularly those working in remote destinations, to source environmentally friendly supplies. She entreated businesses to be part of the change and contribute with their knowledge and contacts.

Chloe and Laurie conducted a “Green Gear Survey” ahead of the seminars, which fell on very little. While a few manufacturers are beginning to think of way to address the plastic waste associate with packaging their equipment, there are only a couple who are really innovating the production and design of their equipment to reduce environmental impact. Henderson has just launched its new wetsuit range using neoprene derived from plant-based products – Greenprene. Sheico is producing wetsuits from limestone neoprene and recycled tyres and reducing waste and energy usage throughout the production process. Tektite products were born from a desire of reducing chemical waste associated with chemical glow sticks and the company is considering a new approach to reducing the environmental footprint associated with packaging. Beyond that, Stream 2 Sea provides alternatives to a number of products which contain chemicals which are known to be damaging to marine life (e.g. sunscreen and mask defog) in eco-friendly containers and Trshbg is making pouches for collecting marine debris during dives and surf sessions.

Reef-World is proud to be partnered with Fourth Element who is really leading the way in terms of reducing their environmental footprint through product design, production and supply. Through this partnership Reef-World will shine a spotlight on the best practice adopted by Fourth Element and share them with other industry members.

Manufacturing and Mission 2020

Jim Standing, Fourth Element

Jim introduced his session by stressing the reason we’re having these conversations is not just about doing business better. This is existential for all of us. He explains: the threat we face as an industry is that if there’s no beautiful coral or fish to look at, no-one wants to go diving anymore. This is why Fourth Element’s vision is to be a global leader in diving which has a clear focus on the future of the oceans.

The problem, he says, is not news to anybody anymore: “The effect on wildlife, the effect not only in the ocean, but also on land, with plastic waste and other environmental problems” is well documented. As scuba divers, who got involved in this sport because we’re passionate about the ocean, “it’s our job to protect it – we are at the front line. All of us,” Jim said. We see the problems, but we can also be part of the solution.

“What if plastic became something of incredible value?” Jim asked. “Plastic is wonderful,” he reminded the audience: “The projector, the chairs, the tablecloth, your clothes, your phone, plastic is part of our lives. Let's not demonise it too much. But let's demonise what we do with it.” He asked attendees to imagine what would happen if, right now, there was no way to create any new plastic: “How much more value would there be in the plastic that already exists? And what would we do with that plastic?” When endowing plastic with the value of a precious metal, suddenly it doesn't look like waste; it looks like cash. And the existing plastic: we’d treasure it. We would use it, we would make sure we could recycle it, we could make sure it had another use and another life. The problem becomes an opportunity for someone to make money. It might sound crazy, he told attendees “but this is already happening.”

Jim gave the example of the Plastic Bank; an organisation which buys plastic from community members who have collected it, then recycles and repackages it and sells it to large manufacturers; hence, giving this “waste” plastic a value. “In the UK,” he explained “household names like Marks and Spencer are using this to make coat hangers for their clothing.”

Sam, Mel and Jula from Reef-World in our Fourth Element gear

Seeing this led Fourth Element to ask themselves how they could do something similar, which led to the launch of their Ocean Positive swimwear line which launched in 2014. He explained “something in region of 640,000 tonnes of ghost gear are lost every year” with devastating consequences. He added that coastal communities are collecting this netting from the beach and sea, cleaning it, drying it and shipping it away to be recycled. Fourth Element buys this recycled material and uses it in the production of their products.

Jim encouraged people to judge and act on sustainability criteria “but don't be judgmental because there's a lot going on out there” for people trying to make changes. “One of the greatest driving forces,” he said, “is guilt.” Guilt drives a lot of our behaviours: both as businesses and in consumer purchasing but, to “bring people along on whatever journey we’re on,” we must encourage them.

“We've got to be brutally honest with ourselves,” he said. “Our customers are still consuming and what we do on the planet is not sustainable, but we can be better at it.” He continued: “We have to recognise that we're all part of the problem. We're all consumers. We all feel guilt. And we're all driven by this guilt. But we are a huge part of the solution. And we, the dive industry, and especially people who've walked into this room this morning can choose to be leaders in changing the way we go forward.”

That’s why Fourth Element made Mission 2020: to change the industry’s relationship to plastic. They gave themselves the hard deadline of World Oceans Day (June 2020) to have eliminated plastic from their packaging and are, in Jim’s words, “90% of the way there.” Nearly half of their product line is made with some form of recycled content and they’re “continually innovating to try and find new ways of doing things.” What’s more, doing their own bit for the planet wasn’t good enough so they decided to make this an initiative for and by the industry. Over 200 organisations within the dive industry have made an ambitious commitment to change their relationship with plastic – whether that’s stopping using single-use or recycling more – and Jim called for even more brands to get involved and make a commitment.

This seminar series was made possible by the sponsorship of four companies who are already on the sustainable diving pathway and represent different stakeholder groups in the dive and travel industry:

Fourth Element is innovating dive manufacturing by producing dive gear using ghost fishing nets, biodegradable packaging made from vegetables is leading the latest environmental movement within the industry – Mission2020;
Explorer Ventures - is working towards the elimination of single-use plastics onboard its Caribbean vessels. It is also helping The Reef-World Foundation establish targeted liveaboard protocols as part of the Green Fins initiative with the hope of improving dive operator and liveaboard environmental policies worldwide;
Paralenz - a Danish tech company dedicated to the Ocean. Together with divers across the globe, they have developed a camera that enable divers to capture and share the state and life of the Ocean as a seamless part of the dive;
Blue O Two / Worldwide Dive and Sail works with partners with similar philosophies, sources local, sustainable products wherever possible, runs reef clean-ups and educates guests about how they can make a difference; for example, by encouraging them to bring eco-friendly toiletries, such as sunscreen and toothpaste.