Do you "give back"?

[Kourtjestr]

Haven't started yet, as I just got my c-card end of October, but next year (time permitting) I would like to help one of the LDS with it's milfoil eradication efforts. They target one body of water at a time (this is all from my take on it from a quick chat with the guy in the shop) and run equipment and divers to clean up. Totally worthwhile, and it should give me a bunch of dives (and long ones, since they're shallow).

 

[Guba]

Fairly soon after becoming a certified diver, I was fortunate enough to become associated with the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in Galveston, Texas (the actual site is 110 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico). Through their program for teachers, I learned to make REEF surveys, and I've been doing that for about ten years now. In addition, I volunteer with the NMS as a workshop presenter and speaker in dozens of venues spanning from youth groups and elementary classes to seminars for professional educators. I also volunteer in the Science Diver program at Aquarena Center in San Marcos, Texas, and help spread information for freshwater studies.
We can all help to educate the general populace concerning marine and aquatic awareness. It's extremely important that we do so.

 

[nolatom]

Guba, that's where I was one of the drilling/cementing volunteers, at Stetson.

I think the Flower Gardens are under-known as a beautiful dive destination, and Stetson even more so.

 

[ajtoady]

I have participated in the Project Aware up here on the St Lawrence. This spring there was a group of about 9 divers and about 6 above water cleaning up the shores. My local dive shop provided all the air and helped with the arrangements. I'll do it again as I hate litter killing the wildlife whether fish or fowl.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

My entire Girl Scout snorkeling and skin diving program is geared towards how they can use the skills for their own conservation efforts, why it's important to get involved, and why as kids their voices can be much louder than those of adults. Example- one of the most beautiful GS camps has a pristine lake. Clear fresh water and indyllic setting on one side. The other three sides are property owned by Waste Management. And they use it as a dump. Waste Management has made overtures to buy the property. A proposed project would have the kids go in to the lake and document fish and plant species, any invertebrates, and do a detailed report on them including underwater photos they will learm how to take in phase two of my program with point and shoot cameras. They will also document the life around the lake and then present it PUBLICLY to local politicians who may be taking "contributions" from Waste Management and be favorable to the land sale. Adults can present all the petitions they want and be completely overlooked without many negative effects. No politician wants to look like they hurt kids though. At least if they are smart they don't.

 

[sailingk8]

Editor of Ocean News on Facebook - daily articles on all things ocean

Volunteer educating about sharks, writing letters, campaigning, and basically do anything I can to save these amazing creatures worldwide

Volunteer diver at Virginia Aquarium

Weekly beach comber picking up the plastic and balloons

Plant beach grasses with National Aquarium

* Would love to do a coral planting trip in the near future.

 

[TSandM]

Love to hear these stories! Keep 'em coming!

 

[Dirty-Dog]

We dive responsibly. We try to encourage others to dive responsibly. We pick up trash and lug it out. We donate to organizations such as REEF.
I shoot every lionfish I see, if I am allowed to do so, and have never shot any other creature.

 

[highdesert]

Sharks.

Even though I'm landlocked, I like to write, and I have time. So doing anything I can to try to protect these sublime creatures, so necessary to a healthy marine environment, is worth the effort. Not everyone can be out on the "front lines", but educating and politely haranguing the right people can be very effective.

An organization I support with donations is the Coral Reef Alliance http://www.coral.org/

 

[Quero]

I have participated in a few organized cleanups here in Thailand, and I teach coral monitoring as a Specialty Course through PADI (Coralwatch) to assess the degree of coral bleaching and regeneration resulting from rising sea surface temperatures due to global warming. But more important, I think, has been my personal vendetta against the inclusion of shark fin soup in my Chinese family's celebrations. The elderly matriarch (93 years old and counting) has even come around! She now sends out appeals to her extensive network of friends against shark fin soup along with descriptions of the torture sharks endure in order to provide this so-called delicacy at banquets and holiday gatherings. None of the young people one generation below me (my kids, my nieces and nephews) consider it appropriate to serve shark-fin soup at their weddings, graduation banquets, etc. It might be a small effort, but lots of small efforts make a large impact.