What Do You Do to Help the Environment While Diving?

[Eric Sedletzky]

I am not going to say you are wrong, the amount of lead leaching into the ocean from dive weights is approaching zero compared to the millions of fishing weights that are lost from every fishing pier every day. I take my weights in and out of the water on a regular basis and it probably totals forty or so hours a year. In ponds and lakes you have a similar disconnect of leaching from lost weights. There is a natural occurrence of lead at some level since it is a natural element in the environment. I wonder what the exposure for the diver is when he handles uncoated lead weights or the shot bags (I have picked up several of them from diving and tag sales). I also used to caste some of my own lead years ago.

I think yoir right, the amount of contamination would be almost nil when taken into account the size of the oceans plus all the other waste that finds itself in the ocean around the world. Probably the biggest danger would be to the diver or other organisms right in the middle of the plume.

As a side note, some pools don’t allow uncoated lead weights to be used.

 

[Bob DBF]

The bonus is that we have really good wine around here and it’s a beautiful spot to hang out.

Don't forget the breweries.


Bob

 

[rgdiver1]

Several years ago a good friend and I were diving Telford Spring in North Florida, which was notoriously trashy from locals dumping their garbage there. After our first dive, I focused on our dive gear in our vehicle. After a few minutes, I realized that my buddy had done an amazing job of policing the area in just a short time. I have always tried to remember that lesson from that day. If you see trash at a dive site, pick it up and dispose of it properly. If we all do this, it will make a big difference for the environment.

 

[driftwood]

Most of my diving is at Spring Lake in San Marcos Texas. It's a federally protected body of water with 7 endangered species residing. You have to have special certification to dive there and each dive has a specific task and location assigned.

When the program started in the early 90's, the majority of the plants were invasive hydrilla. Today it is extremely rare to find any hydrilla and over 97% of the plants are native to the site. "Armored Catfish" were the over 70% of the population and today I see one every two years or so. Diving there this year, its rare that I don't see a 4-5lb black bass on a dive (they come out of the woodwork when we are working looking for an easy meal). The two most prevalent non-native fish are the striped bass (introduced by TPWD) and tilapia.

A few years ago the lake was closed to diving for a major restoration of the surrounding land. In that interval, the species counts by the USFWS declined by 50%. It bounced back up when we were allowed back in the lake. My personal view is that the critters just had more places to hide rather than an actual decline in the population.

The lake is completely spring fed and a constant 72 degrees year round. When you are not working, the vis on a very bad day is 50'. Shallow diving mostly in the 10-20' range with a maximum of 29'.

In closing, I dive with the largest underwater habitat restoration project in the country.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Coming out of the water with trash and dumping in a trash bin in the deck of a boat or in the beach is a way to educate others with your example. That worked for me.

Yes of course we do that as well but I said I wasn't going to repeat points made prior to my post

 

[Diver-Drex]

When vacation diving I try to point out bad bouyancy control and lack of fin awareness. I see way too many divers banging into reef structure.
As a DM I talk about bouyancy control and responsible diving practices during classes or when during a pre-dive brief.

 

[Kharon]

When vacation diving I try to point out bad bouyancy control and lack of fin awareness. I see way too many divers banging into reef structure.

One reason I dive solo. I just can't watch that shite anymore and I ain't the scuba police.

 

[happy-diver]

In an attempt to tackle Dangling Console Syndrome (DCS)
I am considering establishing worldwide console clip suppositories
that divers both male and female will be able to access 24 hours a day.

For free!

 

[CT-Rich]

In an attempt to tackle Dangling Console Syndrome (DCS)
I am considering establishing worldwide console clip suppositories
that divers both male and female will be able to access 24 hours a day.

For free!

No way am cutting a hole in the seat of my dry suit....

 

[drbill]

Fortunately the number of beer cans and bottles have declined in our dive park since it became an official MPA so I don't have to drag them out with me.

Most of what I do is bring back video and memories to share with divers and non-divers through my weekly column ("Dive Dry with Dr. Bill") and my videos about marine life, the environment and ecology. Education is the name of my game.