BUSINESS EDU Part II: How To “Blue” Your Business in 2025 – And Make More Green – by Gil Zeimer, ScubaStoryteller.com and Zeimer.com, San Rafael, CA
As a PADI Open-Water Diver for nearly 40 years, Gil has published more than 110 articles in over 25 magazines and websites, plus another 170 newsletters about his experiences from Australia to Aruba, Hawaii to Mexico, and California to Florida.
Blue is the color of the ocean that we all love for diving, snorkeling, and swimming. Blue also symbolizes seren- ity, stability, inspiration, hope, and wis- dom. Best of all, for Part 2 of this series, “blue” can make your business more environmentally aware and friend-
water divers have collected these voracious predators. One of our members, Virginia Bria, says, “We culled whole urchins off the rocks at Van Damme State Park in Mendocino. We then took the baskets to Fort Bragg where Watermen’s Al- liance was working with local fisheries to process the urchins into fertilizer. In recent years, we have been culling them with tack hammers in Caspar Cove and Van Damme State Park.” 4) Support Ocean Conservationists: There are far too many non-profit organizations and charities worldwide that promote ocean conservation to list here. But, over the years, I have supported the Coral Reef Alliance, Greenpeace, Dr. Sylvia Earle’s Mission Blue, PADI Aware, Shark Stewards, The Nature Conservancy’s Ocean Program, and Turtle Island Restoration Network. There are hundreds of local NPOs as
lier to attract and keep more customers. Here are 11 additional “blue” initiatives to consider: 1) Subsist on Sustainable Fish : Overfishing is one of the world’s most critical problems, so educate your customers about the types of fish they should eat that are not on endan- gered species lists. More than 25 years ago, the world-famous Monterey Bay
well, who are all trying to make a difference. 5) Teach Kids About The Oceans From Their Homes : The Hydrous inspires ocean em- pathy and marine stewardship to educate the masses about our blue environment. Marine bi- ologist Dr. Erika Woolsey takes coral reef pho- tos, digitizes them, and creates unique 3D models, which you can then view with her Vir-
Aquarium curated a special exhibit featuring only sustainable seafood. Now, the “Seafood Watch” mobile app and website have become a leading guide for science-based information globally. You can search by species, by U.S. region, and by the most popular sushi items sold in America. For example, the top ten “Super Green List” of seafood is nutritious, healthy to eat, and, most im-
tual Reality goggles online. Combining scalable solutions like VR with multidisciplinary partnerships, she’s making the ocean accessible to 10 million learners by 2030. Imagine how this accessibility can turn more kids into scuba diving students. 6) Host an Ocean Film Screening : The mission of the In- ternational Ocean Film Foundation (IOFF) in San Francisco is to be the premier global platform for ocean literacy and ed- ucation through award-winning independent films. Its annual festival, held this year from April 11-13, will celebrate its 22nd anniversary. Their new documentary, “Sequoias of The Sea” about bull kelp will premiere then. Contact them to ask how you can volunteer, screen some films as a fundraiser for the world’s oceans, or make donations. 7) Celebrate World Ocean Day: June 8 : This day was orig- inally recognized by the United Nations in 2008 to support the implementation of worldwide Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and foster public interest in the protection of
portantly, abundant in our oceans. The latest list includes Al- bacore Tuna, Rainbow Trout, Farmed Mussels, plus Alaska Flounder and Sole. I often consult this app when I’m shop- ping in grocery stores and dining in restaurants. 2) Be Aware of Leading Environmental Issues : Educate your scuba students and divers about the key environmental issues our oceans are facing today. According to PADI, these include ocean warming, coral bleaching and acidification, ocean pollution (especially microplastics), overfishing and de- structive fishing practices, marine debris entanglement, habitat destruction, and the impact of invasive species. 3) Host Purple Sea Urchin Clean-Ups : Combined with ris- ing marine temperatures along the California coast, purple sea urchins have decimated bull kelp forests and abalone popula- tions. In fact, since 2014, 96% of the bull kelp canopy has been lost. That’s why Marin Scuba Club in Northern California has hosted annual events beginning in 2018 where our hardy cold-
PAGE EIGHTEEN | SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker