90,000 TORCHBEARERS REPRESENT THE LARGESTUNDERWATER CITIZEN SCIENCE DATABASE
These underwater citizens have removed and/or reported the largest amount of marine debris on the planet.
OCEAN CONSERVATION Together, PADI and PADI AWARE Foundation strive to reduce marine debris by collecting data gathered from 118 countries. They’ve been able to identify global marine debris hotspots, but the work doesn’t end there. They’re able to uncover root causes and see whether waste management policies are adequate, as their divers collect data in real-time. Their ocean conservation efforts also include accelerating coral recovery and protecting endangered species.
PEOPLE AND HUMANITY Another joint focus is educating and engaging local communities to create global change. The PADI Torchbearer program ignites ocean-lovers to come together to participate in localized campaigns, including debris collection. There are currently more than 90,000 divers and Torchbearers, which Kristin says “represents the largest underwater citizen science database.” These underwater citizens have removed and/or reported the largest amount of marine debris on the planet, showing the organization’s unique ability to collect and collate seafloor debris through the diving community.
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N O R T H R E P O R T P R O - ‘ F I L E S ’ : P A D I A W A R E F O U N D A T I O N
N E W & N O T E W O R T H Y
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