Human behaviour, human innovation, and the rise of the youth for our oceans.
The ability to think out of the box, to invent a synthetic material that will never go away happened in 1907 and look at where we are now in 2020. Yes, it has helped so many industries such as medical and aviation but the mass production of plastic has literally taken over our planet. Each one of us has the power to protect what is our home, that is the earth and ocean of what surrounds us. Right now many youths are using their voices for the protection of our oceans.
As you may know, Starboard is an active planet protector when it comes to reducing the impact created from making our boards, accessories and apparel. Over the years we have worked with Protect Blue to develop educational materials to connect the younger generation with nature and sport. Ambassadors For The Planet is coming up in the near future so keep your eyes peeled.
In the meantime, the development of SUP Kids continues to combine water safety with how to actively keep your own body and the environment around you happy and healthy! Even today SUPKids schools around the world are working hard to continue to teach private lessons to provide the safest and most enjoyable learning environment for the children. Strength is building, with even a new SUPKids School opening in China, thanks to distributor Kei!
There is no limit of knowledge wanting to be obtained from the youth of today. Their eagerness to educate their minds is a powerful tool that has to be harnessed. Therefore, resulting in well-informed voices and solution-focused ideas through education.
Above all, the rise the youth has meant that the voices are starting to be heard, with their presence bringing the need for more action to be taken. They want to fill their minds with knowledge so their decisions are conscious and well informed.
And When Better To Start Than Today?
World Ocean Day For Schools has launched a whole day of activities for children interactivity learn from wherever they are located. They’ll be able to open up their minds through, ocean films, science lessons, storytelling and even music performances! Starboard Ocean Ambassadors Sea Monkeys will also be sharing a video guide of their Plastic Pollution Comic Book, so tune in!
Examples of Youth For Our Oceans Leaders In Action!
Exactly a year ago, Starboard welcomed avid foiling youngster, Mikaela Nichols into the Ocean Ambassadors team.
Since then Mikaela has been sharing her knowledge to expand the minds of her fellow surfers at the summer surf clubs, as well as those in her classes at school. Even during the lockdown, she is sharing the aligned environmental goals of Starboard and her work through her online drawing classes with Shore Buddies. Mikaela is committed to delivering book readings to grades 1 and 2 once schools resume!
Lilly Satidtanasarn
Lilly who leads the school strikes in Thailand has harnessed her power and taken it right to the top! Going straight to the Ministers and Local Governments. Lilly aims to get them banning single-use plastic now, rather than in 7 years. Her success has lead to big shopping mall chains banning the plastic bag in Bangkok!
Così Parlò Zarabusta
Heading over to Puglia, Italy, a group of youngsters (Così Parlò Zarabusta) have gathered all age groups together to action clean up events. Their hometown of Taranto holds high levels of pollution due to the local steel factory. The same factory employs thousands of people who live in the town, but also breath this harmful air. Furthermore, this movement started with 4 youngsters, now it is a movement with 100s of people demanding change in their hometown. Truly showing how powerful youths voices are when it comes to making change and growing a shift within communities.
Maliti – Bye Bye Plastic Bags
In the recent SAP Live event: Inspiring Purpose Led Change event Maliti one of the founders of the youth-led organisation Bye Bye Plastic Bags explained that the youth are now learning from peer to peer content. This is due to schools not sharing or teaching how to be a changemaker. Maliti also shared the wise words that there is no need to wait to become ‘ qualified’. Find what makes you tick and really empower yourself through your own passions. As a result of this, use this driving force to snowball your actions into big changes.
Earth Uprising
“We youth will bear the greatest impacts of climate change. Our lives will be very different from the lives of our parents and grandparents. We will be the first generation to witness the devastation the older generations have brought upon our planet. Youth climate activists from all over the world are uniting to take action and demand a better future for ourselves and future generations. Even though many of us cannot vote, we can make our voices heard!”.
Earth Uprising Youth-Led Activists, 2020
Read more here.
How Can We Help Now?
Think big, think radically. Most importantly, use the big thinking of creating mass-produced plastics in 1907. You see, we need this big thinking and action to build back better to enable us to learn from the past and push forward with the future. Above all, we need to keep empowering the Youth For The Oceans!
Want to find more to protect our oceans from plastic pollution?
A newly launched movement named SHiFT can help. It shows many ways to tackle plastic pollution by sharing hundreds of solutions on their website. Check it out, you’ll even find some of Starboard’s solutions on there! #JoinTheSHiFT. Starboards links can be found below, thank you for sharing SHiFT team!
Learn About Plastic Legislation Globally
Learn About Plastic Bans on Single Use Items
Attach a Trash Picker to Paddles
