We are a small business that is very environmentally conscience and directly see the impact that man can have on our planet every day. We also see how resilient the earth is and how well it recovers from everything that gets thrown at it. To help the cause have been looking at Carbon offset programs that align with our thoughts on environmental conservation. Simple I thought there are many programs out there we can just pick one of the many but after a little investigation I found that there are a lot of things to consider when choosing such a program. Here are the top points to consider when looking at a program;
1. First one seems obvious but believe it or not you need to check that the company themselves is environmentally conscience and follows earth friendly practices.
2. They are not reselling growth that already exists, sometimes referred to as “securing for future generations”. The offset has to be all new growth.
3. What is being planted is native to the area and not introducing new species.
4. The plants fit into the balance of the area and are not taxing the area using too much water or other natural resources.
5. The offsets are occurring in area that you are polluting, while any offset is better than none, helping out locally means that you are directly contributing back to the area you are polluting. This may even lead to the further greening of our cities. You can also go and see the good work that you have contributed towards
6. Carbon trading and carbon credits are not what you should be looking for, these are arbitrary targets negotiated by politicians. Do the right thing and try as much as possible to be carbon neutral, the rest will follow.
7. Refine and make your own processes more efficient to limit your amount of carbon generation.
8. Your purchasing or vendor chain may need some tweaking; sourcing your product locally where possible not only saves emissions caused by long haul traffic it helps invigorate your local economy.
9. Support charities that are focused on reforestation of native plants. These organizations are driven by an ideal rather than profit so you will get the most value out of your money while supporting a good cause.
10. Support other organizations that are as committed as you are. This will help drive the green economy and act as an incentive for others to start participating in greening our planet.
If you are a company focusing in carbon offsetting and meet the above requirements please contact us and I’ll be happy to give you a plug.
Category: Environmental Awareness
Responsible Reef Practices While Snorkelling
Practices that you can do to help sustain the Great Barrier Reef for generations to come
• Practice at first over sand patches and away from the coral:
• Get comfortable with buoyancy control and finning techniques.
• Be mindful of where your fins are to avoid accidentally hitting the reef or stirring up sand.
• Snorkel carefully near the Reef:
• Move slowly and deliberately in the water, relax and take your time – to remain horizontal in the water, and refrain from standing up.
• Do not snorkel into areas where the water is less than one metre deep.
• Do not touch the walls of semi-confined areas (for example, small swim throughs and overhangs), never squeeze through a small area.
• Use rest stations or other flotation aids (for example, float lines, swimming noodles, and flotation vests) if you need to rest while snorkelling.
• Do not lean on, hold onto, or touch any part of the reef or moving animals when taking underwater photographs.
• Be mindful of all marine life:
• Avoid making sudden or loud noises underwater.
• Avoid chasing or attempting to ride or grab free-swimming animals (such as turtles, whales, and sea snakes). Avoid blocking their path or making them change direction.
• Do not touching or relocating any animals or plants.
• Stay more than one metre away from giant clams.
• Do not feed the fish.
• Do not collect any shells or ‘souvenirs’.
Responsible Reef Practices While Diving
The Great Barrier Reef and other reefs throughout the world are delicately balanced ecosystems and while they are spectacular as well as resilient, we must do our best to leave them as we found them. We compiled this list of reef safe diving practices to enable the reefs of the world to be enjoyed for years to come.
* Move slowly and deliberately in the water, relax and take your time – relax and avoid rapid changes in direction.
* Avoid making sudden or loud noises underwater.
* Avoid leaning on, holding onto, or touching any part of the reef. This needs to be adhered to especially when taking underwater photographs.
* Avoid touching the walls of semi-confined areas (for example, small swim throughs or overhangs) – never squeeze through a small area.
* Avoid kicking up and disturbing the sand.
* Avoid touching any animals or plants.
* Do not feed fish or other wildlife.
* Stay more than one metre away from giant clams and reefs.
* Keep clear of free-swimming animals (such as turtles, whales, and sea snakes). In particular, you must not chase, ride, grab or block the path of these animals.
* Do not wear gloves (unless they’re required for safety reasons) as you are less likely to touch the coral.
* Avoid collecting any shells, coral or ‘souvenirs’.
* Avoid relocating any marine life – particularly when taking photos and filming.
* Collect all litter from the Reef, even that which isn’t yours.
* Do not feed the fish.
Water Colours & National Geographic
Why are fish such incredible colours? We’ve never truly understood, because we’ve always looked through human eyes… At the very forefront of marine science, ‘WATER COLOURS’ is an epic exploration of underwater colour, seen for the first time ever, through the fishes eyes. Read more…
We extend our congratulations to Guy and Anita on the release of their series ‘WATER COLOURS’ and their partnership with National Geographic. Many years of passion, dedication and devotion to this project & marine life featured make this a unique film. New Horizon is proud to be affiliated with, and support Liquid Motion Film.
Water Colours Homepage
Ten Frequently Asked Questions about the Film.
The Making of.. (Featuring a Good Looking Crew and Yacht :) )
More Details About Each Episode.
Celebrating a brand new partnership, Underwater Excellence meets Wildlife’s Finest in an exclusive launch of what’s been referred to as ‘the blue-chip underwater series of the decade’
This week at MIPTV Cannes, leading independent Producer Liquid Motion Film joins world-famous National Geographic to launch their revolutionary ‘Water Colours’ Series for exclusive broadcast under the esteemed National Geographic brand umbrella.
“From the producers of the multi award-winning series ‘The Reef’, ‘Water Colours’ is a timely and unique portrayal of the fascinating and virtually unknown world of underwater colour communication” says NGTI. “Provocative and stimulating, ‘Water Colours’ provides a pioneering breakthrough in underwater communication and a landmark step towards improving our understanding in this field.