Alessia Kockel
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How to be an eco-friendly diver

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Divers are some of the strongest advocates for marine conservation, but being a environmentally responsible diver requires taking the necessary steps to reduce your impact on marine life. Here are some helpful tips on what you can do to be an eco-friendly diver. 

1) Choose to stay at environmentally-friendly resorts or hotels that: 
  • Use renewable energy (solar, geothermal) 
  • Conserve energy (energy-saving appliances, timers on devices)
  • Save on water (collect rainwater, recycle water for irrigation and toilets)
  • Recycle, and treat sewage and solid waste responsibly 
  • Use bio-degradable and eco-friendly cleaning products
  • Serve sustainable and/or organic food
  • Use cieling fans on timers or CFC free air conditioning units
  • Avoid beachfront lighting to avoid disturbing sea turtles

2) Dive with dive operators that practice the eco-friendly practices:
  • Provide information environmental briefings
  • Use mooring instead of anchors to avoid damage to reefs
  • Use available waste water pump-our facilities
  • Dive guides do not touch, feed or harass marine life
  • Hold buoyancy control workshops
  • Actively support and visit marine protected areas 
  • Participate in local conservation projects

3) Support local marine protected areas and other conservation projects
  • Visit marine protected areas and pay applicable user fees to support marine conservation
  • Make a donation to a marine protected area or conservation project 
  • Participate in reef surveys, beach cleanups, and record rare animal siting forms
  • Follow all guidelines and/or rules (restricted areas or restricted practices)

4) Practice good buoyancy
  • Remain neutrally buoyant and keep a safe distance from the bottom and corals
  • Practice good finning and body control to avoid accidental contact with reef
  • Sign up to buoyancy training workshops or specialty courses

5) Leave nothing, take nothing
  • Take nothing living or dead out of the water
  • Make sure all garbage is well stored on dive boats and dispose of it responsibly
  • Avoid buying souvenirs made from coral, turtle, or other marine life

6) Minimize contact with marine life
  • Never touch, chase, feed, or ride marine life
  • Stay off the bottom and never stand or rest on coral
  • Carefully select entry and exit points to avoid damaging coral
  • Use available dive moorings (chains and anchors can damage fragile marine life)

7) Check your equipment
  • Make sure all your equipment is well-secured and not dragging on bottom
  • Avoid using gloves, reef hooks, and knee pads in coral environments

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