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marine

Environment

Finally! A Ray of Hope for Our Underwater Worlds – And Why David Attenborough Would Approve!

You know how passionate I am about our planet, and particularly the incredible, often-unseen wonders beneath the waves. So this is truly uplifting news from the UK, because it seems we might just be on the cusp of a massive win for our precious marine protected areas!

For what feels like eons, we’ve been hearing about “Marine Protected Areas” (MPAs), often with a cynical little voice in the back of our heads whispering, “Protected from what, exactly, if destructive fishing is still allowed?” It’s been a bit like putting a ‘No Parking’ sign up, but then letting double-decker buses drive straight through your prize-winning petunias, hasn’t it?

But now, the UK government has announced proposals to ban the devastating practice of bottom trawling in 41 offshore MPAs. Could this be the game-changer our UK oceans need?

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June 20, 2025
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

The Cornerstone of the Southern Ocean Ecosystem

Celebrating Antarctic Krill on World Krill Day, 11th August

That’s a big reputation for a small shrimp-like crustacean to live up to.  But they are indeed giants in their ecological significance.

Serving as the primary food source for innumerable marine species, including whales, seals, penguins – especially Adelie and Chinstrap penguins – and fish, they are key in the Antarctic food chain.

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August 7, 2024
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

So Pleased! Another International ‘Short Film’ Festival Selection

Very excited to hear that our film ‘It’s time to act. NOW’ has been nominated for another short film festival – Germany this time.

All you need to know follows and if you haven’t seen the film yet, then you can watch it here – it’s only 2 minutes!

We hope it’s a film that will keep giving – to those organisations that are already working on protecting the Antarctica and all that is in our Southern Ocean.

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June 26, 2024
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

Standing Next to History

… with a group of like-minded, inspirational people who get together to preserve its memory

Hands up who knows the remarkable story of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s voyage to Antarctica on the ship Endurance? It’s the one that took place in 1914 on his endeavour to attempt the first land crossing of the Antarctic, from the Weddell Sea through the South Pole to the Ross Sea.

Remember the part where Shackleton and his men are stranded on Elephant Island? He takes a lifeboat with Frank Worsley, Tom Crean and three others battling treacherous seas and ice for 16 days and 800 miles before reaching the ‘wrong’ side of South Georgia, with mountains between them and the whaling station that could provide the help to rescue his men…

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May 17, 2024
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Environment

The Results Are In!

Remember the Big Plastic Count 2024 back in March? My personal results, with my households plastic packaging footprint, and the overall results are in, from 225,000 participants. And they are STAGGERING.

Such a lot of data to crunch and analyse. Were there enough contributors to get credible results I can hear you ask? Well, participation was 1 in every 300 people in the UK – that seems a significant enough number to give a pretty good overview of not just how much plastic households are throwing away, but in which categories.

Can you guess which of these had the highest plastic count: Food & Drink, Cleaning & Toiletries and Everything Else? Any idea how much of our plastic is incinerated?

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April 21, 2024
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

Antarctic Ambassadors

This is quite an introduction from the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO):

‘Antarctica is a unique and one of the most perfectly preserved regions on the planet…. see how we work to keep it that way’.

IAATO

Since the first mainland Antarctic landing, thought to be by the sealer Captain John Davis on 7th February 1821 to the first tourist expedition in mid-1900’s there have and always will be, people who want to experience Antarctica. Initially it was the science, pursuit of knowledge and of course geographic claim that were the key reasons for making the treacherous journey to this remote land. With the Artic being more accessible and cheaper to reach, Antarctica escaped mass tourism until the 1900’s then this is what happened…

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January 13, 2024
6031
Sustainable Travel

It’s like ordering Fish & Chips and Being Brought Chicken & Jacket Potato!

The ‘Dusseldorf Europcar’ Experience

We do quite a bit of European travel, generally hiring car’s whether that’s in Germany, Italy or Lanzarote. So much easier than standing in that queue at the airport waiting for a taxi. We pre-order online, choose the car make and model we would like ahead of time, always automatic as they drive on the wrong side of the road (haha!). We add our flight number and arrival time, as well as the return drop off time. Well thats perfect as they know you are coming, right? Until you are stood in front of the desk ready to pick up your car….

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January 2, 2024
4606
Environment, Sustainable Travel

When a Gift to Yourself is a Gift to the Planet

Remember the very successful Charity Auction in July for both South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) and the UK Antarctica Heritage Trust (UKAHT)? There were some fabulous donations and some surprising ones – Four Seasons Maldives kindly donated 5 large Coral Frames to the auction! What’s the link? It’s kind of like connecting the dots – except with oceans instead! The Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean to be precise, they are joined – get out a map and check it out. But still the SGHT Team and Four Seasons ‘ummed and ahhed’ over whether the ‘ocean restoration and conservation’ association between these two distant places would result in auction bids for the frames. It did!

Curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to know the stories behind the like-minded people who successfully bid on the coral frames. Fortunately, they both agreed to let me share some insights….

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November 13, 2023
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