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PROJECT AWARE®Project AWARE Specialty Course Instructor Guide(Includes Adopt a Dive Site™)Product No. 70239 (08/18) Version 3.0Printed in USA

Project AWARESpecialty Course

© PADI 2018 300PDI18

Project AWARE Specialty Instructor Guide2

Instructor Guide

Project AWARE®

Project AWARE®

Specialty Course Instructor Guide

© PADI 2018

Items in the Appendix may be reproduced by PADI® Members for use in PADI- sanctioned training, but not for resale or personal gain. No other part of this product may be reproduced, sold or distributed in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

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Printed in USA

Product No. 70239 (08/18) v3.0

Project AWARE Specialty Instructor Guide 3

Instructor Guide

Project AWARE®

ContentsIntroduction 5How to Use this Guide _________________________________________________ 5Course Philosophy and Goals ____________________________________________ 5Course Flow Options __________________________________________________ 6

Section One Course Standards 7Standards at a Glance__________________________________________________ 7Instructor Prerequisites ________________________________________________ 7Participant Prerequisites _______________________________________________ 8Hours ______________________________________________________________ 8Materials ____________________________________________________________ 8Assessment Standards _________________________________________________ 8Certification Requirements and Procedures ________________________________ 9Links to Other Courses _________________________________________________ 9

Section Two Knowledge Development 10I. Introduction _______________________________________________________ 10II. Project AWARE and Its Mission _______________________________________ 11III. Be a Buoyancy Expert ______________________________________________ 14IV. Be a Role Model ___________________________________________________ 17V. Take Only Photos – Leave Only Bubbles _________________________________ 19VI. Protect Underwater Life ____________________________________________ 23VII. Become a Debris Activist ___________________________________________ 25VIII. Make Responsible Seafood Choices __________________________________ 28IX. Take Action _______________________________________________________ 31X. Be an Eco-tourist __________________________________________________ 32XI. Shrink Your Carbon Footprint ________________________________________ 35XII. Give Back _______________________________________________________ 38

10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet 40

Citations 41

Project AWARE Specialty Knowledge Review 42

Project AWARE Specialty Knowledge Review Answer Key 45


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Instructor Guide

Project AWARE®

INTRODUCTIONThis section includes suggestions on how to use this guide, an overview of course philosophy and goals and describes ways you can organize and integrate student diver learning.

How to Use this Guide

This guide speaks to you, the Project AWARE Specialty Instructor. The guide contains two sections: the first contains standards specific to this course, the second contains knowledge development. All required standards, learning objectives, activities and performance requirements specific to the Project AWARE Specialty Instructor appear in boldface print. The boldface assists you in easily identifying those requirements that you must adhere to when you conduct the course. Items not in boldface print are recommendations for your information and consideration. General course standards applicable to all PADI courses are located in the General Standards and Procedures section of your PADI Instructor Manual. This guide uses the term “diver” throughout – please note this means scuba divers as well as freedivers, who are also eligible to complete this course.

Course Philosophy and Goals

The Project AWARE Specialty course is designed to introduce participants to the Project AWARE movement and provide guidance to help individuals take actions that bring about positive change for the ocean. The course goals are to:

• Introduce participants to Project AWARE and its mission.

• Familiarize participants with the 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet.

• Guide participants toward personal commitments and actions they can take to help the environment.

You can also use the Project AWARE Specialty Course as a community engagement tool to help build your customer-support base, attract new divers and grow the environmental movement. You may use the program to:

• Recruit volunteers for your conservation activities, such as conducting Dive Against Debris® surveys.

• Keep people interested in diving during winter months or other times when participating in dive activities may be impractical in the local area, for instance a nondiving day before flying.

• Recruit nondivers and divers into other programs within the dive center or resort.

• Demonstrate that the PADI organization and its members not only teach people how to dive but also how to take responsibility for the marine environment.

• Be a leader in your local community by using the specialty course in schools, with community, youth groups and others.


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The outline and lesson guides can be adapted and kept concise for presentations in schools and the local community, etc. Additional photos of the local area can be added to relevant sections to customize the presentation.

Course Flow Options

Conduct instructor-led presentations to develop diver knowledge. Encourage participants to sign up for other courses or actions to convert their knowledge and enthusiasm into practice.


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Topic Course StandardMinimum Instructor Rating:

Project AWARE Specialty Instructor

Prerequisites: Minimum Age:

Interest in our ocean planet None

Ratios: NoneHours Recommended: 3Materials Instructor:

• Project AWARE Specialty Instructor Guide and Lesson Guides

• 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet poster and/or handout

• Access to Project AWARE website including 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet pledge, the Ugly Journey of Our Trash and Dive Against Debris® resources (www.projectaware.org/tools)

• Responsible Shark & Ray Tourism – A Guide to Best Practice (www.projectaware.org)

• State of the Global Market for Shark Products interactive infographic (www.projectaware.org)

• Access to the internet for Project AWARE’s social media channels

Student:• 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet poster and/or

handout

• Access to the 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet pledge and the Ugly Journey of Our Trash resources within Project AWARE Conservation Tools (www.projectaware.org/tools)

Section OneCourse StandardsThis section includes the course standards, recommendations and suggestions for conducting the Project AWARE Specialty course.

Standards at a Glance

Instructor PrerequisitesTo qualify to teach the Project AWARE Specialty course, an individual must be a Teaching status PADI Assistant Instructor or Open Water Scuba Instructor or higher. PADI Freediver™ Instructors or higher qualify by submitting an application and getting approval from PADI Regional Headquarters. PADI Divemasters must complete Project AWARE Specialty Instructor training with a PADI Course Director and have applications verified at PADI Regional Headquarters. For further details, reference Professional Ratings in the your PADI Instructor Manual.


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Participant Prerequisites

Participants only need to have an interest in the aquatic environment to enroll. There is no minimum age or experience requirement.

Hours

The recommended number of hours is three.

Materials

Instructor• Project AWARE Specialty Course Instructor Guide and Lesson Guides

• 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet poster and/or handout

• Access to the Project AWARE website, www.projectaware.org, in particular to the 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet pledge, the Ugly Journey of Our Trash and Dive Against Debris® resources, found in the Conservation Tools section (www.projectaware.org/tools)

Note: If internet access is not possible during the course, you need to ensure students have access to the 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet pledge before certification.

Recommended:

• Responsible Shark & Ray Tourism – A Guide to Best Practice, found in the Conservation Tools section on www.projectaware.org

• State of the Global Market for Shark Products interactive infographic, found in the Conservation Tools section on www.projectaware.org

• Access to the internet for Project AWARE’s social media channels

Student Diver• 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet poster and/or handout

• Access to the 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet pledge and the Ugly Journey of Our Trash resources, found in the Conservation Tools section (www.projectaware.org/tools)

Assessment StandardsTo assess knowledge with participants, work through the Take Action Workshops points in each section and then review the Project AWARE Knowledge Review. Encourage participants to use the Knowledge Review as their own plan of action.


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Certification Requirements and ProceduresParticipants receive a PADI Specialty certification card. Encourage students to donate to receive the Project AWARE version of their PADI certification card.

Links to Other Courses

The Project AWARE Specialty course may credit toward the PADI Master Scuba Diver rating.

Encourage divers to enroll in PADI courses that support Project AWARE’s 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet, such as Peak Performance Buoyancy or the Coral Reef Conservation Specialty. You can also encourage students to deepen their commitment to ocean protection with Project AWARE courses such as Dive Against Debris® Specialty and AWARE Shark Conservation Diver Specialty.

Continue to check the Project AWARE website (www.projectaware.org) for additional courses and conservation tools as they become available.


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Section TwoKnowledge DevelopmentThe Project AWARE Specialty course is an introduction to Project AWARE as a global movement for ocean protection. The course focuses and expands on the 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet to provide guidance and help individuals make a difference for ocean protection.

Sessions should be informal and interactive while you adapt the course to the students and the local environment, including issues specific to tropical, temperate and polar waters as well as fresh and salt water. Take Action Workshops at the end of each section include discussion points to help consolidate student understanding by showing how they can apply the information. Have students use the Knowledge Review to form their action plan. Encourage active discussion between the students and use Project AWARE tools and resources found in the Conservation Toolbox on the Project AWARE website to help build on discussion points.

I. Introduction

Note to InstructorHave student divers and staff introduce and provide a bit of background about themselves.

A. Course Goals

1. The goals of this program are to:

a. Introduce you to the Project AWARE movement.

b. Familiarize you with the 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet.

c. Demonstrate how you can personally make a difference.

B. Course Overview and Schedule

Note to InstructorYou may expand discussion points and add local knowledge but it is recommended that classroom sessions remain succinct and encourage participants to further action.

C. Costs, Equipment Requirements and Paperwork

D. Certification

1. Explain the certification options and links to other courses and levels.

a. Certification/certificate.

b. Other Project AWARE courses.

c. Related PADI courses.

d. Project AWARE actions and campaigns.

e. PADI Master Scuba Diver™ credit.


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II. Project AWARE and Its Mission

Learning ObjectivesAfter this discussion, you should be able to answer the following questions:

• What is Project AWARE?

• What is Project AWARE’s mission?

What is Project AWARE?

A. Project AWARE is a registered nonprofit organization and global movement for ocean protection powered by a community of adventurers.

1. Project AWARE’s vision is a return to a clean, healthy ocean.

2. Project AWARE believes in a future where the ocean no longer needs protecting.

B. Project AWARE and PADI share a rich partnership that has been critical to Project AWARE’s historical success and organizational growth.

1. The adventure started in 1989 when PADI introduced Project AWARE initially as a project and environmental ethic to harness each diver’s potential to advocate for and protect underwater environments.

2. In 1992, after three years of success, Project AWARE evolved to become a registered nonprofit organization with a dedicated environmental mission and purpose.

3. Project AWARE continued to expand and was registered as a formal charity in the UK in 1999 and received formal nonprofit status in Australia in 2002.

4. The organization’s long-standing achievements in underwater protection makes Project AWARE PADI’s preferred nonprofit partner. Many times PADI and Project AWARE are confused as one and the same due to this long history of strong collaboration and a shared commitment to making a difference for our ocean planet. This is how important partners are to Project AWARE.

a. PADI provides in-kind support to the charity and encourages divers worldwide to join the growing Project AWARE movement.

5. Today, Project AWARE drives local community actions to influence global change.

a. Project AWARE inspires, informs, creates and shares actions needed to engage, connect and bring together the passion for adventure with the purpose of ocean conservation.


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Note to InstructorHighlight the Project AWARE website and share recent achievements, including those relevant to your local area or places your participants visit. Check www.projectaware.org for up-to-date information and use Project AWARE’s Annual Impact Reports to highlight local and global achievements.

C. Project AWARE’s vision is to return to a clean, healthy ocean. To meet this vision, there are two critical areas that Project AWARE seeks to influence: community and policy.

1. Pollution from human activity has seriously damaging effects on marine ecosystems. Project AWARE supports policies to stop pollution at the source and works towards eliminating the environmental damages in our communities with both fins on and fins off.

2. Through partnerships against trash and community action, Project AWARE raises awareness of the global marine debris crisis, and rallies support from dive volunteers collecting data critically needed to support ongoing efforts toward finding long term solutions to the ugly journey of our trash.

3. In 2011, Dive Against Debris® was launched, the world’s first underwater marine debris survey of its kind.

a. The Dive Against Debris® interactive online map shows divers a unique underwater perspective to the global marine debris issues.

b. The Dive Against Debris® Mobile App was launched in 2017 to encourage participation and data reporting.

c. Divers can also enroll in the Dive Against Debris® Specialty Course, available in 12 languages.

4. Healthy and thriving marine ecosystems are critical to the ocean and the people that depend on them. Project AWARE supports science-based conservation policies that reward sustainable fishing practices and help save biodiversity with both fins on and fins off.

What is Project AWARE’s mission?

D. Project AWARE’s mission is to connect the passion for ocean adventure with the purpose of marine conservation to create lasting change. Project AWARE takes action to create both local and global change for the ocean and the communities who depend on it. Our local actions collectively protect the most vulnerable marine species and decrease pollution.

1. Project AWARE’s global community understands that ocean protection goes hand in hand with underwater adventure. As divers and ocean enthusiasts, we often see what others cannot.

2. Project AWARE supporters see first hand what is beneath the waves and take action to implement positive change in their communities across the globe.


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3. Together, we engage in positive actions both with our fins on and fins off.

E. Project AWARE:

1. Believes in the power of people.

a. Project AWARE empowers a global community of adventurers and ocean enthusiasts because large scale positive transformation starts with each and every one of us acting locally for global impact.

2. Has an evidence- and science-based approach to ocean conservation.

a. Project AWARE focuses on the long term, meaningful change and strives for sustainable and enduring results.

3. Understands that we are stronger when we join our actions together.

a. Project AWARE is committed to working with individuals, businesses, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and corporate partners on a collaborative basis to combine efforts, maximize impact and drive results.

4. Recognizes that change itself is a constant and that change is needed to create solutions.

5. Believes that each of us, every day, has the power to engage in making the world a better place.

F. If you share Project AWARE’s values, join the movement. Be part of the adventure!

G. Launched in the late 1980s and modernized in 2014, Project AWARE’s 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet is a code of conduct for scuba divers to safely interact and protect underwater environments at the same time. The eco ethic aims to harness the power of scuba to influence environmental change. This Project AWARE Specialty course uses the framework of the 10 Tips to guide course participants towards personal commitments and actions they can take to help the environment.

H. Throughout this course you will learn more about ways to join the movement as we talk about how you can get involved and help.

1. Sign up to Project AWARE’s newsletter to stay informed and learn more about Project AWARE campaigns and actions that you can get involved in after this course.


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III. Be a Buoyancy Expert


• Why should you be a buoyancy expert?

• How can you fine-tune your buoyancy control?

• How does buoyancy control apply to nondivers?

Take Action Workshop During the workshop, you’ll:

• List three steps that you can take in the next six months to improve your buoyancy.

Why should you be a buoyancy expert?

A. Good buoyancy control means that you control your position in the water. That means not only mastering the use of dive equipment, but also controlling your breathing and working with environmental conditions, not against them.

1. A diver who is not in control can accidentally damage the environment.

a. Underwater plants and animals are more fragile than they appear. The swipe of a fin, bump of your camera or even a touch can destroy decades of coral growth, damage a plant or harm an animal.

b. Streamline your scuba and photo gear, keep your dive skills sharp, perfect your underwater photo techniques and continue your dive training to fine-tune your skills.

c. Always be aware of your body, dive gear and photo equipment to avoid contact with the natural environment.


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How can you fine-tune your buoyancy control?

B. Good buoyancy control takes time and there is always room for improvement, but a few simple steps can help you make a big improvement.

1. Incorrect weighting, especially overweighting, is a common cause of poor buoyancy control. Conduct a weight check each time you use different equipment, and don’t be tempted to overweight yourself.

a. If you’re overweighted you’ll have to add (and later remove) a lot of air to your BCD.

b. This causes big changes in displacement and makes it harder to fine-tune your buoyancy.

c. The ideal is to just add and remove small amounts of air.

d. Overweighting also tends to cause trim problems, because when you add more air to your BCD it raises your torso but not your feet.

2. Underweighting is less common, but can be just as much of a problem. Being underweighted may make it difficult to control your ascent rate leading to potential for DCI.

3. When you weight yourself, don’t forget to account for the air you will use during the dive. If you sink too quickly or can’t descend without effort, recheck your weighting.

4. Streamlining and trim affect buoyancy control and are an important way divers can protect the environment.

a. Divers with poor streamlining and trim may kick the bottom as they swim over it or allow their equipment to dangle and cause damage.

b. Divers who do not swim in a horizontal position will also find buoyancy control more challenging because finning won’t propel you forward but slightly upward.

c. Take time – especially when you change equipment – to make sure you are able to change positions as needed and swim horizontally.

d. Streamlining equipment is easy. Make sure everything is as neat as possible and clipped in place. Sometimes you need extra equipment for the dive you are doing but don’t carry things you don’t need just because you have them.

5. Each time you change equipment configuration, you will need to get used to the differences in buoyancy control again. This may happen when you buy your equipment for the first time.

a. Even though you know how to use a BCD, a new one will take a little time to get used to. The advantage of having your own BCD is that you will use the same one each time and that makes buoyancy control easier.


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b. If you’re using new equipment make sure you get specialty training such as PADI Dry Suit Diver, Sidemount Diver or Rebreather Diver courses.

c. The PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty is the ideal course for divers to focus on correct weighting, improving buoyancy control, streamlining and trim. It can be completed in different equipment configurations so is not just a good course for beginners, but also for divers refreshing their skills or those who haven’t been diving in a specific equipment setup for a while.

How does buoyancy control apply to nondivers?

C. Freedivers, snorkelers, swimmers and other watersport participants can apply the same principles to protect the environment.

1. When entering and exiting the water from the shore, take the time to identify an area where you can enter without damage to the environment or yourself.

a. For example, never walk on reefs or other delicate environments as it can take decades to repair the damage of one careless step.

b. Take extra care if you can’t see the bottom.

c. Check with local PADI Dive Centers or other experts on the best places to access the water.

2. Fins are a great tool to propel you through the water, but the extra length they provide can make it harder to control at first and you may accidentally kick things. Look where you’re going and account for the length of your fins.

3. Controlling your body position in moving water is a challenge at first but don’t hold on to rocks, reefs or other structures.

a. Touching things underwater can damage them and you may hurt yourself as well.

b. Rocks and reefs are usually sharp and water movement can push you against them if you’re too close.

c. You may not see the organisms attached to the rocks and reefs but they may have hazardous stingers or spines.

d. Specific training will improve your control and give you confidence in the water. PADI Skin Diver is a great introduction to the basic skills of using a mask, snorkel and fins to see the underwater world.

Take Action Workshop >> What three steps can you take in the next six months to improve your buoyancy?


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Note to InstructorUse this discussion to guide students within their own certification level and experience. Encourage them to commit to at least one action. Answers or discussion points may include:

• Fine-tune my weighting through weight checks and placement of weights

• Check my body position and trim

• Practice buoyancy skills

• Make time to refresh skills – participate in PADI ReActivate®

• Sign up for a program/course (Discover Snorkeling/Skin Diver/Freediver/Peak Performance Buoyancy/Dry Suit/Sidemount/Rebreather/TecRec) depending on level

• Buy my own BCD/weight system/fins

IV. Be a Role Model Learning Objectives

After this discussion, you should be able to answer the following questions:

• Why should you be a role model?

• How can you be a role model?


• List three things you can do to become a better role model for the planet, fins on and fins off.

Why should you be a role model?

A. New scuba divers and freedivers are being trained and certified every day. As a role model, your behavior should inspire divers to give the ocean the protections it deserves.


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1. Regardless of your experience level, be sure to set a good example for others when interacting with the environment – while underwater and on land.

2. Project AWARE role models:

a. Proactively care for the aquatic environment.

b. Passively interact with underwater environments and animals.

c. Indirectly teach and inspire others to conserve and respect the ocean and its inhabitants.

How can you be a role model?

B. Respectful interaction with marine ecosystems is emphasized throughout PADI’s educational system, and Project AWARE has developed many educational tools and resources to encourage all divers to respect and protect underwater life. Here are ways you can be a role model and make a difference by getting involved:

1. Pledge to follow Project AWARE’s 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet found at www.projectaware.org/10Tips.

2. Conduct a Dive Against Debris® survey. Information can be found at www.projectaware.org/diveagainstdebris.

3. Join Project AWARE’s Adopt a Dive Site™ initiative to help protect the dive sites you love.

4. Speak at your local school or community group.

5. Check out events happening near you on the Action Map found on the Project AWARE website.

6. Demonstrate passive interaction at all times. For example, never touch marine life or marine animals.

7. Set a good example that shows other divers how to behave.

a. We’ve talked about the importance of good buoyancy, weighting and streamlining.

b. Take extra care when you’re engaged in other activities, such as photography or videography.

8. Don’t buy souvenirs that have been taken from the underwater world such as shells and corals.

a. Buying them depletes natural resources and they may not have been sustainably sourced.

b. We’ll talk more about souvenirs that don’t affect the environment later.

9. Make good ecological choices whenever you can, and both at the dive site and in everyday life take positive action, such as picking up trash and taking trash home to dispose of it properly.


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Take Action Workshop >> What three things can you do to become a better role model for the planet, fins on and fins off?

Note to InstructorUse this discussion to encourage students to think about people they know and identify what things they do that constitute role model behavior. Ask them to adopt at least one of these traits. Answers or discussion points may include:

Fins on• Demonstrating passive interactions during dives

• Improve underwater skills, especially buoyancy – for example, enroll in a Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty course

Fins off• Pledge to follow Project AWARE’s 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet and

encourage others to as well. The fight to protect the ocean planet begins with you. Small conservation actions multiplied by many like-minded individuals can add up to big results. You can be the change every time you dive, travel and more.

• Organize or take part in a Project AWARE action.

• Commit to role modeling environmentally friendly choices in everyday life – think about actions on land that impact our planet.

V. Take Only Photos – Leave Only Bubbles


• Why is it important not to collect shells or other natural souvenirs?

• Why are photos and videos the best souvenirs to take home?

• What special considerations do you need to take as an underwater photographer?

• What types of underwater photography or videography are there?


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• Explain how photos can be used to raise awareness on social media.• Identify one environmental concern in your local area that would benefit from social

media exposure.

Why is it important not to collect shells or other natural souvenirs?A. Nearly everything found underwater is alive or will be used by a living creature.

1. Taking coral, shells or animals can disturb an ecosystem’s balance.

2. Removal of fish, invertebrates and other organisms, including live rock, for the souvenir industry, jewelry or aquarium trade causes a major threat to the environment.

3. Although prioritizing a diverse and balanced environment is the main reason not to take souvenirs, removing items will also add to the depletion of dive sites for future generations.

Note to InstructorMention checking dive gear for accidental removal of organisms. Discuss not taking artifacts as well as respecting memorial sites, minimizing environmental damage, mooring without damaging wrecks, etc.

Why are photos and videos the best souvenirs to take home?

B. Imaging doesn’t deplete the environment.

1. You can share photos and videos with friends and family so that they learn more about the underwater world.

2. If you couldn’t identify what you saw while you were underwater you can use your photos and videos to learn more after the dive.

a. Think about taking the PADI Fish Identification Specialty course to learn more about identifying the main fish families and their characteristics, or the PADI Underwater Naturalist Specialty course.

3. Keep an eye out for projects that ask for divers to contribute photos or videos.

a. In some areas, divers can help environmental organizations by sharing photos of specific organisms, which may act as evidence, either positive or negative, about the state of the environment.

Note to InstructorRefer to the Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice on the Project AWARE website for examples of citizen-science programs using photo identification.


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4. Digital underwater cameras are now relatively economical so most divers and snorkelers can take part in this specialty area.

a. Enroll in the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Specialty course to learn the basic tricks of the trade.

What special considerations do you need to take as an underwater photographer?

C. Focusing on a camera subject can distract you and can reduce awareness.

1. Problems include poor buoyancy control, which can cause damage to the environment and you.

2. Lack of awareness of your situation. You might change depth without noticing, forget to check your SPG or swim into a diver you didn’t see because you‘re focused on the camera.

3. Lack of communication. If everyone is focused on their cameras, buddy skills can be lost.

4. Before you take the shot, there are a few things to consider first – follow the “Thinking Like a Diver” priorities so that you don’t miss anything.

a. Dive First – Set your buoyancy, make sure you have enough air, check your no stop time etc.

b. Situation Second – What depth is the object you want to photograph? What about currents or other hazards? Is there already a big group of divers around it? Don’t forget to consider the object of the photo/video – Will it swim away if you get too close? Is it likely to feel territorial if you approach?

c. Communicate Third – Signal your buddy and anyone else who may need to know what you’re doing, such as a dive guide. If both you and your buddy want to take photos or video you can take turns while the other person monitors depth, gas and the rest of your group.

d. This may seem like a lot to do before you get to the photography, but with practice it takes just a few seconds and is often done as you are swimming so there is no delay.

5. The PADI Underwater Imaging Adventure Dive introduces you to both still and video photography, and can lead to the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Specialty course. It is also part of the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course, which will teach you more about ‘Thinking Like a Diver’.

6. Adhere to any codes of conduct prohibiting flash photography with certain species.

7. Don’t move species in order to get the “perfect shot”.


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Note to InstructorExample codes of conduct can be found in the Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice on the Project AWARE website.

What types of underwater photography or videography are there?

Note to InstructorLearn what your students’ experience is with photography and videography and what they would like to do. With their experience in mind, help participants understand they still need to take only photos, leave only bubbles. Answers or discussion points may include:

• Range of difficulty in photography from none to expert.• Refer back to the first tip “Be a Buoyancy Expert” and how to improve.• PADI Underwater Imaging Adventure Dive or Digital Underwater Photographer

specialty.• Buy an underwater camera.• Discuss the various citizen science programs that use photo identification to capture

information regarding specific species to aid conservation efforts. This can include, but is not limited to, helping to understand movements of migratory species, attempting to establish population size, habitat use and tendency to return to a specific area to breed, identify species, better understand behavior, etc.

Take Action Workshop >> Explain how photos can be used to raise awareness on social media. Identify one environmental concern in your local area that would benefit from social media exposure.

Note to InstructorShow students Project AWARE’s social media channels. On Facebook it is @ProjectAWAREfoundation, Twitter is @projectaware, Instagram is @projectaware, Flickr is @projectawarefoundation. Answers or discussion points may include:

• Encourage students to think about positive use of photos on social media to show the wonders of the ocean and explain the risks it faces.

• Sometimes the more ugly type photos make people turn away, for example shark finning photos.

• How to use photos on blogs, Instagram, etc. to reduce conservation fatigue – when people think the problem is so daunting (for example, climate change) that they don’t think anything they do can help.

• Encourage discussions about whether to use or not to use flash photography for certain species, not moving species for the perfect shot, taking selfies with marine life, etc.


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VI. Protect Underwater Life


• How can touching, feeding, handling, chasing or riding things that live in the water affect them?

• What is passive interaction and how can it lead to more rewarding experiences?


• Describe marine animal interactions you have seen.

• List previous experiences in marine animal interaction both positive and negative and note ways to encourage appropriate behavior.

How can touching, feeding, handling, chasing or riding things that live in the water affect them?

A. Choose not to touch, feed, handle, chase or ride anything underwater.

1. Sometimes it’s tempting to touch underwater creatures, so it’s important to understand why you shouldn’t do this.

a. The slimy coating on fish and many marine invertebrates protects them from infection and is easily rubbed off with a hand, glove or foot.

b. Touching can stress or damage the animal and interrupt natural behaviors such as mating or feeding.

c. Chasing or riding animals is extremely threatening behavior and, as well as the problems with touching, it can cause more extreme problems such as separation from family, getting lost or drowning.

2. Feeding (also called provisioning) is used in some areas to attract animals so that snorkelers and divers have a better chance of viewing rare animals.


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a. The practice is highly controversial and potentially harmful if not strictly controlled.

b. Scientists are concerned about possible negative consequences to target species and their habitats.

c. It has been shown that provisioning changes how a shark uses energy depending on species.

d. Provisioning can also affect feeding behavior, population numbers and habitat use, which could lead to changes in a whole ecosystem.

e. Some of these feedings can also endanger snorkelers or divers, especially if we accidentally provoke defensive behavior that becomes aggressive, or if predatory animals learn to associate us with food.

3. Understand and respect underwater life and follow all local laws and regulations.

Note to InstructorMore information regarding responsible provisioning can be found in the Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism – A Guide to Best Practice on the Project AWARE website.

What is passive interaction and how can it lead to more rewarding experiences?

B. Passive interaction means minimizing our effect on underwater life.

1. The less effect we have on the environment, the better for its continued survival and the more we get to see of its natural state.

2. Be as “quiet” as you can in the water. Move slowly and smoothly and animals are less likely to swim away from you.

3. Give them space. Crowding animals from all sides is intimidating for them and may chase them away or cause a defensive reaction.

4. More experienced divers tend to see more because they have the skill and experience to be less threatening.

5. Some areas don’t allow gloves to avoid the temptation to touch.

C. Allow animals to come to you.

1. Although most underwater creatures either ignore snorkelers and divers, or swim away from us, some are curious.

2. If an animal swims toward you or one of your group, stay as still as you can and allow them to investigate. This can lead to unique encounters and the knowledge that the animal chose to spend time with you, you didn’t chase it.

D. Choose not to touch, feed, handle, chase or ride anything underwater.


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Take Action Workshop >> Describe marine animal interactions you have seen. List previous experiences in marine animal interaction both positive and negative and list ways to encourage appropriate behavior.

Note to InstructorDiscuss divers’ previous experiences, both their own and other divers. Focus on how they can role-model passive interaction in the future. Answers or discussion points may include:

• Discussing how to address inappropriate behavior when seen in other divers. Explain that this is often the result of a lack of education and encourage them to role model appropriate behavior and not give in to peer pressure.

• As with other products, explaining to operators that they are looking for an ecologically friendly experience when they book a dive trip, encourages correct behavior.

• Sharing Project AWARE’s “10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet” may help to educate other divers.

• Discuss cultural differences. For example, in some countries divers collecting food is acceptable and in others it is not.

• Protected animals and why some animals are protected while others are not.

• Local laws and regulations.

VII. Become a Debris Activist


• What is marine debris and how does it end up underwater?

• How can marine debris be hazardous?

• How can you minimize future debris?


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• Identify what you can do to reduce marine debris in underwater environments.

What is marine debris and how does it end up underwater?

A. Marine debris is any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the marine and coastal environment, reaching even the most remote ocean areas.

1. Many of our waste products, including plastics, do not biodegrade – instead they break down into smaller pieces that remain a danger to marine life because they are easily mistaken for food.

2. Other products may be physically or chemically damaging.

3. It is estimated as much as 70 percent of the trash entering our ocean sinks to the seafloor. Of the plastic entering our ocean, it’s estimated that 94 percent sinks to the seafloor.

4. It was estimated in 2015 as much as 250 million metric tons of plastic could make its way into the ocean by 2025.

Note to InstructorUse the Ugly Journey of Our Trash video and infographic, found on the Project AWARE website, as a teaching tool.

How can marine debris be hazardous?

B. Once marine debris reaches the marine environment it kills wildlife, destroys habitats, and threatens our health and economy.

1. Entanglement is a major problem.

a. Trash can wrap around animals or drape across the environment, limiting normal function in either case.

b. Marine debris also wraps around fins, flippers, wings and throats causing injuries, suffocation and drowning.

2. Marine debris has affected what’s believed to be more than 800 different species through ingestion or entanglement.

3. Accidental ingestion is common in sea birds, sea turtles and other marine animals.

a. A stomach full of plastic makes the animal feel like it no longer needs to feed, which can lead to starvation.

b. A study of Northern Fulmar seabirds that were found dead on beaches showed 95 percent had plastic in their stomachs. Each bird had swallowed an average of 35 plastic pieces.


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4. Debris can damage habitats leading to destruction of the structures needed to support all other life.

a. Items like plastic bags smother sea grass beds and mangroves, while fishing nets and line wrap around reefs cutting into corals, sponges and anemones.

5. Debris can also cause damage to humans using the water recreationally through physical damage or toxicity.

a. Polluted beaches are unattractive to visit and present a health risk if broken glass or personal hygiene items are present.

How can you minimize future marine debris?

C. Marine debris is preventable – together, we can prevent trash from entering the ocean by taking local action and supporting policy changes and/or businesses that are seeking to reduce the amount of waste they produce.

1. On a personal level, make a conscious effort to buy green, buy local and where possible, buy less. Consider implementing the 5 R’s in your day-to-day life: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rot (composting).

a. Refuse single use items, especially single-use plastics.

b. Always carry a reusable beverage container and reusable utensils if you are on the go.

c. Start a compost pile and let food scraps rot rather than putting them in the rubbish to go to landfill.

Note to InstructorEncourage a discussion on the different recycling facilities in the local area compared to those in other countries that participants have visited. For example, what facilities do they see when they travel to islands and what can they do to reduce the amount of waste they consume when they are visiting destinations that have no proper waste management? Emphasize taking individual responsibility and being a responsible eco tourist.

Take Action Workshop >> Identify what you can do to reduce marine debris in underwater environments.

Note to InstructorRemind students that Dive Against Debris® is Project AWARE’s flagship citizen-science program focused on reporting types and quantities of debris found on the seafloor. Dive Against Debris® provides a unique perspective, as it is the only survey operating on a global scale collecting this data.

Encourage participants to make every dive count for the environment, whether they snorkel or scuba dive or just walk along a beach they can be prepared to make a difference. Answers or discussion points may include:


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• Join a Dive Against Debris® survey or enroll in the Dive Against Debris® Adventure Dive or specialty course and learn more about this major issue, including how to safely remove and effectively report underwater marine debris.

• Download the Dive Against Debris® app from Google Play or iTunes and turn your phone into a tool for conservation so that you can easily report your marine debris.

• Remove and report what doesn’t belong underwater, in the water, on the beach every time you dive, freedive, snorkel or walk. To report data from land cleanups including beach cleanups, use organizations dedicated to this purpose, for example Project AWARE’s partner The Ocean Conservancy.

• Consider joining Project AWARE’s initiative Adopt a Dive Site™. Pledge to conduct a Dive Against Debris® survey at the same site at least once a month and submit the data even if the site was free of debris. For more information and to sign up to Adopt a Dive Site™, visit the Project AWARE website.

• How can you reduce your own consumption of materials and reduce the amount of waste you are disposing of?

• Take the Single-Use Plastic Pledge – sign Project AWARE’s single-use plastic pledge and receive some simple tips on how you can reduce your plastic use.

• Tired of over-packaged items? Share your consumer feedback with your supermarket or write to the manufacturer. Share your concerns on social media. Congratulate the good. Choose loose items when possible, for example fruit and vegetables are often unnecessarily packaged.

• Follow the 5 R’s: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rot

VIII. Make Responsible Seafood Choices


• What is overfishing?

• How can consumers reduce overfishing?


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Project AWARE®


• Research which fish in your local market are sustainable.

What is overfishing?

A. Overfishing refers to population declines caused by fishing or other removal at a pace faster than the target species can reproduce and repopulate.

1. It’s estimated that more than 63 percent of assessed global fisheries have been depleted.

2. The overexploitation of fish stocks globally has implications for food security, ecosystem health and fishery sustainability, as well as the livelihoods and cultural identities of coastal communities around the world.

3. Bycatch refers to the incidental catch of nontarget or undersized species. Almost 10 percent of the global fisheries catch is comprised of bycatch and discarded.

4. The overexploitation of species can disrupt the ecological balance of an ecosystem in a number of ways including:

a. Altering predator-prey relationships, resulting in a shift in community structure.

b. Altering species’ population size and distribution.

c. Leading to genetic selection that favors different life history traits in a species that could potentially lead to local extinction of local stocks.

d. Reduce habitat complexity and thus result in a decrease in biodiversity.

e. Affect the population size and structure of nontarget species that are caught as bycatch or as a result of ghost fishing.

5. Some of the most destructive practices include certain types of nets that are indiscriminate in their catch, trawling the ocean floor destroying important seabed habitats, poisons that result in major mortality of other species, and explosives that can wipe out entire reefs that may have taken centuries to grow.

6. Regional fisheries management organizations/arrangements (RFMO/As) exist in many high seas areas that have deep sea fisheries in order to help manage global fisheries.

a. However, fishing continues largely unregulated in much of the world’s ocean.

b. While measures are being taken to increase the sustainability of fisheries and ensure catch limits are enforced, many fisheries still operate without adequate or sustainable catch limits and many loopholes exist in legislation.

How can consumers reduce overfishing?

B. Don’t underestimate your power as a consumer. Like any industry, the fishing industry needs us to buy their products.


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Project AWARE®

1. Always make informed decisions when selecting seafood and shellfish – if it’s not clear, ask how and where your seafood was caught.

2. Check the name of the fish you are ordering, because fish can get remarketed as something else. For example, flake is actually a term used in Australia for two species of gummy shark.

3. Look for eco-labels. One example is the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which has developed a standard for sustainable fisheries.

4. Ask your local restaurants and supermarkets if they stock sustainable seafood. If not, encourage them to do so.

5. Don’t assume farmed fish is sustainable. Sometimes, this practice requires large amounts of wild fish to feed the farmed species or may release waste, toxins and chemicals into the environment.

6. Stay tuned to fisheries management issues and support policies that encourage responsible management and practices.

7. Support the establishment and enforcement of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Well-managed and enforced MPAs can help preserve biodiversity and have the potential to increase fish stocks in surrounding areas.

8. Support sustainable fisheries and fishing practices.

9. Educate your family, friends and coworkers. Consumers through their voices and spending have the power to make positive change.

Take Action Workshop >> Research which fish in your local market are sustainable.

Note to InstructorHave participants use smartphones, tablets or personal computers to find a list of sustainable fish. Remind them that relative vulnerability changes and to therefore check back from time to time.

Answers or discussion points may include:

• Marine Stewardship Council – look for the blue MSC label on certified sustainable seafood products.

• Marine Conservation Society Good Fish Guide – general guide to sustainable seafood.

• The World Wildlife Fund website lists sustainable seafood guides by country.

• Global Shark Trade myths – use the State of the Global Market for Shark Products interactive infographic from Project AWARE website.


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IX. Take Action


• Why do scuba divers, freedivers and snorkelers have a unique perspective?

• How does Project AWARE represent the diving community?

Take Action WorkshopDuring the workshop, you’ll:

• Explain what scuba divers, freedivers and snorkelers do to take action.

Why do scuba divers, freedivers and snorkelers have a unique perspective?

A. Scuba divers, freedivers and snorkelers love and understand the underwater world and so we want to protect and preserve it.

1. As Baba Dioum, a Senegalese forestry engineer wrote in a paper presented to the General Assembly of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), “In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught.”

2 As champions for the cause we also want to help others to do the same so we try to inspire and teach others about the underwater world.

3. As well as the beauty, we also witness the damage, debris and destruction and are in a unique position to report on these problems and help effect change.

How does Project AWARE represent the diving community?

B. Project AWARE partners with individuals, governments, NGOs and businesses to work toward solutions to the global marine debris crisis and help protect vulnerable shark and ray species.

1. Project AWARE brings to the ocean conservation debate the special, influential voice of its global community, including the network of scuba divers for communications and citizen action.


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Project AWARE®

2. Project AWARE champions policy change, engages and activates a global volunteer community to fuel its conservation work.

3. Project AWARE galvanizes the voice of the global dive community in targeted citizen advocacy at national, regional and international levels.

Take Action Workshop >> Explain what scuba divers,freedivers and snorkelers do to take action.

Note to InstructorDivers are some of the strongest ocean advocates on the planet. Now, more than ever, divers are taking a stand. We’ve talked about how we can all help with our personal choices, but what can you do to take action on a bigger stage?

Check Project AWARE’s website for latest campaigns, information and calls to action. Answers or discussion points may include:

• Speak out for conservation. This can be through your everyday choices as a consumer or by active involvement in events and educating others.

• Share your underwater images. These can inspire others to understand the value and beauty of the underwater world. Images can also be used to highlight issues or concerns to a wider audience. Also share images of people taking positive action, like during a Dive Against Debris® survey or taking this course.

Consider taking a photo of your students and uploading it to social media, tagging them, with a caption like this: “New ocean advocates learning about #ProjectAWARE specialty – ready to take action for a clean, healthy ocean. Congrats to all our students!”

X. Be an Eco-tourist


• How can being an eco-tourist make a difference?

• What does it mean to be a Best Practice operator?


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Project AWARE®


• Describe how to research locations for an eco-holiday.

How can being an eco-tourist make a difference?

A. Making an informed choice means choosing facilities dedicated to responsible social and environmental business practices. These practices include:

1. Water conservation.

2. Energy reduction.

3. Proper waste disposal.

4. Use of mooring buoys.

5. Respect for local cultures, laws and regulations.

6. Dive briefings and safety – distance to animal, reef-safe sunscreen, how the operation manages disrespectful divers, etc.

7. Contribution to the local economy – employment offerings, etc.

B. Few, if any locations are perfect, but choosing a resort that is dedicated to best practice uses your consumer power to support ecologically friendly operators and encourages others to follow their lead.

What does it mean to be a Best Practice operator?

C. Best Practice is about running a business in a way that is financially profitable, environmentally sustainable and socially responsible.

1. An example for shark and ray tourism operators it would mean they have a business model that includes: operating profitably and safely, minimizing damage to target species and their habitats, building a positive relationship with the local community and having a culture of continuous improvement and compliance.

2. Best Practice operators would also:

a. Consider sustainability certification.

b. Know how to choose and use the right dive site.

c. Get involved in research.

d. Understand the legal requirements of operating in the local area.

e. Undertake periodic performance reviews.

f. Understand and respect the animals they encounter.


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Take Action Workshop >> Describe how to research locations for an eco-holiday.

Note to InstructorAsk participants to search the web for an eco-friendly operator in a desired holiday destination. This doesn’t need to be exhaustive, but should make participants aware of the options and encourage them to factor the eco angle into future bookings. Answers or discussion points may include:

• Some destinations may have lots of eco operators.

• Consider operators that limit their capacity, showing consideration of what an area can support without causing degradation including respecting underwater heritage sites, for instance.

• At the center of eco-accreditation is the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), which establishes and manages global sustainability standards. Its criteria provide guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business should try to reach. A number of tourism, environmental, quality and safety standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) are also available, which include formal certification.

• For the dive industry, established regional voluntary certification programs include the NOAA Blue Star charter within the Florida Keys, and the Green Fins program initiated by UNEP within Southeast Asia. Green Fins is the only internationally recognized code of conduct and eco-certification program specifically aimed at the scuba diving and snorkeling industry.

• If the chosen destination doesn’t show any eco marketing, encourage participants to contact operators and ask them what they have to offer, making it clear they are looking for eco options.

• Eco operators may be more costly; encourage participants to consider the cost to the environment of non-eco resorts.

• Eco operators may not offer luxury; discuss the value of a grassroots experience and knowledge that their holiday has not (literally) cost the earth.

• PADI Green Star™ awarded dive centers demonstrate a dedication to conservation across a wide range of business functions, including water conservation, energy use, environmentally friendly transportation practices, use of sustainable materials and conservation leadership.


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XI. Shrink Your Carbon Footprint


• How is climate change putting the marine environment at risk?

• What is a carbon footprint?

• How can you reduce your carbon footprint?


• List three ways to reduce your carbon footprint in the next six months.

How is climate change putting the marine environment at risk?

A. Climate change is one of the top threats to the ocean planet.

1. It has serious consequences on the health of ecosystems and marine life.

2. Without action, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates a temperature increase of around 4°C/7°F by end of 21st century.

B. Climate change includes ocean warming and ocean acidification.

1. The atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases has significantly increased over the 20th century, causing interference with the climate system.

2. Overarching affects of climate change include atmospheric warming, precipitation changes, sea level rise, ocean acidification and alterations in large-scale weather and climate events.

3. The increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHG), including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), are trapping extra heat in the atmosphere and thus causing the earth to warm.

4. Approximately 90 percent of increased energy accumulated by the climate system between 1971 and 2010 is stored in the ocean, only one percent is stored in the atmosphere and the remaining nine percent in other sinks.


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5. Sea level rise is occurring as a result of the ocean warming causing it to expand and hence rise. Additionally, the melting of ice caps, again as a result of atmospheric warming, is contributing to the increase in sea level rise. Research suggests that sea level could rise up to one metre/yard by 2100.

6. Diminishing ice caps may also change the salinity of the oceans. Not only could this affect life in the ocean, but it may also mean that more marine debris sinks and becomes a problem underwater.

7. Ocean acidification refers to the overall decrease in pH of the ocean occurring as a result of the increased uptake of CO2 by the ocean. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the ocean has become 26 percent more acidic.

8. The decrease in pH also reduces coral’s ability to secrete limestone skeleton. According to the 2008 “Status of Coral Reefs” report, unless we alter the climate change course, coral reefs as we know them may be gone in the future.

9. Also, as ocean conditions change, many species will be unable to adapt quickly enough to survive.

What is a carbon footprint?

C. Your carbon footprint is a term used to describe the sum of greenhouse gases produced by your daily activities.

1. You can reduce your carbon footprint by being aware of what causes greenhouse gases and making informed choices.

2. There are many carbon footprint calculators available on the web to help you work out your carbon footprint for food, home, travel and other sources.

How can you reduce your carbon footprint?

D. There are many ways to reduce your carbon footprint. These include:

1. Reduce your use of plastic.

a. Plastic’s future share of global oil consumption is expected to increase drastically, growing from six percent in 2014 to 20 percent in 2050. This is faster than the growth in overall demand for oil, which is expected to increase by only 0.5% annually.

b. This means plastic’s share of the global carbon footprint will increase from one percent to 15 percent.

2. Choose food from lower on the food chain. This includes herbivores or, better yet, vegetables, grains and fruit.

3. Buy locally sourced food wherever possible.

4. Use ecological vehicles and minimize journeys in motor vehicles. Walking or cycling sometimes are the better options.

5. Make your home energy efficient by choosing renewable energy providers, insulation and energy efficient measures.


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Project AWARE®

a. According to a carbon footprint calculator, turning down your central heating even by 1°C/2°F could reduce the energy you use for heating by 10 percent.

b. The same principle applies to air conditioning when it is hot – turning the thermostat up slightly saves you money and uses less carbon.

6. Reduce consumerism.

a. Everything we buy is manufactured, usually at a cost to the environment.

b. You may be able to cut back on electronic goods, cosmetics, clothing and other luxury items to reduce your effect or buy items second hand.

7. Repair items. Repairing clothes or items extends the life of the product so buying brand new becomes a last resort.

8. Rot as much organic waste as possible. Recycle the rest.

9. For the remaining carbon you can’t reduce there are many carbon offset projects that can be found online, for example, The Ocean Foundation’s SeaGrass Grow offset program.

Take Action Workshop >> List three ways to reduce your carbon footprint in the next six months.

Note to InstructorAsk participants to identify ways they already limit their carbon footprint and congratulate them for taking the first step. Then ask them to identify at least three realistic measures they can take to improve. Answers or discussion points may include:

• Growing some food in their garden or shopping at local markets.

• Planning weekly menus to avoid food waste.

• Car sharing, using public transport or cycling to work.

• Reducing the temperature of heating or increasing the temperature of air conditioning by at least one or two degrees.

• To avoid unnecessary purchases, don’t buy anything you won’t use in the next two weeks and won’t still be using in six months.

• Look out for products wrapped in unnecessary packaging. Buy loose fruit and vegetables at the supermarket, for example.

• Be like your grandparents or great-grandparents: Make Do and Mend!

• Avoid purchasing single-use items.


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XII. Give Back


• Why do marine environments need your help?

• What can grassroots actions achieve?

• Why do we need policy change?


• Identify ways you can commit to being part of the movement for ocean conservation and give back to the ocean.

Why do marine environments need your help?

A. Because the ocean is the largest ecosystem on Earth, it is the planet’s largest life support system.

1. To survive and prosper, we all need a healthy ocean.

2. Healthy ocean = healthy planet.

3. The ocean gives us food, oxygen, medicine, jobs and recreation.

B. Greater effort, action and policy change is needed to nurture and sustain a thriving, vibrant ocean.

1. Not only does the unsustainable destruction need to stop, but we need to foster recovery.

2. A concerted effort from individuals, organizations and governments is critically needed to address threats and challenges faced by the ocean and its inhabitants.

3. Project AWARE works with you, other organizations with similar goals and governments to activate and empower its global community to be the change we seek for the ocean.

What can grassroots actions achieve?C. Grassroots actions educate individuals, businesses and governments, as well as

contribute to direct causes.


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1. Educating other individuals by direct action or role modeling helps to spread the word and gain greater support for environmental causes.

2. Asserting our consumer choice forces businesses to adapt their products and practices to meet market demand.

3. Public support for measures that protect the environment motivates governments and decision makers to support policy change.

Why do we need policy change?

D. Policy change can protect existing resources and speed up recovery of other resources.

1. Some governments, businesses and individuals will not change unless they have to. As voters and consumers we have the power to help influence their decisions.

2. Project AWARE works to affect policy change for a clean and healthy ocean.

Take Action Workshop >> Identify ways you can commit to being part of the movement for ocean conservation and give back to the ocean.

Note to InstructorVisit www.projectaware.org and share Project AWARE’s most recent achievements.

This is the culmination of all students have learned. Ask participants what is the first thing they will do and to sign up for it now. Answers or discussion points may include:

• Sign up to Project AWARE’s eNewsletter for the latest ocean news and calls to action – https://www.projectaware.org/signup

• Enroll in another Project AWARE course: Dive Against Debris® or AWARE Shark Conservation Diver Specialty – https://www.projectaware.org/diveagainstdebris or https://www.projectaware.org/publication/sharks-and-rays-toolkit

• Take the 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet pledge at www.projectaware.org/10Tips

• Enroll in a related PADI course: Peak Performance Buoyancy, etc.

• Sign up for a Project AWARE action. Check out those happening on the Action Map, part of the My Ocean Community on Project AWARE website – https://www.projectaware.org/actionmap

• Organize a Project AWARE fundraiser. For fundraising tips check out the Project AWARE website and be sure to comply with all applicable local, state, provincial and federal civil and criminal laws – https://www.projectaware.org/fundraise

• Donate – https://www.projectaware.org/donate

• When diving with sharks and rays, ask if the dive center or resort has a code of conduct. Check out the Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice for examples of codes of conduct – https://www.projectaware.org/publication/responsible-shark-and-ray-tourism-guide-best-practice

• Make every dive count for ocean conservation and dive with 100% AWARE Partners. www.projectaware.org/100AWARE

https://www.projectaware.org/publication/responsible-shark-and-ray-tourism-guide-best-practice

https://www.projectaware.org/publication/responsible-shark-and-ray-tourism-guide-best-practice


Take Action Scuba divers are some of the strongest ocean advocates on the planet. Now, more than ever, divers like you are taking a stand. Speak out for conservation, share your underwater images, report environmental damage to authorities and campaign for change. Be an Eco-tourist

Make informed decisions when choosing and visiting a destination. Choose facilities dedicated to responsible social and environmental business practices that include water conservation, energy reduction, proper waste disposal, use of mooring buoys and respect for local cultures, laws and regulations. Shrink Your Carbon

Footprint Global warming and ocean acidification are putting your favorite animals and the whole ocean planet at risk. Do your part by understanding and reducing your carbon footprint and look for ways to offset what you can’t reduce.

Protect Underwater LifeChoose not to touch, feed, handle, chase or ride anything underwater. Your actions may stress the animal, interrupt feeding and mating behavior or provoke aggressive behavior. Understand and respect underwater life and follow all local laws and regulations. Become a Debris Activist

An astonishing amount of waste makes its way underwater, reaching even the most remote ocean areas. Once there, it kills wildlife, destroys habitats and threatens our health and economy. Don’t let your dives go to waste. Remove and report what doesn’t belong underwater every time you dive. Make a conscious effort to buy green, buy local and, when possible, buy less.

Make Responsible Seafood ChoicesOverfishing leads to species declines while harmful fishing practices damage and pollute underwater ecosystems. You play a critical role as a consumer. If seafood is part of your meal selection, ensure you’re choosing sustainably sourced species and encourage others, including restaurants and shop owners, to do the same.

Be a Buoyancy ExpertUnderwater plants and animals are more fragile than they appear. The swipe of a fin, bump of your camera or even a touch can destroy decades of coral growth, damage a plant or harm an animal. Streamline your scuba and photo gear, keep your dive skills sharp, perfect your underwater photo techniques and continue your dive training to fine-tune your skills. Always be aware of your body, dive gear and photo equipment to avoid contact with the natural environment.

Be a Role ModelNew scuba divers are being trained and certified every day. Regardless of your experience level, be sure to set a good example for others when interacting with the environment – while underwater and on land. Take Only Photos -

Leave Only BubblesNearly everything natural found underwater is alive or will be used by a living creature. If you take a coral, shell or animal, you can disturb the delicate balance and add to the depletion of dive sites for future generations.

Thank you for giving the ocean planet the protections it deserves! Take action with us at

PROJECTAWARE.ORG

Give BackOcean protection depends on all of our actions, large and small. Investing in the ocean protects our planet and lets the dive adventure live on. Donate or fundraise for ocean protection to fuel the grassroots action and policy change necessary to ensure a clean, healthy ocean planet.

Tips ProtectDiversOcean

for tothe Planet

Divers share a deep connection with the ocean. You can make a difference for ocean protection every time you dive, travel and more.


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CitationsResponsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice, WWF International, Project AWARE, Manta Trust 2017

UNEP (2005). Marine Litter, an analytical overview

C. Sherrington, Plastics in the Marine Environment, Eunomia, 2016

J. Jambeck, et al., (2015). Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean, Science, 3 47 (6223), 768-771

Marine Debris: Understanding, preventing and mitigating the significant adverse impacts on marine and coastal biodiversity, Technical Series No. 83, Secretariat of the Convention on the Biological Diversity, Montreal, 78 pages https://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-83-en.pdf

J. A. van Franeker, et al., (2011). Monitoring plastic ingestion by the northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis in the North Sea, Environmental Pollution, 159 (10), 2609-2615

B. Worm, et al., Rebuilding Global Fisheries, Science, Volume 325, Issue 5940, pp. 578-585 http://science.sciencemag.org/content/325/5940/578.full

C. Wilcox, C. J. Donlan, Compensatory mitigation as a solution to fisheries bycatch-biodiversity conservation conflicts, 2007, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Volume 5, Issue 6, pp 325-331

S. Jennings, M. J. Kaiser, The effects of fishing on marine ecosystems, Advances in Marine Biology, Volume 34, 1998, Pages 201-212

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Regional Fisheries Management Organisations http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/166304/en

IPCC, 2014: Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K. Pachauri and L.A. Meyer (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 151 pp

R. J. Nicholls, et al., Sea-Level Rise and Its Impact on Coastal Zones, Science, 2010, Volume 328, Issue 1517, pp. 1517-1520

The New Plastics Economy Rethinking the future of plastics, January 2016 http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_New_Plastics_Economy.pdf

NEA Action for Warm Homes, Media - Tips to reduce fuel bills and stay healthy http://www.nea.org.uk/media/tips-to-reduce-fuel-bills-and-stay-healthy/


Instructor Guide

Project AWARE®

Project AWARE Specialty

Knowledge ReviewComplete this knowledge review to hand in to your instructor for evaluation. If there’s something you don’t understand, have your instructor explain it to you.

Be a Buoyancy Expert1. What three steps can you take in the next six months to improve your buoyancy?

1.

2.

3.

Be a Role Model2. What three things can you do to become a better role model for the planet, fins on and

fins off?

1.

2.

3.

Take Only Photos - Leave Only Bubbles3. How can photos be used to raise awareness on social media? Identify one

environmental concern in your local area that would benefit.

Name __________________________

Date____________


Instructor Guide

Project AWARE®

Protect Underwater Life4. What marine animal interactions have you seen? List previous experiences in marine

animal interaction both positive and negative and describe ways to encourage appropriate behavior.

Become a Debris Activist5. What can you do to reduce marine debris in underwater environments?

Make Responsible Seafood Choices6. Where can you find out which fish are sustainable in your local market?

Take Action7. What can scuba divers, freedivers and snorkelers do to take action?


Instructor Guide

Project AWARE®

Be an Eco-Tourist8. How do you research locations for an eco-holiday?

Shrink Your Carbon Footprint9. What can you do to reduce your carbon footprint in the next six months?

Give Back

10. How can you commit to being part of the movement for ocean conservation and give back to the ocean?

Student Statement: I’ve reviewed the questions and answers, and any I answered incorrectly or incompletely, I have had explained to me and/or reviewed the material, so that I now understand what I missed.

Signature ________________________________________________ Date _______________


Instructor Guide

Project AWARE®

Project AWARE SpecialtyKnowledge Review Answer KeyComplete this knowledge review to hand in to your instructor for evaluation. If there’s something you don’t understand, have your instructor explain it to you.

Be a Buoyancy Expert1. What three steps can you take in the next six months to improve your buoyancy?

Answers may include:

• Fine-tune weighting through weight checks and placement of weights

• Check body position and trim

• Practice buoyancy skills

• Make time to refresh skills

• Sign up for a program/course depending on level

• Buy own BCD/weight system/fins

Be a Role Model2. What three things can you do to become a better role model for the planet, fins on and

fins off?


• Demonstrating passive interactions during dives

• Improve underwater skills, especially buoyancy

• Pledge to follow Project AWARE’s 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet

• Organize or take part in a Project AWARE action

• Commit to role modelling environmentally friendly choices in everyday life

Take Only Photos - Leave Only Bubbles3. How can photos be used to raise awareness on social media? Identify one

environmental concern in your local area that would benefit.


• Positive use of photos on social media to show ocean wonders and explain risks

• Use photos on blogs, Instagram etc. to reduce conservation fatigue


Instructor Guide

Project AWARE®

Protect Underwater Life4. What marine animal interactions have you seen? List previous experiences in marine

animal interaction both positive and negative and describe ways to encourage appropriate behavior.


• Choose not to touch, feed, handle, chase or ride anything underwater

• Encourage appropriate role model behavior and to not give in to peer pressure

• Share Project AWARE’s 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet

• Consider local laws and regulation

Become a Debris Activist5. What can you do to reduce marine debris in underwater environments?


• Enroll in the Dive Against Debris® Adventure Dive or Specialty course

• Join a Dive Against Debris® survey and download the Dive Against Debris® app

• Remove and report what doesn’t belong underwater, in the water, on the beach

• Adopt a Dive Site™

• Reduce consumption of materials and reduce the amount of waste

• Take the Single-Use Plastic Pledge

• Share consumer feedback with supermarkets or write to the manufacturer

• Follow the 5 R’s: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rot

Make Responsible Seafood Choices6. Where can you find out which fish are sustainable in your local market?


• Marine Stewardship Council

• Marine Conservation Society Good Fish Guide

• World Wildlife Fund website

Take Action7. What can scuba divers, freedivers and snorkelers do to take action?


• Speak out for conservation

• Share underwater image


Instructor Guide

Project AWARE®

Be an Eco-Tourist8. How do you research locations for an eco-holiday?


• Check eco-accreditation at the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)

• Check NOAA Blue Star charter for Florida Keys

• Check Green Fins program initiated by UNEP for Southeast Asia

• Look for PADI Green Star™ awarded dive centers

Shrink Your Carbon Footprint9. What can you do to reduce your carbon footprint in the next six months?


• Growing a garden or shopping at local markets

• Planning weekly menus to avoid food waste

• Car sharing, using public transport or cycling to work

• Reducing the temperature of heating or increasing the temperature of air conditioning

• Avoid unnecessary purchases, don’t buy anything you won’t use

• Look out for products wrapped in unnecessary packaging

• Make do and mend

• Avoid purchasing single-use items

Give Back

10. How can you commit to being part of the movement for ocean conservation and give back to the ocean?


• Sign up to Project AWARE’s eNewsletter

• Enroll in another Project AWARE course: Dive Against Debris® or AWARE Shark Conservation Specialty

• Take the 10 Tips for Divers to Protect the Ocean Planet pledge

• Enroll in a related PADI course: Peak Performance Buoyancy, etc.

• Sign up for a Project AWARE action

• Organize a Project AWARE fundraiser

• Donate

• Check out the Responsible Shark and Ray Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice for examples of codes of conduct

• Make every dive count for ocean conservation and dive with 100% AWARE Partners.


Instructor Guide

Project AWARE®

specialty course - projectaware.org · padi divemasters must complete project aware specialty...

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