In this film, Anders Karlsson-Drangsholt, a marine biologist with the Bellona Foundation, explains how European capture fisheries are overexploited. While we need to do much more make capture fisheries sustainable, if we want to continue to eat sea fish we will also have to rely more on fish farming. European aquaculture already provides 25% of our consumption but much of the industry is far from sustainable. Feed for farmed fish is often derived from wild caught fish, adding further pressure on capture fisheries.

Another problem can be the spread of disease from densely packed fish pens. The film talks to Mike Velings of Aquaspark a Netherlands-based company which invests in sustainable aquaculture schemes and to Esther Luiten of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council which runs certification schemes for responsible aquaculture.

It visits Norway to find out about two sustainable fish farming projects: the Bellona Foundation has teamed up with Norwegian seafood company Leroy to farm salmon more responsibly using seaweed to clean the water around the pens. Sogne Aquais is an onshore halibut farming enterprise which runs without the need for chemicals or antibiotics and can return clean water from the fish pens to the nearby fjiord.

A film produced by ResponSEAble.EU – a 16-partner European-wide research and communications project to increase awareness and understanding of ocean-health issues. The ResponSEAble aims to inspire Europeans to take a closer interest in their oceans and to treat them with greater respect. ResponSEAble is collecting leading European marine research and local knowledge to further our understanding of human-ocean relationships and how to protect marine ecosystems and the varied economic benefits that we derive from our seas.

The post The sustainability of Aquaculture appeared first on Sustainable Friends.

If you join us as a sustainable friend funders and supporters will also be able to find you.  Already signed up are many established non-profit environmental groups around the world – so why not join a group that inspires you – or if the cause you’re concerned about isn’t being addressed, we encourage you to start your own!  We can all go green – no matter where we live or what we do there are many ways to help the planet.

1. Collaborate with your community

In Oakland, N California USA, our sustainable friends Bay Localise are equipping grassroots community leaders with flexible tools, models, and policies that strengthen community resilience, enabling them to thrive in the face of economic downturn and the challenges of climate change. They’re also promoting the use of clean energy in the area.  If you’re not helping your own community to go green already find out what’s going on and join in.

2. Encourage environmental education

There’s a growing movement for supporting environmental education of young people. Our sustainable friends across the world are reaching out to support eco-friendly action in schools. One project is West County DIGS in California. Here a programme set up in 2007 now supports over 40 school gardens where young people can learn to manage the natural cycles and resources that sustain us all – nurturing and empowering future scientists, eco-entrepreneurs, leaders, and active, informed citizens. If eco education is your field of interest – volunteer to support activity in your local schools.

3. Support sustainable development

Developing countries offer an opportunity to encourage a better quality of life that’s good for communities and the planet. One such project co-ordinated by the US based Earth Island Institute is Friends of  Muonde, in Zimbabwe, Africa. This community-based initiative is dedicated to fomenting locally-driven creativity and indigenous development. Educational, agricultural and community extension programmes, alongside action research are in place to maintain people’s connections between spirit, community and ecology. You can search our sustainable world map for other good causes that will inspire you to support them – or add your own project.

4. Cultivate a corporate conscience

If you manage a sustainable business or want to green your company, you can find examples of our sustainable friends – and join them. Be like Nordic Naturals who source all fish from waters certified sustainable by Friend of the Sea, ensuring products are from fish stocks that are not overexploited and company practices include high standards of social accountability

Going green to become a sustainable friend makes sense for anyone who wants to help create a better world for now and future generations. We’re working to cultivate and grow the world-wide community of people and projects caring for our environment, with a platform that removes the barriers between sustainable ideas & action. We encourage you to explore the opportunity for sustainable initiatives in your community or around the world and join our network of sustainable friends.

 Sustainable Friends is developed by the sustainability
certification programs Friend of the Sea and Friend of the Earth

The post Going green to become a Sustainable Friend appeared first on Sustainable Friends.

Marine life and therefore fishing grounds around the world are at risk as the ecosystems that support fish are impacted by pollution, climate change, over fishing and the destruction of natural habitats in the interests of aquaculture. For example, tropical mangroves that are the nursery for many fish and protect land from coastal erosion, have been destroyed to create shrimp farms. The waters of developing countries are increasingly fished by industrial fleets, which are competing with the traditional small fisheries that have fed local people for centuries. Researchers from University of British Columbia in Canada and the University of Western Australia found that almost 10 per cent of the world’s total catch in the last decade was discarded due to poor fishing practices and inadequate management. Also, as more Arctic ice is melting, previously unfished waters are now being exploited by bottom fishing trawlers which cause destruction by dragging their nets along the sea bed. EU data shows that sustainable fishing is slowing down – with stocks of cod, herring and lobster in waters fished by EU fleets below levels recommended by marine scientists, meaning their very survival is threatened. Also, each year over 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises die across the world after being caught in fishing gear.

But what we can do, on an individual level, to help make change? Friend of the Sea –  the international association for the certification of products from sustainable fisheries and aquaculture – has compiled a list of lifestyle choices that can help preserve the oceans for future generations:

Don’t purchase items that exploit marine life

Make informed decisions about which tour companies you use, avoid purchasing souvenirs that exploit marine wildlife. Certain products contribute to the harming of fragile coral reefs and marine populations. Avoid purchasing items such as coral jewelry, tortoiseshell hair accessories and shark products.

Make safe and sustainable seafood choices

To prevent further damage to the aquatic ecosystems that support our fisheries, we all need to ensure the fish we buy comes from sustainable companies who do not deplete fish stocks or damage the environment. Certification of seafood can help support marine conservation and raise the profile of companies committed to sustainable aquaculture and fisheries. The Friend of the Sea label is carried by products from sustainable fisheries and aquaculture that meet the requirements of the Food and Agriculture organisation of the United Nations, so only fish stocks that are not over exploited are certified.

Take care of the beach you surf or tan on

Whether you enjoy diving, surfing, or relaxing on the beach, always clean up after yourself. Explore and appreciate the ocean without interfering with wildlife or removing rocks and coral. Go even further by encouraging others to respect the marine environment or by participating in local beach cleanups.

Support organizations working to protect the ocean

There are many organizations fighting to protect ocean habitats and marine wildlife such as Turtle Island Restoration Network and Shark Stewards. Find a national institution or organization and consider personally contributing with your skills or resources . If you live near the coast, join up with a local branch or group and get involved in projects close to home.

Educate yourself about oceans and marine life

Learning about ocean conservation will help you make choices that protect our planet’s most important resource. You can learn about electing the right public officials that are essential to good ocean policy, buying ocean-friendly products, no visiting Seaworld or similar parks or disposing your waste in an environmentally safe way.

Why do we need to protect marine life and how to do it | Source: Sustainable Friends

The post Why do we need to protect marine life and how to do it appeared first on Sustainable Friends.

It is distinguished from a seed bank in that the main purpose is not to store or hold germplasm or seeds against possible destruction, but to disseminate them to the public which preserves the shared plant varieties through propagation and further sharing of seed. Seed libraries usually maintain their collections through donations from members but may also operate as pure charity operations intent on serving gardeners and farmers. A common attribute of many seed libraries is to preserve agricultural biodiversity by focusing on rare, local, and heirloom seed varieties.

Photo: Pima County Public Library

There are now over 500 seed lending libraries open worldwide and the process is very easy. You pick out three seed packets at a time, things like beans, fruits, herbs, check them out like you are getting a book and then get to planting. Some libraries even offer classes for anyone who needs help getting started.

Why save seeds? 

Plant genetic diversity is disappearing fast. There are still thousands of varieties to choose from, but the vast majority of them are endangered. Hundreds become extinct every year. All of our cultivated plants depend on human care. They don’t grow in the wild, only in gardens and farms. That means if nobody grows a particular variety and saves its seeds, that variety becomes extinct forever. So, what is the importance of seed saving:

. Return to more traditional farming practices

. Save money

. Maintain your own collection of unique vegetable varieties

. Help maintain genetic diversity in the food system

 Sustainable Friends is developed by the sustainability
certification programs Friend of the Sea and Friend of the Earth

The post What is a seed library? appeared first on Sustainable Friends.

There is now overwhelming consensus from scientists that wasteful use of resources and lack of consideration of the impact of production and consumption by the human population is damaging wildlife, fisheries, soils and seas. This is impacting our ability to sustain a healthy quality of life for us in the long (and in some parts of the world short) term. So what are the major environmental issues that companies, and the rest of us, face?

1. Pollution

Pollution comes from energy generation, transportation, waste products and the introduction of chemicals like pesticides and fertilisers. All over the world – from London to Lagos in West Africa, air pollution is overwhelming cities and contaminating land. According by UNICEF, more than 300 million children are living in parts of the world where levels of outdoor pollution are toxic.  Around the world, pollution is becoming an increasingly serious – and in many cases deadly – problem.

2. Global warming

The greenhouse gasses warming our atmosphere and seas are generated through fossil fuel use, farming and food production. Deforestation to create land for crops is reducing the earth’s natural ability to absorb carbon dioxide as well as leading to soil erosion and flooding. Preserving rainforests helps agriculture as they regulate weather patterns and manage water flows.

3. Waste

We see waste everywhere – strewn around fields and roadsides and littering the tidelines of our beaches. It’s been predicted that by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in our oceans. Our seas and rivers are suffering as run off from polluted land pours into rivers and seas.  When waste ends up at the landfill, chemicals in the trash can leech out into the soil, contaminating it. This will hurt plants, along with animals and even humans who come into contact with the soil.

4. Depletion of natural resources

Plundering natural resources with no thought of they’ll be replenished has led to loss of the biodiversity critical to maintaining the ecosystems sustaining life on earth. The use of pesticides is linked to a decline in bee populations and many of our food crops depend on bees for pollination. Intensive crop farming depletes soils – and artificial fertilisers provide only a temporary fix, leading to predictions that in the UK the ability to grow food crops is in decline.

Common methods used to produce our food have led to a list of environmental problems only touched on here. With all this in mind it’s no wonder more and more people are seeking eco-friendly products and more green companies are taking care of marine conservation and wildlife conservation. But what is sustainability in business?

Briefly, sustainability in business can be defined as a business managed so as to ensure human needs are met for present and future generations, while conserving natural resources and avoiding damage to the environment. 

The best way for consumers to be reassured they’re buying from green companies is by looking for food with a recognised certification. Food products certified by Friend of the Earth reassure consumers strict sustainability criteria are being adhered to. Similarly seafood approved by Friend of the Sea is sourced from sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. Supporting sustainable certification is in the best interest of green business and green consumers.

What are the major environmental problems that we face? | Author: Mary Stevens | Source: Sustainable Friends

 Sustainable Friends is developed by the sustainability
certification programs Friend of the Sea and Friend of the Earth

The post What are the major environmental problems that we face? appeared first on Sustainable Friends.

For sustainable people and everyone working on environmental projects Sustainable Friends is the online non-profit space for green initiatives. Our online global community people, organizations, schools, companies and activities that are helping our environment.

Whether you’re a student or a scientist, an individual or part of a group, if the reach of your sustainability work is local or global, not for profit, helping your community or business based, we are keen to hear about it and help you raise the profile of your contribution to conservation and protecting our environment. Sustainable Friends provide a platform for people who care about environmental protection and our sustainable future to inform and inspire others and source support. If you’re looking for volunteers to help achieve your goals, resources, donations or to fundraise online, jobs opportunities, Sustainable Friends is here to reach out to everyone who supports the protection of our environment for future generations.

Find a sustainable initiative around you

By exploring our Sustainable World Map you can see the wealth of projects, stories, corporate and educational activities signed up to our growing global community. Green initiatives already on the map include fruit orchards being established for community groups and schools across the English county of Sussex and protecting whales from ship strikes around Sri Lanka. Companies who have joined our community include businesses sourcing seafood from certified fisheries across the world and a start up in Sydney, Australia creating recycled swimwear sourced from post-consumer waste. Education activities range from teaching teens to change the world at Yea Camp in the USA and the Friends of the Sea school awareness project in Hong Kong. The Sustainable Friends portal is here to introduce sustainable projects and inspire action for people like you who are eager to connect with the wider sustainability community and find funders to support non-profit work.

If you’re a charity or non-profit group, signing up to Sustainable Friends will help you find volunteers as well as funders – whether through charity crowdfunding sites or individual donations. If you’re a business with sustainability at its heart, joining our community is an opportunity for you to raise your profile, showcase your corporate sustainability goals and reach out to potential customers.

Our portal is free to sign up to and aims to provide a one stop showcase for environmental and conservation projects and ideas taking place in all sectors across the globe. All initiatives registered here are then evaluated by our team at Sustainable Friends to ensure our sustainability criteria are met.

Whoever you are and wherever you’re working, if you share our common goal of a sustainable future, by signing up to Sustainable Friends you’ll be adding strength and support not only to your own to your work but to our global community.

We can’t wait to find out more about your sustainable project so find out how you can sign up here.

 Sustainable Friends is developed by the sustainability
certification programs Friend of the Sea and Friend of the Earth

The post Promote environmental initiatives with Sustainable Friends appeared first on Sustainable Friends.

Environmental sustainability is talked about in relation to all aspects of our lives – from creating eco homes and environmentally conscious communities to sourcing sustainable food, renewable energy, low impact furniture and clothing. But what does environmental sustainability actually mean? There are many definitions in use by green groups, business and politicians – some simple and some more complex. The concept of sustainable development was first put forward in the 1987 report ‘Our Common Future’ – prepared for the World Commission on Environment and Development. They recognized the links between inequality, poverty and environmental degradation and were seeking a way forward for a fairer world with less damage to the environment that supports communities. Our Common Future, or the Bruntland Report, as it is also known in reference to its author, established the concept of sustainable development as the way forward for a fairer society, which looks after its resources. The report defined sustainable development as “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” It therefore follows that environmental sustainability is ensuring that in meeting our needs for water, food, shelter as well as engaging in activities that make our lives enjoyable – including leisure activities and entertainment – we don’t cause damage to our environment or deplete resources that we can’t renew.

Why do we need sustainable practices?

While many individuals and communities have long recognised the damage that can be caused to our environment and that of the plants and animals we share our planet with, it is only relatively recently this has been acknowledged globally. The air we breathe and our rivers and oceans don’t recognize local, national or even continental boundaries – so we must all take care of them for each other. For example, air pollution episodes in the UK are often made worse by air masses from the continent of Europe, litter lasts decades in oceans travelling the globe on ocean currents and industrial pollution and fertilzers have led to toxic algal blooms in the rivers and seas including those of China, the US and Europe.

Environmental projects

Looking after our environment is something we must all be a part of. There are many environmental projects promoting sustainable living – large and small, local, national and global – that we can participate in. Looking after environmental health is crucial to ensuring we, and future generations, can all go green and can live healthy lives on a healthy planet. Our individual or household environmental projects can include carrying out our own environmental impact assessment to ensure we use energy and water efficiently and make sure our food, furniture and clothing is from sustainable sources. To help make a difference to others in our own and our global community, there are numerous projects underway, which range from campaigns to for clean seas and beaches, to educating children about sustainable living and empowering women to support their communities and combat the impacts of climate change.

Many projects promoting environmental sustainability are here, on our Sustainable World Map – where you can explore environmental ideas and initiatives, or add your own eco project to inspire people in your own community and around the world.

What is Environmental Sustainability and why is it important | Author: Mary Stevens | Source: Sustainable Friends

 Sustainable Friends is developed by the sustainability
certification programs Friend of the Sea and Friend of the Earth

The post What Is Environmental Sustainability and Why Is It Important appeared first on Sustainable Friends.

Watching whales and dolphins in the wild is an unique experience. Much different from what you can see in a dolphinarium. For this reason several operators around the world are now carrying out dolphin watching tours that allow you to watch, interact or swim with dolphins.

As human interactions with wild dolphins increase, the risk of disturbing or injuring them also increases. For example:

. Disease transmission is a serious concern, as dolphins carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans and vice versa;

. Injury to dolphins by boat propellers;

. Risk of dolphins becoming dependent on humans for food, as some boat operators entice them towards the swimmers using food;

. Safety of swimmers;  

Researchers and expert guides have found it may have a long-term impact on the health and wellbeing of individual dolphins and populations. In this context the project ‘Dolphin Bay‘ was born. This project aims at promoting dolphin watching tours in Golfo Aranci, Italy as ecotouristic tours respecting the dolphin’s space and habitat.

 Photo: Responsible tourism in Golfo Aranci, Italy. Here the dolphins live, play, communicate and set out the path for those who dream of a better future.

Dolphin watching companies, participating in the “Dolphin Bay” project, are Friend of the Sea certified. Friend of the Sea is an international certification program for sustainable fishing and aquaculture products, and for sustainable whale and dolphin watching activities.

Below are some important do’s and don’ts to remember when viewing dolphins in the wild:

The “Dolphin Bay” project was conceived by Worldrise, a non-profit organization created and run by young people who carry out projects on the protection and enhancement of the marine environment, and are promoters of economic and social sustainable development. All initiatives are coordinated by young students and recent graduates, who have a unique opportunity to reconcile the practical field experience with academic knowledge, in order to achieve a complete professional growth.

Why swimming with dolphins should be avoided? |  Source: Sustainable Friends

 Sustainable Friends is developed by the sustainability
certification programs Friend of the Sea and Friend of the Earth

The post Why swimming with dolphins should be avoided? appeared first on Sustainable Friends.

Forests are mainly important because they stabilize climate, regulate the water cycle and provides habitat to thousands of life forms. Follow the Friend of the Earth heroine episodes and discover how you can help protecting the forests.

1. Help to protecting the forests

2. Keep the forest clean

3. Help end the use of animal in circuses

Want more hero stories? Follow also the Friend of the Sea Hero episodes here.

 Sustainable Friends is developed by the sustainability
certification programs Friend of the Sea and Friend of the Earth

The post How can you help protecting the forests. Friend of the Earth heroine stories appeared first on Sustainable Friends.

1. Use Less Paper

If you buy it, they will log. The more we buy, the more they log. To reduce our demand, we can avoid using paper napkins, plates, cups, and bags. We can buy paper made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper, or from hemp, and be sure to recycle all our waste paper.  We can remember that wood and paper are not just “stuff”: they are made from the living fabric of our planet, home to a myriad creatures.

At work, first ask yourself if you really need to print a document. You can use tecnology to go paper less: send e-mails instead of faxes or paper mail, and use electronic memos and instead of paper bulletins; read your magazines online and switch to digital books.

2. Eat Less Beef

The insistent demand for hamburgers, steak, and dog food sends a very clear message to the farmers of Central America, and Brazil, who clear the forest to make way for their cattle ranches. In Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, for every cow, 2.5 acres of forest disappear; for every quarter pound hamburger from a cleared rainforest, fifty-five square feet of rainforest is destroyed.  A vegetarian needs half an acre for his annual food needs. A meat-eater needs three acres, and increasingly, some of this comes from cleared rainforests. See www.cifor.cgiar.org/publications/pdf_files/media/Amazon.pdf

3. Buy only certified food products from sustainable farming and agriculture

Unsustainable farming and agriculture practices can lead to irreparable environmental damages. When shopping for food products choose foods are produced by responsible companies who don’t harm the environment and respect their work force. Sustainable certification labels are crucial in helping us to make the right choice. You can find many products carrying the label Friend of the Earth. Their mission is to drive agricultural and farming production toward sustainable practices. Only those companies that operate in accordance with sustainable standards receive Friend of the Earth certifications. Check out  the Friend of the Earth website to learn more about their activities.

4. Support Rainforest Communities

Nearly 17% of the Amazon rainforest has been deforested, and forest scientists are saying that if it reaches a 40% level of deforestation, the forest will enter a process of desertification that is irreversible. The Rainforest Action Network, based in San Francisco, has a “Protect-an-Acre” program which provides funding to help forest peoples gain legal recognition of their territories. It also helps them to develop locally-based economic alternatives, and resist intrusions by the loggers and oil companies, who are after their land. This is a very specific initiative that you can support now, that will have a specific impact.

5. Share the message

Raising awareness to take responsible action is a simple but important thing you can do. Educate others. Whether it be your children, friends, or colleagues. The more people are aware of what they can do to help prevent deforestation, the better.

5 easy steps to protecting the forests |  Source: Sustainable Friends

 Sustainable Friends is developed by the sustainability
certification programs Friend of the Sea and Friend of the Earth

The post 5 easy steps to protecting the forests appeared first on Sustainable Friends.