Earth Day Message: Love Our Oceans
Water covers about 70% of the Earth, and over 97% of that water is the ocean. A recent study suggests that the Earth was once completely covered in water, without a single continent, about 3.2 billion years ago (1). And just like the life on our planet evolved from water, we too are born floating in our mother's womb. The amniotic fluid we find ourselves in as we begin to develop a conscious mind has an almost identical chemical composition to seawater. Many of our bodily fluids are chemically similar to seawater. Maybe this is why many people all over the world feel a connection to the ocean.
Water is a powerful conduit for spiritual energy and life energy as well. The rhythm of the waves often brings me peace and clarity, reminding me that nature is constant and that I am a small part of something bigger and unchanging. It also reminds me to appreciate the mystery and wonder of our world. As a Scuba diver, I have seen many parts of this beautiful ocean world. Still, I am also aware that there are parts of the ocean deep that have yet to be discovered by man. I love it and want to protect it.
The ocean is the largest ecosystem on Earth that speaks to many and must be protected. There is so much beautiful life beneath the waves, and that life is something we depend on as humans.
Oceans generate almost half of the life-giving oxygen that we breathe and absorb carbon dioxide, which combats climate change (2). But only living oceans can do this. Only seas with the power of biodiversity can be effective in maintaining life on this planet.
As a scuba instructor and enthusiast, I have a lot of ocean lovers in my life. Many of them understand the need to protect our oceans from environmental damage and destruction. But almost every coastline is declining due to overfishing, contamination from oil spills, and plastic waste. There are very few beaches in the world that are not polluted by trash.
Educating people on the importance of the oceans in our lives is something I am very passionate about. That is why I created a line of jewelry that repurposes scuba diving parts into an expression of our love for the ocean and scuba divers.
Sustainable fashion is possible when artisans consider closing the waste loop. That means diverting as much waste as possible from ending up in landfills, or by sources materials locally to decrease their ecological footprint.
By creating jewelry from usually discarded bits of rubber and plastic, I feel like I am making a small but significant step towards a cleaner and healthier world.
And by sourcing my materials locally or when I am already traveling, I can reduce the number of fossil fuels used to get them to my studio.
Some other ways that I strive to run a sustainable business is using as little plastic as I can, so I use canvas bags for packaging and paper products for shipping. Gogh Jewelry Design also supports non-profits that help save our oceans, such as Project AWARE, an ocean conservation group, and Heal the Bay, who oversees beach cleanups.
I also realize that social sustainability is just as important as environmental sustainability, which is why my jewelry making supports many charitable organizations. I donate part of my proceeds to several charities such as Dive into the Pink, Women Divers Hall of Fame Scholarship Foundation, and a Chance for Children.
In my mind, every month is Earth Month, so it's always the perfect time to show your appreciation for our oceans by shopping my jewelry inspired by the sea: Zero Waste and Ocean Inspired Jewelry collections. Support our project to protect oceans and your spiritual wellbeing with sustainable fashion and stones that will connect you to the spiritual nature of water.
Are you interested in donating your old scuba gear for this up-cycled project? Contact us today and be part of this fantastic new movement!
Sources:
1) https://www.livescience.com/waterworld-earth.html
2) https://marine-conservation.org/what-we-do/advocate/why-we-protect-our-oceans/
