In the quest to continue manufacturing products while maintaining a healthy environment, companies have been challenged to reinvent themselves by incorporating sustainable or recyclable raw materials into their production lines.

In the textile industry, one company that strives for a greener path every day is Aquafil Group. 

For over 50 years the global leader in the synthetic fibres industry, Aquafil, has been a major player in the production of Polyamide 6 (Nylon 6) worldwide.

Filaments textile production, floorings in particular, have been Aquafil’s core business since the company was founded. Today the Group is the leading manufacturer in Europe.

ECONYL® brand 

In recent years, Aquafil Group has increased the production of secondary raw materials, to offer high-quality products while promoting environmental protection and circular economy.

All regenerated yarns by Aquafil are grouped under the ECONYL® brand. These yarns offer the same quality and performance as normal Nylon 6 but with incredible environmental benefits due to the fact that:

1. They come from regenerated waste
2. They are 100% infinitely recyclable

ECONYL® regenerated nylon is a sustainable solution for all brands that want to produce in a more responsible way, in line with the growing need to protect our planet.

As well as being a solution to waste, ECONYL® regenerated nylon is also better when it comes to climate change. It reduces the global warming impact of nylon by up to 90% compared with the material from oil. It’s all part of the ECONYL® brand vision to make the world a better place by pioneering closed loop regeneration processes and delivering sustainable products. 

The sources of waste used for producing ECONYL® regenerated nylon 

“Some see trash, others see treasure” says Giulio Bonazzi, President and Chairman of Aquafil. To produce ECONYL® regenerated nylon, Aquafil rescues various waste materials, such as: 

●  Old carpets destined for landfills, collected through the Group’s carpet recycling facilities located in the USA 
●  Fishing nets from aquaculture and fish industry and ghost nets 
●  Pre-consumer waste coming from industrial processes such as plastic components, 
industrial waste and fabric scraps 
●  Special take back projects in collaboration with different brands such as Napapijri, Speedo and Gucci.

From the source to the final consumer through valuable partnerships: Collaboration with Healthy Seas and Hyundai

Aquafil strives to come full circle through empathy and collaboration, inside and outside, from the source of the material to the final product. This is why the Group collaborates with various companies and organisations for the collection and recovery of waste. One of them is Healthy Seas Foundation. 

Hyundai and Healthy Seas work together with volunteer divers from ‘Ghost Diving’ Organisation to recover abandoned fishing nets from reefs and shipwrecks. These ‘Ghost Nets’ would continue to kill marine wildlife underwater for decades if it wasn’t for their intervention. — Click here to learn more about Healthy Seas and the inspiring work they do.

With the purpose of creating healthier seas and recycling marine litter into textile products, Aquafil has partnered with Healthy Seas to regenerate the nylon parts of the nets together with other nylon waste, into ECONYL® yarn. This high-quality raw material is then used to create new products, such as socks, swimwear, sportswear and even a number of the Hyundai IONIQ 5 floor mats.

Our visit to Aquafil with DAN Europe Sustainable Tour

What better way to close the loop for the Sustainable Tour than by visiting a company that helps close the loop to reduce plastic pollution?

“To close the loop with Nylon 6, we have had to work with many suppliers that we never imagined. Twenty years ago it would be unimaginable to think that the fishing industry would be one of our suppliers,” — says public relations and marketing Director Tina Mavrič, while showing us around their factory in Slovenia.

We first visited the Aquafil warehouse where plastic “waste” is stored, including recovered ghost-nets and discarded fishing nets. We then moved on to the manufacturing plant, where we witnessed how ECONYL® regenerated nylon is made.

The process behind this breakthrough material includes 4 steps:

1. Rescue 

The ECONYL® Regeneration System starts with rescuing waste otherwise polluting the Earth, like fishing nets, fabric scraps, carpet flooring and industrial plastic all over the world. That waste is then sorted and cleaned to recover all of the nylon possible. 

2. Regenerate 

Through a radical regeneration and purification process, the nylon waste is recycled right back to its original purity. That means ECONYL® regenerated nylon is exactly the same as fossil-based nylon. 

3. Remake 

ECONYL® regenerated nylon is processed into yarns and polymers for the fashion and interior industries. 

4. Reimagine 

Fashion brands, interior designers and carpet producers use ECONYL® regenerated nylon to create brand new products. And that nylon has the potential to be recycled infinitely, without ever losing its quality. The goal is that once all products containing ECONYL® are no longer useful to customers, they can go back into step one of the Regeneration System.

An inspiration for Corporate Shared Value and Circular Economy

Just as Aquafil and Hyundai support initiatives to give ocean plastics a second life, we encourage all companies and organisations to reflect on this: 

Want to know more about the ECONYL® brand? Discover this breakthrough material here.

L'articolo Turning Waste Into Endless Possibilities proviene da Sustainabletour.

These ships once witnessed historic situations, such as WWI & WWII. Unlike elaborately contrived sites –such as graves and temples– shipwrecks are mostly accidental and therefore show the past as it really was. Shipwrecks thus are like time capsules, preserving a single moment in time.

Studying the information these sites contain from past generations allows us to better understand how their passengers travelled, traded, fought and even thought. These important archeological resources contain a wealth of information not found in the documentary record.

It is possible to bring these ancient stories to the present day, thanks to the efforts of passionate underwater archaeologists.

Why are the wrecks in the Baltic Sea so well preserved?

The Baltic Sea preserves underwater cultural heritage extremely well primarily due to the low light, low salinity and cold temperature that prevent the proliferation of the Naval Shipworm (Teredo navalis), which devours submerged wood.

Ecological influence

While archaeological research has taught us much about how ships have influenced the course of human history, scientists are also beginning to learn how sunken ships influence ecology in the deep-sea environment.

Shipwreck preservation is equally important as a viable component in marine ecology. Once a shipwreck becomes stable it becomes part of its environment. Marine life envelop these remains as a foundation and frame for survival, serving as places where life can colonise.

Diving in the Baltic

Divers also enjoy visiting these submerged treasures and learning about their history, which gives these sites great economic potential.

Diving experiences can vary widely. The temperature and visibility in the water might pose a challenge, but all divers benefit from new experiences and challenges are always strengthening. Whether you are a scientist or diving for recreational reasons, visiting a heritage site feels impressive.

The Finnish Heritage Agency

The Finnish Heritage Agency is a significant cultural heritage agency in Finland, working in all marine and river basins. It is the only authority responsible for the protection of underwater cultural heritage in Finland. It organises and supervises the archaeological research required for protection and grants survey permits for archaeological excavations.

The Cultural Environmental Services department has a team of marine archaeologists who carry out underwater fieldwork throughout Finland. Tasks include inspecting new finds, as well as monitoring known objects.

How to become a maritime archaeologist in Finland and what level of diving certification is required?

To become a maritime archaeologist in Finland, it is necessary to spend four to six years at university studying archaeology and specialising in maritime topics.

You need to have Advanced European Scientific Diver (AESD) certificate, which is a common European standard. However, you can have maritime archaeology and wreck diving as a hobby, and take part in field camps, led by professionals. Maritime archaeologists use modern research methods when studying the secrets of the seabed by diving, co-operating with marine biologists and recreational divers.

DAN Europe Sustainable Tour visits Suomenlinna

Even studying the past cannot be handled ‘business as usual’ with the latest news of Climate Change. The End of Glory Days project, biography of the Swedish wrecks as ‘Blue’ Heritage of Suomenlinna joined forces with The Sustainable Tour to talk about sustainability at the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The event included a conference with scientific divers, specialists in underwater heritage conservation, diving and how climate change is affecting marine ecosystems and sunken treasures.

We were also able to dive one of the wrecks off the coast of the island, called Hilma, which is the subject of archaeological research. 

Sabina Kraatz, Archaeology student and intern at the Finnish Heritage Agency, tells us about her experience that day. You can also watch the live dive event recorded that day.

“On a misty Friday I got to spend my first day as an intern at the Finnish Heritage Agency. The day illustrated both the relation between cultural heritage sites and climate change, also how maritime archaeologists and divers are involved in ocean sustainability. 

The day began with technical preparations and instructing the five persons who would be diving to the wreck Hilma.“

“We had the chance to know the representatives of DAN Europe, Alana Alvarez and Manuel Bustelo and discuss their journey across Europe.

The Sustainable Tour, carried out in an electric vehicle, promotes a more sustainable lifestyle and taking responsibility of our underwater cultural heritage and ecosystems. Listening to their experiences about various diving locations and opinions on climate change not only made me review my own opinions, but made me more curious about the multitude of the underwater world and being open to explore a range of new sustainability solutions.“

“Minna Koivikko, a maritime archaeologist at the Finnish Heritage Agency, introduced the event and people to the livestream public. Video-material was received from the ROV of the wreck Hilma and information about the diving visibility, wreck condition and depth was communicated through the radio. Touchable approaches to the wreck site, such as diving and watching a direct video of the location aid in understanding why archaeology matters in the climate question.“

“I had no expectations for the day, however, I was positively surprised by the cooperation between people of different backgrounds and how new information and opinions were shared interdisciplinarily. Members of DAN Europe, the Finnish Maritime Archeological Society, Sukeltajat Ry, guests and the Finnish Heritage Agency had the possibility to share valuable information of their tasks and interests during the day. A combining factor between all these people was their capability to co-operate and their interest in the main topic of the day: the sustainability and health of our waters.

My experience of being a part of such a group of experts, divers and volunteers was enlightening and provided new nuances in thinking green. Because the subject of a climate crisis is challenging, the sense of belonging in a knowledgeable group and working towards common goals creates an open-minded attitude and motivation to be innovative.“

“I recommend people with the will to act on and work with sustainability to search for these types of groups to join in spreading facts and awareness. Sites, such as the wreck Hilma, prove acts of sustainability are not only affecting the lives and nature far beyond, but also the environment just beside us.”

L'articolo Underwater Archaeology Team Dives To Preserve Sunken Baltic Sea Heritage proviene da Sustainabletour.

“Ocean Acidification is a problem that can only be corrected from land, by reducing our CO2 emissions.”  — Alana and Manu, Sustainable Tour Ambassadors.

It is therefore essential for us to support the transition to a zero-emission planet in all our activities.

CO₂ saved after 17,000 km touring Europe: 2.4 tons

To achieve our goal of visiting companies, organisations and policy makers that offer products, services or create policies that support ocean protection and a more sustainable future, we have worked hard to make the Sustainable Tour, in fact, as sustainable as possible. 

We are doing our best to bring to those involved the knowledge we have —as professional divers— about the real situation of marine ecosystems, raising awareness and encouraging them to improve their practices. In addition, we have also found inspiring solutions to the environmental challenges ahead, all of which are explained in detail in the articles on this blog.

By using an electric vehicle provided by Hyundai and partnering with Ionity, a charging network that provides only renewable energy, we ensure we get our message across, avoiding transport-related CO2 emissions.

To find out more about #whywedoit, you can listen to the latest Hyundai Podcast, in which we share our experiences so far championing sustainable practices.

Furthermore, we wanted to understand the science behind monitoring the increasing CO2 emissions that are affecting our planet and our ocean. To this end, during our time in Finland, we visited a network of University Research Stations that cooperate across the country for long-term environmental monitoring.

RESTAT

This World class Research Sta­tion Net­work offers excellent logistics and support for research and teaching. With their long history the stations are able to provide long term environmental back-ground data sets from the Baltic Sea to the north of Finland. The stations have modern infrastructure to support a wide variety of research, from field studies to laboratory analyses.

The aim of the network is to strengthen cooperation between all university stations.

Finnish Scientific Diving Academy (FSDA) at TVÄRMINNE ZOOLO­GICAL STA­TION

Tvärminne Zoological Station is a marine station located at the entrance to the Gulf of Finland. It serves as a centre for a large variety of high quality biological research and offers facilities for field courses and seminars. TZS is open all year round and we welcome visiting scientists to conduct their research at TZS.

The Finnish Scientific Diving Academy (FSDA) is now being established in the facilities to revitalise the training of scientific divers in Finland. The goal is to create a leading first-class facility in cold water based scientific diving.

The FSDA will offer education for professional scientists looking for specialist or more advanced training, student level courses to encourage the next generation of marine scientists as well as citizen scientists interested in developing their dive training in that area. 

As the academy grows, more specialist courses including polar research diving, underwater propulsion vehicles and other advanced technologies will be offered.

OULANKA RESEARCH STATION

Oulanka Research Station is situated in Kuusamo as a regional unit of the University of Oulu. It’s modern research and educational facilities provides an inspiring environment not only for researchers and teachers, but also for organisers of courses, seminars and conferences.  

Research projects focusing on environmental and climate change monitoring include:

• Towers and several sensors measuring: temperature, humidity, precipitation, air pressure, wind speed, the difference between incoming and outgoing solar radiation, snowdepth, quantity of carbon dioxide, soil temperature and humidity. 

• Experimental research to find out the influence of climate change on vegetation. Surveys on local flora, fauna and environmental conditions.

• The influence of reindeer grazing and farming to environmental change.

• Phenological monitoring and analyses of water quality in streams, rivers and ponds.

The environmental monitoring programmes of the station were complemented by EMEP, the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme.

KILPISJÄRVI BIOLOGICAL STATION

Long-term monitoring forms the core of research at Kilpisjärvi Biological Station. 

The station has a broad cooperation network within Finland and abroad. Also participates in several research projects to monitor Climate Change, among them:

• INTERACT, a project that seeks to build capacity for research and monitoring all over the Arctic.
• Seismic measurements: the measuring station of the Institute of Seismology is located on the station’s premises.
• Finnish Meteorological Institute’s Aurora measuring stations are also located in the premises.

The station is also involved in awareness-raising projects, in collaboration with Bioart Society, a Helsinki-based association producing and facilitating activities around art and natural sciences.

Good decisions for the environment 

Long-term monitoring provides essential evidence on which to base good environmental decisions. This is one way in which greater connections can be made between science and policy to achieve our common goal of a healthy planet.

L'articolo Visiting The Finnish Academy of Scientific Diving and Research Stations Monitoring Environmental Change proviene da Sustainabletour.

Why CO2 matters

The latest IPCC report concluded that greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from human activities are responsible for changing the climate in unprecedented and in some cases irreversible ways.

The last time the atmospheric CO2 amounts were this high was more than 3 million years ago, when temperature was 2°–3°C higher than during the pre-industrial era, and sea level was 15–25 meters higher than today. (NOAA and the American Meteorological Society)

How does CO2 excess affect The Ocean

While Ocean Acidification and Climate Change look like completely different problems, they are actually closely related as they share the same root cause: increased CO2 emissions.

The ocean has the capacity to absorb CO2 from the environment, like a sponge. The current problem is that it is reaching saturation levels.

When CO2 dissolves in seawater, it undergoes a series of chemical reactions. The pH of the sea water is lowered and there is an increase in acidity. This phenomenon is known as Ocean Acidification and is a direct consequence of increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere.

As CO2 emissions rise, Ocean Acidification also increases

There has already been a 26% increase in ocean acidity since pre-industrial times, which is directly due to human activities. This is leading to significant changes in the biology, chemistry and structure of marine ecosystems, affecting the biodiversity it supports.

A major concern is that Ocean Acidification leads to a decrease in the concentration of carbonate ions, which are the building blocks of the shells of many marine species, such as crabs, mussels and oysters. These species are the basis of the food chain, so everything else would be affected, including our food supply.

These carbonate ions also help create the main habitat structure for most marine life: corals.

Fins on the ground — Divers must act on land to protect the ocean

At the current rate, ocean acidity is expected to increase by 170% by the end of this century. This is 10 times faster than any acidification in the ocean for over 55 million years. 

We must drastically reduce our CO2 emissions if we are to maintain a healthy ocean and a planet suitable for our survival.

There is a need to educate, especially the younger generation, not only about the current state of the underwater world, but also about the solutions already being implemented across Europe to address this challenge, including:

• Lifestyle changes that we can all apply on a daily basis to reduce our Carbon Footprint:

Have you and your family have set goals to reduce your carbon footprint? Start by working out how much you can do in the next five coming years. Then review. 

• Sustainable services, products and initiatives that already exist in Europe:

Are you aware of what companies are working in a sustainable way?

• Circular economy and CSV:

How much you can play a role in circular economy? Is your company setting goals to work on Corporate Shared Values ?

• Policies to create environmental change:

Become active on lobbying your politicians to do work on this matters. 

• Partnerships to achieve the goal:

What UN SDGs can be worked out in your local communities ?

• Scientific Research on Climate Change and environmental threats:

Support scientific studies and educate yourself from reliable sources. Here is a Podcast we can recommend: THE CLIMATE QUESTION, by the BBC.

It is crucial that divers, industries, governments, citizens and future 
generations work together to protect our natural resources. 

Our Oceans represent 70% of them.

L'articolo How is Climate Change Affecting The Ocean? – What You Need to Know as a Diver proviene da Sustainabletour.

To live a more sustainable lifestyle, we need to reconnect with nature. Scandinavian breathtaking landscapes provide unique opportunities to do so. There are countless isolated places where you can camp and stare at the stars. If you get lucky, depending on the period of the year, you may be bathed by northern lights.

The ‘Right to Roam‘ in Nordic countries allows people – foreigners as well as locals – to hike and camp more or less freely in the woods and in the mountains, regardless of land ownership. Although these countries tend to be expensive destinations, ‘free access to nature’ gives you the opportunity to visit them while saving on accommodation. 

To make your stay in nature a success, you only need to get the right outdoor gear. Fortunately, deuter have joined the Sustainable Tour. German backpacks and sleeping bag specialists have provided all the necessary equipment to make the Sustainable Tour, in fact, as sustainable as possible when passing through the Nordic countries.

However, the sustainability of the brand is not only linked to the access to nature that they provide to their users. The backpack pioneer incorporates sustainability criteria into all its daily business practices, and it is embedded in the considerations of its employees worldwide. For years already it has worked on coming up with innovative product solutions. One of these is the UP series, where “UP” stands for upcycling. The backpacks in the UP series are all made in a very resource-efficient way. The fabrics used are made entirely from recycled PET bottles. With each day pack using between 35 and 40 PET bottles. This results in a substantial reduction in both the water and crude oil used in their manufacture.

And like all new deuter products since 2020, the UP series is also PFC free, and is manufactured according to the bluesign® standard. The bluesign® standard is the world’s strictest standard for environmental protection, occupational safety and consumer protection in the textile industry. deuter has been a bluesign® system partner since 2008.

Unlike most eco-labels, the bluesign® standard doesn’t just check the end product for harmful substances or chemical residue, it examines the manufacturing processes for all the individual components that make up a product. For instance, they test chemical substances for the effect they have on workers in the textile factories, and on the environment, and on the end product. deuter particularly likes the holistic view it takes – from selection of materials, to packaging guidelines, through to the repairs carried out on products. It’s about taking accountability for the entire supply chain. 

As a brand, deuter is committed to a responsible and sustainable approach to people, the environment and resources. Any brand can sign up to the bluesign® standard if they are willing to adopt the system and make products in a more sustainable way. This includes adhering to bluesign® ‘black limits’ (threshold limits for chemical substances) for chemicals contained in dyes for example, and to consumer safety limits. There are over 800 banned substances listed, with the list updated on a yearly basis and open to public scrutiny.

A product can only be certified as a ‘bluesign® product’ if a minimum of 90% of the fabric used, and for backpacks, 20% of the components used are bluesign® approved. bluesign® approved covers all the various elements of a product like the fabrics, the yarn, or zippers.

Because the new deuter UP backpacks are bluesign® products, and therefore meet all the criteria of the bluesign® standard, DAN Europe Ambassadors Alana Alvarez and Manuel Bustelo can count on the fact that: 

• they are made with as few pollutants as possible
• they are not made using environmentally harmful substances
• they are not harmful to human health
• controls and limits were upheld for the use of chemicals

The backpacks from the UP series – UP Seoul, UP Stockholm and UP Sydney – are designed for active people living an urban lifestyle who want a sustainably made backpack and who like to keep their gear well organized. The deuter UP Stockholm and UP Sydney both have 22 liters’ capacity. The deuter UP Seoul has 16 liters’ capacity and can be expanded by 10 liters. All three models come in a unisex fit and are available in 6 different colors.

So, it’s clear that the new UP series of urban day packs from deuter is a perfect fit for the Sustainable Tour mission.

Make do & mend – deuter’s repair service – saving resources one stitch at a time

However well you look after a product, at some stage, it will start to show signs of wear and tear. It’s very clear to deuter that mending is better than throwing away. And that’s not just because Eugen and Özlem, from the deuter repairs department, are real miracle workers at stitching patches, replacing zippers and sewing on straps, or even carrying out specific repairs that customers have requested. It’s because the lifetime repair service deuter provides also increases the lifespan of a product, which in turn saves resources. But it’s a practice that goes back a long way at deuter – they’ve been carrying out specialist repairs at their headquarters in Gersthofen for over 120 years. In 2020, repairs were carried out on 2,185 products in Germany alone, and worldwide, that figure rises to 3,307.

The deuter promise – worldwide, lifelong repairs

deuter wants to act as a lifelong partner to its customers, and naturally hopes they can enjoy their favorite items for as long as possible. That’s why deuter provides a two-year warranty from the date of purchase for each of its products – over and above the statutory warranty obligations through specialist retailers.

The warranty can be used in any country in which consumers have purchased their authorized deuter product. Within the two-year warranty period, deuter will repair or replace any product with defects caused by material or manufacturing flaws, free of charge. Once the warranty period has passed, deuter will repair damaged products for a small fee.

Eugen and Özlem are skilled at figuring out creative solutions for almost any repair job. It’s their own way of contributing to a more sustainable system through their everyday work. Just like the DAN Europe Sustainable Tour 2021 with deuter’s UP day packs, touring Europe.

For more information visit deuter.com

L'articolo ‘Right to Roam’ in the Nordic countries – Living the outdoors with deuter ! proviene da Sustainabletour.

Of course, there is a catch. If you want to enter the ‘Fields of Eden’ in Norway, you will have to overcome the challenge of the icy waters. Diving in waters ranging between 5 and 12 degrees C can certainly be unimaginable for many.

Why expose yourself to so much unpleasantness? The best rewards are said to come from stepping out of the comfort zone and striving to do or learn something new. We promise that once you get the hang of it, the payoff will far exceed your expectations. What lays underneath could even make you get a taste for the cold, like a great diving warrior.

Fortunately, there are tools to make this mission easier and more comfortable to accomplish; starting, of course, with drysuits.

Unlike wetsuits, drysuits are filled with air, so it’s important to learn how to control them, along with your buoyancy.

If you’ve already mastered your drysuit skills, what are you waiting for to go diving in Norway? If, on the other hand, you haven’t done it yet, you can take the PADI dry-suit course — and let the fun begin!

Still not quite sure? Maybe seeing the exotic places where we dived there will make you change your mind.

Arendal

Arendal is one of the most important coastal shipping centres of Norway. With our passage through the place with the Sustainable Tour, we were able to dive with Arendal Undervannsklubb.

Not only did we marvel at the exotic kelp forest, we also witnessed the recovery of ‘ghost cages’ by the club members. These settle to the bottom when fishermen lose them, trapping and killing marine life without purpose.

It is wonderful to see divers taking part in initiatives to protect our playground!

Dalsøyra

Dalsøyra is an old fishing village that exclusively hides a gem for diving and relaxation: Gulen Dive Resort!

The dive center is right next to the accommodation and to enter the water it is only necessary to walk a few meters. Very convenient!

It is a peaceful place away from society, with undisturbed views. But don’t let this fool you, you will find a lot of fun too! You can have a beer at the ‘200-bar’ and enjoy the view from the jacuzzi after some great dives. Is there a better way to end the day?

Kristiansund

The city of Kristiansund is spread across several islands, off the Norwegian coast. To get around, people use a very special means of public transport: the Sundbåten ferry service. It claims to be ‘world’s oldest public transport service in uninterrupted use’.

At the site, the Kristiansund Dykkerklubb accompanied us to dive in a place that felt like we were submerged on another planet.

Passing through a tunnel formed by a huge kelp forest, hides a surreal world full of giant crabs and what to our eyes seemed prehistoric species.

Saltstraumen

Saltstraumen is a small strait with one of the strongest tidal currents in the world. It is located in the municipality of Bodø in Nordland county.

We were amazed by the beauty and richness of the underwater life on NORD&NE home reef. There was so much to see that our eyes didn’t know where to focus. 

Seriously, LOTS of marine life!

Finally, for those who still have some concerns about diving in Scandinavia, we want to highlight the exemplary way in which Clubs, Associations and Dive Centres followed safety standards when diving.

L'articolo The Reward Of Overcoming The Cold-Water Challenge: A Submerged ‘Valhalla’ proviene da Sustainabletour.

How many times did you flush the toilet to get rid of the famous ear swabs, hoping it would be swallowed by fairies? Unfortunately, things don’t magically appear or disappear in the ocean. Everything comes at a price. 

Since the ocean is so vast, so deep and of such immense magnitude, it is still beyond our comprehension. It wasn’t until scientists, divers, and water enthusiasts began delving into its dimensions that we began to get a glimpse of what is happening down there.

As a matter of fact, if you think about the images you have seen of bleached corals and marine animals entangled in fishing nets or eating plastic, these have been captured and shared mainly by divers.

It can be difficult to understand what you cannot see with your own eyes. This often makes us forget that approximately 1 million species inhabit marine ecosystems, which are affected by the way we use and treat the oceans.

In this way, the diving community can contribute to the preservation of marine life and underwater heritage: acting as the eyes of those who cannot go down to experience it themselves. Diving clubs, associations and dive centres are becoming the guardians of the species found in their underwater “backyard”.

Here is an example of the many cases we have come across during the passage of the Sustainable Tour through Norway, where local divers are becoming the voice of their home reefs.

Saltstraumen

Saltstraumen is a small strait with one of the strongest tidal currents in the world. It is located in the municipality of Bodø in Nordland county.

Saltstraumen obtained its protection —as one of the first three marine parks created in Norway— due to its rich marine life, its wild maelstrom and its underwater geology. Just take a look below at what we found diving at the site with NORD&NE.

We were amazed not only by the underwater beauty —which has been constant in all the dive sites we have visited in Norway— but the passion and care that the owners have for the marine life of the place.

NORD&NE have a no hunting policy, none of their guests can hunt when diving. In few places you can swim face to face with large cod, wolffish and halibut. They even collaborate with the universities of Bergen, Trondheim, Tromsø and Bodø to discover and collect data on species.

“We have seen that the fish get used to us where we dive regularly, because a lot of them are stationary. We meet the same fish, dive after dive, for years. And they trust us.” — says Borghild Viem, co-owner.

But if there is any fish that represents this place, it must be the Atlantic wolffish. The viable population that exists today is proof that protection works.

NORD&NE team has even worked over the years on a diary about the wonderful story of a wolffish couple living in the home reef. You can read the sequence on the Marine Park Facebook page. This way you can understand their efforts to protect these stationary species.

In the 90s, divers used to fill pots and freezers with this delicacy of a fish, without restraint. In Saltstraumen there was an abundance of wolffish to harvest. Suddenly, there was not. An alarmingly short amount of time passed from meeting this friendly grey giant on every dive, to it becoming a rare sight. Local divers agreed on a voluntary conservation of the Atlantic wolffish. After several years, the population began to build up again.

But in recent years, the rise of underwater hunting, mainly by foreign free divers, threatens to destroy this fascinating conservation story. Fish are not afraid of divers due to the trusting relationship that the dive center team has built with them, so they are easy to catch. The fish re-associates divers with danger.

“We have nothing against fishing itself, as the locals have done here since the ice age —catching what they need for dinner, no more. They also eat all the fish, including the small ones, without wasting anything. What drives locals and divers crazy is the “fishing for fun”, simply throwing the whole fish or taking the best and throwing the rest. The worst thing is the slaughter of big fish just for a Instagram photo. And it is terrible to know that divers are allowed to dive down to the wolffish and kill it in its cave, when caring for its eggs. All the local divers leave the wolffish alone in Saltstraumen, but we see more and more spear fishermen from other countries visiting.” — NORD&NE.

We believe in the right of public access to wilderness to obtain food. But at the same time we have the responsibility to take care of the resources that nature offers us, without taking more than we need.

There is neither an official ban against underwater hunting of wolffish, nor on any other fish species in Saltstraumen Marine Park. A call is made to the authorities and political leaders to regulate the fishing and underwater hunting activities that take place in the area, so that it is truly “protected.”

In the meantime, we hope divers and spear-hunters realise the importance of preserving marine life in the area and voluntarily decide to do so before it disappears.

>> Do you also have a conservation story on your home reef that you would like to share? Get in touch!

L'articolo Local Divers Share The Story Of Their Home Reef proviene da Sustainabletour.

They are fishing nets that have been abandoned at sea. They are so named because they continue to kill marine creatures that get trapped in them, even without human intervention.

It is a global problem of great dimensions and multifactorial causes.

The Environmental Angle

Fredrik Myhre, a marine biologist and senior advisor in WWF-Norway says ghost fishing through lost or abandoned fishing gear is one of the major killers for fish, mammals, seabirds and invertebrates in the ocean every year. 

“We all depend on a healthy ocean – and both humans and marine animals are all paying a high price if the problems caused by lost fishing gear are not solved. We need to improve our knowledge about the amount of fishing gear that is being lost at sea and at the same time to be more efficient in recovering what is being put into the sea in the first place”– he said.

• 640,000 metric tons of fishing gear is lost on a global basis annually;
• 33% of all plastic litter in the ocean comes from the fishing industry;

Existing Solutions

Fortunately, there are more and more initiatives that seek to contribute to a cleaner and healthier ocean.

With the passage of the Sustainable Tour through the Netherlands, we were able to meet with Ghost Diving Organization, a wonderful group of technical divers who have created the Healthy Seas initiative. They voluntarily dive to recover these nets and send them to be transformed into other products, such as the interior of new Hyundai vehicles – to know more about their work, you can read the full article here.

While these brave divers continue to clear the ocean of already submerged ghost-nets, products are being created to prevent the nets from being lost in the first place.

Meet PingMe

Simplest ideas are generally the best, and when Norwegian-based Ocean Space Acoustics (OSAC) set about finding a solution, they collaborated with SINTEF, Norway’s largest research institute to work, not just towards achieving cleaner oceans but to also aid fishermen to avoid potential costly losses of fishing equipment.

This collaboration has resulted in the patented ‘PingMe’ – a smart tool for tagging gear and objects underwater which, with new transponder technology either integrated with the boat’s sonar or as a stand-alone (‘plug and play’) system, makes it easy to find and identify the lost gear.

Now reaching the latter stages of development, PingMe will initially be on the market as an affordable ‘standalone’ system (i.e. sensor and wheelhouse-based signal reader) but work is already underway to provide a system that will allow for simple integration of the signal reader into any vessel’s existing sounder. 

How does it work?

In layman terms, PingMe consists of a small, user-friendly sensor device or ‘egg’ which is attached to the gear before shooting and, with a software module integrated in the boat’s existing sounder system, or as a stand-alone system, this device acts as a locator and location monitoring system.

The PingMe software allows communication with the transponder to determine location and ID and, as an added bonus, the PingMe service also reports location and ID to the ‘Cloud’ where the information is also stored and data on lost, detected and retrieved gear is reported to the cloud, some of it automatically. 

This not only enables the fisherman to monitor the location of his gear but could, depending on how many users are using the information available, help avoid conflicts with other boats or fisheries who can use the system to ‘see’ where gears are working.

The transponder itself is passive and reflects the sound waves originating from the sonar – to a range of 1,000 metres. The reflected signal is encoded with a unique identity so that the sounder with PingMe software integrated can identity the transponder and calculate it’s position. This information can be encrypted if the information is to be transferred to the cloud. And, with PingMe’s scheduled online service, you can:

• Register your own lost gear with associated ID, or
• Report findings of other lost gears.

An added bonus of this new product is that the PingMe sensor also relays information on water temperature at its location – knowledge that can greatly benefit fishermen when choosing the site for shooting their gear.

PingMe can also be used for better control during active fishing, by attaching transponders at regular intervals to the gear, better control of where the gear is currently located can make fishing more efficient and profitable.

Feedback

Comments from fishermen in Norway suggest a very positive reaction to the PingMe system and, on the west coast of Ireland where harsh sea conditions are common, several lobster & crab pot fishermen are excited at the concept with one particular skipper commenting of the potential reduction in loss of gear as being of ‘huge benefit’.

“When my gear has been out for several days during stormy conditions, my only thought as I go to sea is ‘I wonder how many leaders of pots/traps will I have lost this time?” one fisherman said.

“Before even leaving my home, knowing that my gear is still where I left it, or at least if it has moved, that I will have the ability to go and find it would give me fantastic peace of mind,” he said, adding that a tool such as this which will reduce the major costs that fishermen face in replacing lost gear will be a ‘game changer’ for the industry.

A lost fishing gear reporting system in combination with the demand for a technology to recover what is being lost – or more specialised divers in net recovery – will be important tools to reduce the horrific damage caused by ghost gear worldwide.

For more info visit osac.nor

L'articolo Innovative Solution To End ‘Lost-Gear’ Problems For Fishermen And The Ocean proviene da Sustainabletour.

Supplying clean, affordable, and secure energy, increasing the EU’s climate ambition for 2030 and 2050 and accelerating the shift to sustainable and smart mobility are key sustainability goals under the Green Deal and Blue Economy. 

Energy storage is a key technological enabler to drive the transition towards a decarbonised society, by integration of renewable and clean energy in the electricity grid and contributing to electrification of transport. Due to the limitations of conventional batteries (cost, limited lifetime, safety, sustainability), there is now a strong demand for sustainable, safe and hybrid storage solutions with both high power and increased energy densities.

This is where Beyonder comes into play.

When we learned that they are working on the use of sawdust for the production of batteries, we had to include a visit with the Sustainable Tour. We tell you everything below.

Beyonder’s mission

Beyonder’s mission is to accelerate and enable the pace of electrification with its environmentally sustainable and more efficient high-power energy storage technology. With a patented process to transform sawdust into active carbon, it is the world’s first true sustainable battery cell technology which will serve a broad range of applications in the booming energy market. Beyonder’s overall ambition is to become a leading and global manufacturer of environmentally sustainable power battery cells.

The Innovation

Beyonder has developed a hybrid energy-storage technology – Li-ion capacitor – incorporating the benefits of lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. It is based on sawdust residues from the Norwegian forestry industry and silicon from sand. The result is a battery with higher power, high energy, ultra-fast charging, long lifetime, and improved safety. Not least – it is more cost effective and more sustainable than any existing comparable technologies.

This hybrid storage technology will suit many applications where conventional batteries are not powerful enough or too expensive in their total cost of ownership, with the potential to revolutionize the energy world. 

Applications for this technology are within renewable energy and grid operations, heavy transportation, electric vehicles, and the maritime industry. Within the maritime industry, Beyonder’s solution will be an important contribution to electrification of ferries and other maritime vessels. This will significantly help reduce the emissions that goes directly out in the ocean in addition to being a driver for environmental sustainability and decarbonisation.

Beyonder uses water-based solvents, sawdust derived carbon and silicon composite in their cells instead of cobalt and nickel, and the production process runs on clean, renewable energy. Safety is also a priority for Beyonder, and their battery cells are significantly less prone to self-ignition and burn, countering a major safety hazard of conventional Li-ion batteries. 

Circular Climate Forest

The sawdust used for the active carbon comes from sawmill by-products from the Norwegian forestry industry. 

Beyonder is collaborating with Trefadder which is a Norwegian company specialising in the capturing of carbon by planting new trees and climate forests. The added CO₂ capturing capacity is guaranteed with a long term, 100% transparent, and traceable value chain.

Trefadder will provide the plant species from which Beyonder will produce their activated carbon. This will result in a mutually beneficial collaboration, as Trefadder will be able to expand their long-term innovation work for the comprehensive utilisation of trees. Through forest management, they remove trees that have not been given optimal growth conditions. These trees would normally be left in the forest to rot, but through the partnership with Beyonder, they will become raw materials in the batteries, providing both carbon capture and storage as well as creating the world’s first fully circular climate forest.

By using this wood-derived activated carbon cathode, Beyonder’s battery can operate at a higher specific power and is significantly more durable than conventional Li-ion batteries.

Hybrid EneRgy stOragE Stations (HEROES) Horizon 2020 project

Electric cars are increasingly popular and are expected to be an important part of Europe’s low-carbon transport system. However, inadequate infrastructure for fast and widespread charging is a challenge that must be solved before the EU can fully invest in electric cars.

HEROES is a new project funded under Horizon 2020. The objective of the project is fast and efficient charging of electric cars. HEROES will develop and prove a hybrid high-power/high-energy stationary storage system for fast charging of electric vehicles to be used in medium-size charging stations connected to the low voltage grids, without the need to invest in improving the grid power.

Horizon 2020 is EU’s instrument for implementing initiatives aimed at driving economic growth and create jobs, securing Europe’s global competitiveness. By coupling research and innovation, Horizon 2020 is helping to achieve this with emphasis on science, industrial leadership and tackling societal challenges. 

Beyonder will lead a consortium consisting of ten European partners with the aim of developing an energy storage system for fast charging of electric vehicles. Participants in the HEROES consortium are the Institute for Energy Technology, Siemens AG, ElringKlinger, Lithium Balance, Bestoraged, ENSO, Sustainable Innovations, European Association for Storage of Energy, and Aalborg University. 

The consortium covers the full value chain of energy storage from technology providers to system integrators and end-users, placing the consortium in an excellent position to develop scientific and technological breakthroughs in the field, as well as seeing market opportunities that arise from novel users. The HEROES project will have a strong impact on Europe’s energy storage sector, employment, and global industrial competitiveness.

For more info visit beyonder.no

L'articolo Turning Norwegian Sawdust Into Environmentally Sustainable Batteries proviene da Sustainabletour.

DAN Europe Sustainable Tour has arrived in Norway

Due to its Viking heritage, Norway has a long history at the forefront of maritime navigation. Their ancient seafaring culture gives them an evolutionary advantage in the industry.

The country has led the electrification of automobiles. Today, only 15% of new cars are not electric. The creation of the Norwegian EV Association has played a fundamental role. For more than 25 years it has been working towards the successful introduction of electric vehicles and cooperating with the Norwegian government in the creation of policies and subsidies according to the objective.

With climate change increasingly evident, the country is moving forward to the next level: zero-emissions shipping. The Scandinavian country is rapidly electrifying its fleet of vessels. Since almost 99% of electricity production in Norway comes from renewable energy, electric boats are a great option to reduce CO2 levels that are also acidifying our Ocean.

Because of Norway’s vast experience in this field, we came here to learn from the experts. All the meetings were organised thanks to the collaboration of Norwegian SusTour Partner ‘TOOL‘, a platform that connects change makers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, clusters and corporations across the world who have the same purpose – making a sustainable impact within the ocean and renewable industries (to learn more watch here the interview we did with Birgit Liodden, founder and CEO).

During our first week, we met two young companies that are shaping the present and future of leisure boats. We interviewed Maria Bos, PLUG Managing Director & Christer Ervik, KRUSER Co-founder & CEO.

Hopefully, these two companies can inspire new initiatives to help decarbonize the diving industry.

PLUG: Charging Stations And Networks For Electric Boats

Plug is a company that wants to contribute to speed up the construction of the necessary infrastructure that enables both ships and smaller boats to connect to shore power and/or charging power while at berth. We are a technology neutral player, and we both build, operate and own the infrastructure, offering shore power or charging power as a service to our customers. As of now, we are only present in Norway, but our ambition is to build both chargers and shore power also in European ports and marinas.

• How does PLUG contribute to a healthier Ocean?

The maritime industry has a lot of work to do to reduce emissions. For larger ships, connecting to shore power while at berth reduces both emissions and noise. In 2020 the customers that used Plugs shore power facilities in Bergen, Norway, saved the city from more than 8500 tonnes of CO2. For smaller boats, there is a possibility to be fully electric – also while at sea. There are already a number of electric boats on the market, and new models are coming. These boats need chargers – both for over night charging and super charging to further increase the travel distance. Plug makes this possible!

• What is the current state of the electric-boats charging infrastructure in Europe, what are your future plans to expand it and what do you need to achieve this?

“As of now, there are not many maritime charging stations around Europe but the number is increasing. Norway is really at the forefront with all types of electrification, with a record high EV-share, many fully electrified ferries and many ports with shore power capabilities. Our business is built on this know. We have only just started with maritime charging, but we have ambitions to expand further” – says Maria Bos, Managing Director.

• Is there any synergy between the diving industry and the development of PLUG’s activities?

Absolutely! We provide the infrastructure that makes electric boating possible. As many of the most popular dive sites are accessible by boat, being also vulnerable places that we must preserve, electric boats are a more environmentally friendly option to use while diving.

Kruser: A Boat Pool With Only Emission-Free Boats

Kruser is a company that sells memberships in a boat pool with only emission-free boats. A ‘pool’ is based on several people having access and the opportunity to use the same object. When a pool is well organized, the resources will be utilized optimally and create benefits for both the users and the environment. 

Customers pay a fixed annual fee for access throughout the season and can use the boat as much as they want. Kruser takes care of all the practical work related to the boats.

Their vision is to create a worry-free boating life for people and the environment. The mission is to offer personal and local boating experiences, which makes it more attractive to share a zero-emission electric boat, than it is to own or rent a fossil alternative. They are working towards a 10 year goal, which is to make the sharing of zero-emission boats the new norm for boating by 2030.

• What is Kruser operating process? How does it work?

We buy several electric boat models and place them in different harbours. Our members can book boats when they want in all the different locations. Alle the boats are 100% electric and emission free. Our team takes care of the boats and makes the experience easy and carefree for all our members. 

In addition to making the sea more accessible to more people, we are concerned that knowledge, competence and safety are safeguarded. That is why we have a dedicated team that provides courses, training and follow-up of our members throughout the season. This strengthens the security and experience our members have of boating at sea.

• How does Kruser contribute to a healthier Ocean?

Kruser makes the ocean healthier by using only emission free boats. We make access to boats easy and environmentally friendly for people – so that you can still enjoy life at sea without damaging the ocean and surrounding environment. In this way we contribute to making it easier to make good choices for the ocean without losing the experience. 

In the beginning the most important factors have been a focus on sharing emission free boats, changing the user patterns and making the threshold lower for most people. In the long run, the focus will also be even more on environmentally friendly production of boats, reuse of resources and ensuring that all products and materials are of the best quality for the environment. The boats we buy now will last for many years and benefit thousands of people.

• What are Kruser’s future plans?

Future plans are to achieve our 10 year goal and make sharing of zero-emission boats the new norm for boating by 2030. To make this possible we have to deliver superior service and experiences to all our customers, and make our boats available in every harbour city in Norway, and also internationally.  

For us, it is important to be an experience company that creates exceptional experiences for all our members every time they are at sea. We will be the best options for everyone who wants access to the sea and do everything we can to ensure that the environmentally friendly choice is also the best personal choice.To achieve this, it is also important that incentives at the financial and political level also have a focus on making environmentally friendly choices the best choice for everyday people.

• Is there any synergy between the diving industry and the development of Kruser’s activities?

Divers need boats to get out to sea. If they want to do this the most sustainable way electric boats is the answer. Sharing a boat and having boats at several locations also makes it more available for the divers without taking up unnecessary space in harbours – and the boats can be ready when they need them. 

“The most important thing is to think about the future. If divers are to have anything to do in the time ahead, we have to take care of the sea and life on the bottom. A dead dirty sea will make diving life unnecessary and unattractive. We must take care of life in the sea and maintain it green, blue, beautiful and vibrant” – says Christer Ervik, Co-founder & CEO.

For more info visit plugport.no or kruser.no 

L'articolo Electrifying Boats To Reduce CO2 Emissions proviene da Sustainabletour.