Ocean Plastics in the Hauraki Gulf
- Gavin Smith
- Aug 28, 2019
- 1 min read
Updated: Sep 10, 2019
The Sustainable Business Network (SBN) partnered with Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari to do a deep dive into ocean plastics out on the waters of the Hauraki Gulf. The Ocean Plastics Field Trip took place on Tuesday 27 August.
There were expert speakers on the local-to-global scale of the impacts of plastics in the ocean.
Speakers included:
Devina Shetty: Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland
Camden Howitt: Co-Founder, Sustainable Coastlines
Phil Jones: Gulf X programme Lead, Sustainable Business Network
Jeannine Goddard our Client Relationship Manager based in our Support Centre in Ellerslie was invited to go along.
A few words from Jeannine
"Thank you for inviting me to be a part of the day. It was great to meet you and to listen to the fantastic speakers as well as the opportunity to meet some really inspiring people!
Davina’s research is fascinating and Cam is so passionate but really down to earth at the same time which made him very easy to relate to.
Some of the stats were really scary! I was particularly shocked by the ‘container loads’ of rubbish that groups around the country have collected & the fact that New Zealand’s Clean Green reputation actually puts us at #9 on the list of the most wasteful countries in the developed world higher than both USA & China!! Certainly opened my eyes wide & made me want to do better knowing the impact.
It was a real privilege to be able to attend on behalf of Alsco and I’m really proud to be a part of an organisation that sees the importance of sustainability and really tries to ‘walk the talk’ with the sustainability journey."
Thank you for sharing such an insightful recap of the Ocean Plastics Field Trip. It's alarming to learn about New Zealand's waste ranking, especially given our reputation for being clean and green. I spent a while on https://ikibu.co.uk/ and found their resources on sustainable practices to be quite helpful in understanding how we can all contribute to minimizing plastic pollution. It's inspiring to see organizations like SBN and Alsco taking steps towards sustainability.
I enjoy playing Soccer Skills 2 World Cup during short breaks because matches don't take too long.
I totally get what you mean about the eye-opening stats! It’s staggering to think how much impact our habits have on the environment, especially when we consider our Clean Green image. I’ve been trying to be more conscious of my plastic use lately, and it’s a bit challenging but also rewarding when I see changes in my routine. It reminds me of something like FoxSlots , where the unpredictability can lead to unexpected outcomes, just like how small changes in our daily lives can have a ripple effect on ocean health. Have you found any simple swaps that work for you?
The insights from this field trip really highlight the serious impact of ocean plastics and how even countries with a “clean” image still face major challenges. It makes me think about how awareness-driven experiences—whether environmental or interactive like That’s Not My Neighbor—can change the way people pay attention to details.