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Q- You are critical of certification and training agencies.

A- Actually I think they do a very important job. I am an ocean

advocate as well as a diving advocate. In the USA, NAUI and

PADI have a strong influence, they might be said to have aninfrastructure of networks. I would like to see them be even

more active in environmental education and ocean advocacy. I

am just realistic and realize that they are business entities as

well. I might be perceived as being more critical than I am

sometimes, because I tend to be outspoken and plain spoken and

this can sometimes be interpreted as being strident. I would

actually like to see their presence expand to public schools.

Q- Except for the “Climate Change Debate” the public seems to

have lost interest in environmental issues.

A- Irresponsible real estate and industrial development and the

multitude of run off problems are seriously affecting the health

of the ocean on the east coast and gulf where I have

investigated. It is clear that this is an ocean-wide problem. The

 public at large and especially younger people need to be madeaware of the real environmental problems and not be distracted

 by endless debate and marketing campaigns by so called stake

holders. We are all stake holders in the “health of the ocean

issue”.

Q- What can consumers do?

A- Consumers could easily cut their plastic use in half. At therisk of getting into trouble I would advocate telling big

 businesses that if they want you to purchase their product then

they must reduce plastic packaging. There is some legitimate

need for plastic products and packaging but our use of plastics is

Questions and Answers November 2011

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 profligate and destructive and driven by forces other than actual

necessity or quality. By the way, the problem with plastic in the

ocean was predicted by numerous biologists and

environmentalists before 1969 and voices became strident in the72 and 73 with the nationwide shift to plastic bottling. This has

 been conveniently forgotten by government agencies and

industry. Industry groups are only interested in protecting their 

 business interests. That is why they exist. They do not exist to

educate the public, but rather to sell their point of view.

Q- What can divers do?

A- Become advocates for environmental education

and policies. Be a resource and observer for environmental

groups. Run off from developments in Florida and the Gulf as

well as agricultural and industrial run off have undeniably

degraded the the marine environment. The entire east coast of 

the USA is filled with examples. These are multi-billion dollar 

industries and are not going to modify their practices without

constantly exposing the associated problems. They own the political parties of those states. They are not going to allow

themselves to be policed to their disadvantage. They will insure

that regulations favor them.

Q- We hear that divers often violate fish and game laws and

threaten the natural environment.

A- That is actually very rare. Quantitatively this is insignificant.Obviously all divers should behave responsibly. Divers are

 becoming a larger force in the environmental movement. Let’s

hope that this is a trend that continues.

Questions and Answers November 2011