Good Stuff: World Turtle Day
When we say turtles are grumpy, what we actually mean is that they are facing an ocean-load of problems.
Sea turtles are extremely threatened by some of the most urgent issues our planet is facing; plastic pollution, climate change and overfishing. Over half of the world’s sea turtles have snacked on plastic. If they eat just a single piece of the stuff, their chances of dying increases by a whopping 20%. Climate change is causing more turtles to hatch as females, which could have catastrophic impacts on the future generations of these living dinosaurs. Plus, we’re fishing their homes way beyond the ocean’s limits.
Although the future for sea turtles seems bleak, there are ways we can help these prehistoric reptiles, and there's no better time to start than World Turtle Day:
Divest Your dollars: help combat climate change by choosing an ethical super fund or bank that doesn’t invest your cash in fossil fuels. Just 7.7% of super could fund 100% of Australia’s transition to renewable energy by 2030. We use Bank Australia and Verve Super.
Ditch single-use plastic: this week, choose five single-use plastics you regularly use and commit to researching alternatives. Plastic is so entangled with our day-to-day lives that reducing it can feel overwhelming. Start small and go from there.
Be seafood savvy: choose to only eat sustainable seafood or no seafood at all. Check out GoodFish for more information.
Be pen pals with your MP: contact your local MP and ask them to do more about issues like climate change.
Support good groups: volunteer or donate to groups that are working to protect sea turtles. Some of our favourites are the Australian Marine Conservation Society and Australian Seabird Rescue.
To shellebrate World Turtle Day, we’ve rounded up some turtley-awesome content below. Check out our Plastic Free July and World Ocean’s Day Good Stuff Guides for more inspiration and information.
We love: Greta the Great
These ridiculously lovely turtle toys for tots are made from discarded fishing nets. UK-based Claire Matthews was inspired to create Greta after learning about plastic pollution while on maternity leave with her two-week-old daughter. Read more about Greta here, and use GRUMPYGRETA20 for 20% off your order on honuplay.com.
Watch: The miraculous journey of infant sea turtles as these tiny animals run the gauntlet of predators and harsh conditions
READ: How scientists are helping endangered sea turtles, one emergency surgery at a time
Watch: A special World Turtle Day webinar with turtle experts
READ: Where baby sea turtles spend their ‘lost years’
WATCH: Take a 90 second dive at Lady Elliot Island, an absolute turtle haven on the Great Barrier Reef
WATCH: Move over mindful colouring, turtle origami is way more calming (and much cuter)
