Sent 6 June 2019. Part of Little Blue Letter.

"Waste is not waste until we waste it"
~ Will.I.Am

Sand is the new oil
Sand, you would think, is everywhere. Deserts are full of it, the seabed is covered with it, and we use it in large quantities for construction, glass making, and land reclamation projects. But a recent UN Environment report has highlighted that sand is becoming a scarce commodity and that we are spending our sand ‘budget’ faster than we can produce it responsibly.
Moreover, sand mining threatens the health of our environment and ways of life, from Cambodia to Nigeria. Sand mining can have disastrous consequences for coasts, rivers and mangroves, where it leads to affect fish and crustaceans stocks. In order to curb irresponsible and illegal extraction, the report suggests increasing dialogue between key players and stakeholders in the sand value chain based on transparency and accountability.
Gif of the week


Stubby squid was discovered at 3.000 feet depth, looking a bit like an octopus and a squid - a squictopus?

Also very much enjoyed the sight of these animals mastering the art of photobombing.

Marine gender equality
For World Oceans Day – the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST) is announcing the launch of an IMarEST Women’s Network. The network aims to build a forum for gender equality within the marine industry to help inspire the next generation of female professionals into the marine sector, especially into decision making roles that affect women more greatly than men – such as disaster response. By undertaking a range of activities, it hopes to address a number of the historical and social disadvantages affecting women entering the industry.
From waste to waves
It’s time to kick cigarette buds’ butt! 31 May marks World No Tobacco Day (the UN loves creating days for everything). We know that cigarette are disastrous for human health, but did we pay attention to the fact that out of the 5.6 trillion cigarettes that are produced worldwide every year, more than two thirds end up littered into our environment and oceans? Fun fact: the majority of them come with filters made of cellulose acetate – a form of plastic which takes more than a decade to decompose. The San Diego based Cigarette Butt Pollution Project aims to fight this cigarette waste through research and engagement, while industrial designer Taylor Lane makes Ciggy Boards - surfboards out of littered cigarette buds to ride the wave against waste.
#OceanOptimism
  • There will be another high-level Ocean Conference in 2020. The UN General Assembly decided to focus on the theme “Scaling Up Ocean Action Based on Science and Innovation for the Implementation of Goal 14: Stocktaking, Partnerships and Solutions”
  • WWF has teamed up with companies to help them translate commitments on plastic into measurable action. Through the ‘ReSource Plastic’ activation hub, the initiative promotes an innovative systems-based approach to tackling plastic production, consumption, waste management and recycling as a single system.
  • Accelerating Progress on Healthy and Productive Oceans: Perspectives from the SDG 14 Leadership Forum - new report sums up perspectives of more than 200 representatives from businesses, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders that came together to explore how we can protect and restore ocean biodiversity.
From the editor
We will be partnering with IMarEST in the coming weeks to bring you the state-of-the-art in marine sci/tech. IMarEST is an international learned society and membership body that brings marine engineers, marine scientists and marine technologists together into a singular community hub. It spans 128 countries and works to promote the three marine disciplines, providing knowledge sharing opportunities to exchange ideas and innovation and upholding the status, standards and expertise of marine professionals worldwide. It is also an NGO with status , such as consultative status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for inspiring stories and up-to-date marine news.
Little Blue Letter was curated this week by Leonie Meier. Leonie is currently Consultant at the UN Economic Commission for Europe in Geneva and wrote her Master Thesis about policy responses to microplastic pollution. Editing etc. by Glen Wright. Glen is a researcher studying marine governance, the high seas, and ocean energy. He is a drinker of tea, lover of the sea, and an Oxford comma user. Glen recently published Academia Obscura: The Hidden Silly Side of Higher Education.
 

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