Hello boys and girls, welcome to my second blog post! I still don\u2019t know how to start this, so I\u2019m just going to put a quote by\u00a0Will McCallum, head of Oceans for Greenpeace UK, which is:<\/p>
\u201cThe ocean is not our dump, marine life deserves better than plastic.\u201d<\/em><\/p> \u00a0Man, I feel like Dicaprio working on this collection, super interventionist and stuff! :)<\/p> So, my second collection is out (uau!) and this one is meant to be a little more serious. As you probably figured with the title, my new collection is about sea life, so the main colour is blue, different shades of blue on the designs and also on the products themselves. 6 different designs based on animals that are been affected by pollution, such as Otters, Sharks, Turtles, Whales, etc. Further on this post I will explain why I choose each animal based on my research \u2013 Damn this thing looks like an essay right? I know but I\u2019ll try to keep it cool I promise. Before I start it is worth mentioning that this collection is a bit more simplistic and organized. I wanted to try that way, so let me know what you guys think, should I keep this way or do a little more freestyle type of thing. Let\u2019s get started:<\/p> \u00a0\u00a0Otter<\/strong><\/p> Fun fact: otters are my favourite animal, those cute little ones, I just wish I could adopt one but I\u2019m pretty sure that's not possible unfortunately :\/. Otters, despite being adorable also assist ecosystems in capturing atmospheric carbon and storing it as biomass and deep-sea detritus, preventing it from being converted back to carbon dioxide and contributing to climate change \u2013 How awesome is that?!<\/p> Unfortunately, otters face numerous threats to their survival, including habitat disturbance and chemical pollution, which has the greatest impact on these little ones. The use of pesticides contaminates fish with trace amounts of poison, which then accumulates in an otter eating a large number of fish, eventually killing it. Even though this issue hasn't been as prevalent in recent years, it's still important to be aware of it.<\/p> \u00a0Shark<\/strong><\/p> I know what you\u2019re thinking \u201cIs pollution having a significant impact on sharks?\u201d \u2013 The answer is yes, I know, I was as surprised as you. Although plastic pollution isn\u2019t the biggest threat against sharks (unsustainable overfishing and bycatch is a bigger problem for these animals) is still present.\u00a0The main problem for most sharks is Filter feeding, which means that some species get their food by moving through the water with their mouths open and consuming large quantities of both water, food, and accidentally plastic. In the same speech mentioned before, Will McCallum also said:<\/p> \u00a0\u201cOur addiction to plastics combined with the lack of mechanisms to protect our oceans is suffocating marine life. Sharks sit on top of the marine food web and play a vital role in ocean ecosystems. Yet, they are completely exposed to pollutants and other human impactful activities.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p> Turtle<\/strong><\/p> Turtles are probably the more well-known marine animal suffering from pollution, there are plenty of videos, photos, articles, etc about that throughout the internet, so obviously I had to include a turtle design in this collection. According to research, 52% of the world's turtles have consumed plastic waste and the reasons are simple: a floating plastic bag can look like a lot of jellyfish, algae, or other species that make up a large number of the sea turtles\u2019 diets. And, yeah, that is basically it; those who do not die immediately either die later or suffer from severe health problems :\/.<\/p> Artic<\/strong><\/p> This design was inspired by artic animals in general, rather than any specific one as I believe they are all suffering from the same issues. Without immediate action to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions, the world will continue to suffer the consequences of a warming Arctic, including rising sea levels, changes in climate and precipitation patterns, an increase in severe weather events, and the extinction of many animals such as the ones on the \u201cArtic design\u201d.\u00a0<\/p> Polar bears are an example, as we could lose more than 30% of their population by 2050 if climate change is not addressed urgently. Orcas are another example as due to warmer summers; these animals need to find food in new areas and as they are unfamiliar with the territory, consequently, they can become trapped in sea ice and die from starvation as already happened.<\/p> Whales<\/strong><\/p> Another well-known animal that suffers from pollution is the whale. It is crazy to think that a small piece of plastic can kill an enormous animal like a whale, and yeah, it can :\/. Abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear is one of the most harmful types of marine plastic pollution, particularly for whales. \u2013 this is commonly called \u201cghost gear\u201d.\u00a0<\/p> Every year, nearly 300,000 whales get accidentally tangled in nets and lines causing a slow and painful death through suffocation, starvation, or exhaustion. This problem is also present in turtles, dolphins, and porpoises. Governments throughout the world are already implementing measures to prevent gear loss but it is always good to spread the word even more!<\/p> Finally,...<\/strong><\/p> I'd like to emphasise that this is a very current global issue, and I hope that through this collection, I can help to combat it, even just a little bit.\u00a0Greenpeace USA Oceans Campaign Director John Hocevar stated that one of the solutions to improve the health of our oceans is to eliminate single-use plastic \u2013 Let\u2019s do better!<\/p> Anyways, a special thanks to this amazing human being called Efimia Filiou, don\u2019t forget to check her Instagram! \u2013 @filclick. And, of course, a big thank you to you guys for your support and if you like my new collection, tell a friend, tell your parents, tell your cool teacher, tell your neighbour, tell everyone yeah. See yall!<\/p> <\/p> Socials:<\/strong><\/p> Instagram -<\/em>\u00a0https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/disidoroo\/<\/a><\/p> Twitter -<\/em>\u00a0https:\/\/twitter.com\/disidoroo<\/a><\/p>