The Ocean Impact Podcast

In 2007 Abigail Forsyth and her brother Jamie had an idea for a reusable coffee cup that could address the burgeoning cup waste they were witnessing from their Bluebag Cafe chain and the rapidly growing coffee culture in Melbourne, Australia.

The KeepCup was born, and in the 11 years since launching the product has gone on to become the ‘category name’ for reusable coffee cups in Australia and around the world. With sales into 65 countries and offices in London and Los Angeles, KeepCup is a true Australian eco-enterprise success story.

In this conversation Tim and Abi discuss the journey in establishing the business, how entrepreneurship runs through their family, the impact that covid-19 has had on the ‘Reuse Revolution’ and what needs to happen next if we are to create a sustainable future on Planet Ocean.

For more information on KeepCup visit: www.keepcup.com

To follow KeepCup on Instagram visit: www.instagram.com/keepcup

In this episode of The Ocean Impact Podcast we caught up with Tom Dawkins from StartSomeGood via Instagram Live.

Tom Dawkins is a key figure in the Australian social impact and social enterprise landscape, developing and contributing to a number of powerful organisations, platforms and communities to increase this vital approach to creating positive change. A ‘big’ thinker and outspoken voice on the state of the planet and its citizens, Tom doesn’t shy away from telling it like it is and adding his two cents to a conversation about how the future should look and function.

In this podcast Tim and Tom discuss a range of matters relating to social and environmental impact and the current state of the world. They also talk at length about a campaign StartSomeGood and Ocean Impact Organisation collaborated on with Austral Fisheries called the ‘Seafood for Good Accelerator’.

The Seafood for Good Accelerator is nearing its final stages with the two finalists (Farmer Meets Foodie and Seaweedery) in the middle of their critical crowdfunding campaigns right now. You can learn more about each of these businesses and support their crowdfunding campaigns by following this link. In this episode we cut to a quick call with one of the founders of Seeweedery after the chat with Tom Dawkins to quickly hear their insights from the experience too.

Learn more about StartSomeGood here: https://startsomegood.com/

Follow them on social media here: https://www.instagram.com/startsomegood/?hl=en

Support the Seafood for Good crowdfunding campaign by supporting Seaweedery here and Farmer Meets Foodie here.

A huge thank you to Tom for taking the jump online with us and we hope you enjoy (and even SHARE) this great episode of the Ocean Impact Podcast.

In this episode of The Ocean Impact Podcast we caught up with filmmaker, activist and spokesperson for Planet Ocean, Damon Gameau via Instagram Live.

Remember ‘That Sugar Film’? How about the epic ‘2040 Film’? Yep, Damon is the familiar face from these exceptionally powerful documentaries that have increased awareness at mass scale, and also fundamentally changed behaviours for many individuals and the planet more broadly.

In recent years, Damon has become a profound ambassador for Planet Ocean and the sensible changes we should be making to protect it. We figured that having him jump on for a live chat during our Pitchfest 2020 application period was an opportunity we couldn’t miss.

Be prepared to be inspired by this conversation, and remember that applications are still open for Pitchfest 2020, and you or someone you might know could be in the running to take their great idea to the world. Applications close on 5th October 2020.

Learn more about the 2040 film by visiting their website here and make sure you stay up to date with Damon and his team on social media by following them on Instagram @2040film and @damongameau

A huge thank you to Damon for taking the jump online with us and we hope you enjoy (and even SHARE) this great episode of the Ocean Impact Podcast.

In this episode of The Ocean Impact Podcast we caught up with Naude Dreyer from Ocean Conservation Namibia via Instagram Live to learn more about the incredible work Naude and his team are doing to rescue entangled seals from Pelican Point near Walvis Bay in Namibia.

Growing up with conservation in his blood, Naude was always passionate about protecting innocent wildlife from human impacts but it was first hand exposure to the increasing problem of seal entanglement on kayak tours near Pelican Point that inspired him to make it his life’s work. Now Naude along with his family and a growing tribe of supporters make it a regular mission to visit the local seal colony (of 30,000-60,000 seals), carefully identify entangled individuals before embarking on a spectacular race to intercept the seal before they make their way back into the ocean. Over 1200 seals have been rescued to date.

The seals Naude rescues are playful creatures that unfortunately find themselves entangled in the increasing plastic and fishing pollution from the local shipping/ fishing port. What is initially a fun game becomes a life sentence for these seals, unless of course Naude and his team come to the rescue. The seals are not a protected or endangered species and are often seen as a pest, taking fish that would otherwise be stock for local fisheries - creating long term change is Naude’s mission but it won’t be easy.

It’s not uncommon to find passionate conservationists in communities the world over who make it their mission to to rescue, rehabilitate and protect wildlife. What makes Naude unique is that he has taken to documenting each rescue and providing a data driven insight into the problem in this small patch of Planet Ocean. Naude, armed with a GoPro and some basic video editing skills has rapidly amassed a YouTube following of over 245,000 subscribers to his Ocean Conservation Namibia account and 82,000 followers to his @namib_naude account (at 16th Sept 2020).

We salute Naude for his inspirational efforts in showing the impact one person can make on Planet Ocean and the innocent creatures who call it home.

For more information on Naude Dreyer and how you can help his efforts with Ocean Conservation Namibia (OCN):

Follow Naude on Instagram

Follow OCN on Instagram

Subscribe to OCN on YouTube

Support OCN via Patreon

Donate via Go Get Funding

Ocean Conservation Namibia Website

In this episode of The Ocean Impact Podcast Tim speaks with Fiona Nixon, the Head of Strategy and Communications at Bank Australia. With Bank Australia being the Presenting Partner of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020 we thought it was important to dive deep into the origins, focus and future of this unique customer-owned financial institution.

Many people likely know (or care) very little about the impact their bank balance, mortgage or investments have on people and the planet. As long as the money is there and going up (savings/ investments) and going down (mortgage/ debts) then we’re happy.

But an increasing number of conscious consumers care deeply about the impact their funds are having on issues they are passionate about such as: climate change, social justice, inequality, gambling, arms, conservation and animal rights. Movements to divest dollars (particularly superannuation) from institutions and funds embroiled in such investments are growing rapidly alongside increases in ‘shareholder activism’ and the demand for ESG (environmental, social, governance) reform in boardrooms and businesses.

Bank Australia has purpose at its core. Originally established as a credit union for scientists from the CSIRO, the bank has evolved with a purpose built on ‘clean money’ and ‘responsible banking’ to service the growing demands of conscious consumers, future thinkers and everyday bankers alike. A recently certified B Corp, you won’t find many other banks with a carbon neutral stamp and a 954 hectare conservation reserve to their name.

As Head of Strategy and Communications at Bank Australia, Fiona is responsible for the bank’s strategy function and its engagement and communication with staff and customers. Fiona also oversees the Bank Australia Impact Fund, through which the bank invests 4% of after tax profits to create positive social and environmental outcomes.

For more information on Bank Australia please visit: https://www.bankaust.com.au/

Sean Doherty is a renowned surf journalist, author, publisher and voice for the ocean and the diverse cultures it shapes.

A passionate and driven surfer, Sean is also the Chair of the Surfrider Foundation Australia, the Head of Brand Engagement at Patagonia Australia and a vocal champion for the Australian Coastline and the communities that are striving to protect special places from the industrialisation of the sea and the disruption to its pristine surrounds.

Sean was a key figure in the successful ‘Fight for the Bight’ campaign and the unprecedented support from the global surfing community offered to protect the Great Australian Bight and Southern Ocean from offshore petroleum extraction and the consequences of any devastating spills.

In this episode of The Ocean Impact Podcast recorded live on Instagram, Sean reflects on the early starts to his activism, his love of surfing and the treasure-trove of characters it attracts, the diverse roles he performs, the state of Australian politics and his rapid rise as a bold voice on the future of Australia in the context of environmental preservation and political leadership.

Anyone who follows Sean and reads his perspectives knows he is a unique character and a purveyor of a great yarn and in this podcast he doesn’t disappoint.

For more information and to follow Sean on Instagram visit: @seano888

For more information on the Surfrider Foundation Australia visit: https://www.surfrider.org.au/

For more information on Patagonia Australia visit: https://www.patagonia.com.au/

Anyone familiar with the ocean impact landscape will understand that seaweed presents huge opportunities to contribute to an abundant and sustainable ocean and the growing blue economy. Despite the huge (AU$16.8bn) global seaweed industry, Australia, with its rich and diverse coastline currently only hosts a AU$3m gross value of production (GVP), lagging far behind the global leaders in China, Indonesia, The Philippines and Korea.

Jo Kelly, in recognising the opportunity to grow the nascent Australian seaweed sector, has set herself the bold challenge to galvanise and grow the industry to recognise the target of an AU$1.5bn GVP by 2040.

In this podcast Jo outlines her history and reasons for establishing the Australian Seaweed Institute and the results of her ‘deep dive’ into the burgeoning opportunities for Australia to ride the seaweed wave to big, positive economic and environmental outcomes.

Jo has recently released a report in conjunction with Agrifutures titled the National Seaweed Industry Blueprint that establishes a new baseline, clear targets, investment needs and a revised narrative around the wealth of opportunity for Australia to build a thriving seaweed sector rich in green jobs and regional growth.

For more information on Jo Kelly and her work with the Australian Seaweed Institute visit: https://www.australianseaweedinstitute.com.au/

To download the pdf Blueprint visit: https://www.australianseaweedinstitute.com.au/australian-national-seaweed-industry-blueprint-report-agrifutures

To follow the Australian Seaweed Institute on Instagram follow: @australian_seaweed_institute

Bureo first entered the ocean impact startup scene in 2013 with an innovative product and a big idea: skateboards made from discarded fishing nets. The idea was born when co-founders Ben Kneppers and David Stover, living in Sydney Australia at the time, wrangled with the idea of developing a business solution to tackle the emerging problem of plastic pollution. Ben's relocation to Chile for a new job provided an introduction to the feedstock that would go on to become their product ingredient and solution: mountains of discarded nylon fishing nets ripe for collection and reprocessing.

Bringing in third co-founder Kevin Ahearn the team hit their stride and through many varied and exciting evolutions Bureo are now recovering 800 tonnes of net annually from Chile, Argentina and Peru and have turned over two million pounds of waste net into products as varied as: sunglasses, chairs, skateboards, Jenga games and recently, Patagonia's hat brims.

In this revealing and raw podcast Ben gives us the 'founders' perspective of what it has been like to invest seven years and a whole lot of sweat into an ocean impact startup. Ben offers a range of tips, advice and guidance to other ocean impact entrepreneurs to help them on their journey and sets the scene for the future of this innovative business.

For more information on Bureo visit: https://bureo.co/

To learn more about the process of turning Bureo nets into Patagonia hats visit: https://bureo.co/pages/patagonia-hats

Follow @bureo on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/bureo/

To learn more and apply to The Ocean Impact Pitchfest visit: https://www.ocean-impact.org/pitchfest2020

Richard Leck is the Head of Oceans and the National Manager for Marine Conservation and Sustainable Development at WWF Australia. Richard has spent over 17 years at WWF where he has used his passion for the ocean and skills in leading highly effective campaigns and programs to further ocean conservation around critical issues such as: destructive fishing; protecting coral reefs, reducing agricultural pollution, preventing plastic pollution and stemming climate change.

In this episode Tim takes the chance to dive deep into the history of WWF and the approach the leading organisation takes to achieving its mission. In particular, Tim and Richard discuss contemporary approaches to supporting innovation and working with proactive businesses and partners to further sustainable development and, ultimately, government policy.

We are pleased to announce that Richard Leck is part of the esteemed judging panel who will help select the Runners Up and Winner of The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020. Stay tuned towards the end of the podcast to gain some insights from Richard into what he is hoping to see from applying startups and businesses. Applications are now open for The Ocean Impact Pitchfest 2020 and close on 5th October 2020.

More information here: https://www.ocean-impact.org/pitchfest2020

For more information on WWF Australia and Richard's work please visit:

Richard Leck, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-leck-a1a79424/

WWF Australia, Oceans: https://www.wwf.org.au/what-we-do/oceans/protect-our-oceans

WWF Australia. Panda Labs: https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/panda-labs#gs.ecl8d9

WWF Australia/ OpenSC: https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/panda-labs/opensc#gs.eclah1

WWF Australia/ Impactio: https://impactio.global/about

Dr Natasha Deen was going about her everyday life in Newcastle, Australia when a profound call to arms stopped her in her tracks and sent her down a path of grassroots ocean activism. The call was deafening - it was the prospect of a relentless seismic testing regime that would blast 260+ decibel signals through the deep ocean off the coast of Newcastle in the search for vast deposits of oil and gas. The same deep ocean where the whales, dolphins and other marine she loved so dearly called home and habitat.

It was 2018 when Natasha answered this call and embarked on a journey that would change the course of her life. Natasha started a campaign called ‘Stop Seismic Testing Newcastle’ that later evolved into Save Our Coast. For two and a half years Natasha has put life on hold to pursue the campaign to end seismic testing in the PEP-11 (petroleum exploration permit-11) zone encompassing over 4500km2 of ocean between Sydney in Newcastle.

Natasha’s campaigning started with a cardboard sign and a hand-written petition at a local market. She has since evolved her skills to: building a contemporary campaign website and social media; developing strategic relationships with non-profits, councils and politicians; engaging with the media and building a community to support her on the mission. And all on the ‘smell of an oily rag’ and no previous campaigning experience.

In the words of our host Tim Silverwood “Natasha is the embodiment of the grassroots campaigner that’s within everyone who loves the ocean dearly and believes in standing up to defend it”. And it’s clear that grassroots activism around the Australian coast is making an impact. From the success of the ‘Fight for the Bight’ campaign to the recent decision to stop the seismic testing in PEP-11.

But, there’s a new side to this story - the permit holders are now attempting to bypass further exploration and proceed directly to gas extraction off the NSW Central Coast. Learn all about the new focus of the Save Our Coast campaign and what Natasha would like you do to help in this episode of The Ocean Impact Podcast.

https://www.saveourcoast.org.au/

https://www.facebook.com/stopseismictestingnewcastle/

https://www.instagram.com/save_our_coast/