Noticias

Learn about Scuba Diving Company Seaspace's Sustainable Practices

Green Corner

with Santiago Gutierrez from Seaspace

What is Seaspace?

Seaspace is a Mexican company founded in 1997, whose objective is to promote greater awareness, high-quality education, love and conservation of the underwater environment around the world through the scuba diving industry.

Ana en Belice taken by Santiago Gutierrez

How does Seaspace support the environment and sustainability?

Seaspace supports the environment through its teaching of recreational scuba diving to new divers - especially market leaders and directors from various industries - who can pass on this passion to their colleagues and thereby promote the conservation of these fragile ecosystems.

In addition, sustainability is exemplified by the way the activities are coordinated. While the diver is under the water they should not be solely focused on their own enjoyment but also on respecting the environment around them. They should be attentive to maintaining good buoyancy techniques and be conscious to avoid leaving footprints (finprints) while practicing this sport. Seaspace also produces underwater photographs and takes them to road show exhibitions in public places to share the beauty of the diverse underwater world and have a greater positive impact on our conservation efforts.

The Red Sea, Sudan taken by Santiago Gutierrez

How do you think people can enjoy the environment and its beauty without damaging it?

By educating people in the big cities that everything that affects the environment can damage its beauty and biodiversity (i.e. energy consumption, waste reduction, the use of water, etc.) Even people who live far away from the oceans and rivers, contribute greatly to the ways the underwater world is altered; moreover, we have to remember that there is no “green” without “BLUE”.

Do you have, or are you considering the LEED qualification or an alternative?

Seaspace’s office is not LEED certified given the type of building it is located in; however, we have good practices concerning our use of water, paper, and electricity minimizing our impact on the environment.

How do you involve your supply chain in your sustainable initiatives?

Seaspace belongs to an international organization, PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), applying the programmes in our region such as Project AWARE (Aquatic World Awareness, Responsibility and Education). In accordance to this programme, our clients are involved in organizing underwater and beach clean-ups in any place we visit.

Seaspace supplier, Oceanic, participates as a sponsor of various environmentally friendly activities organized by the diver’s community. For example, OCEANIC donates gear to different organizations like The Parker Manatee Aquarium; the staff use Oceanic boots, fins, suits and masks while handling and caring for the manatees.

Another Seapspace provider, Light and Motion, who produces dive lights, photo lights and housings for cameras has been recognized for their sustainable business practices for over 15 years. In 2008, Light and Motion was awarded the California Small Business of the Year Award, the Monterey County Green Business Award and three times winners of the California WRAP (Waste Reduction Awards Programme) for consistently reducing their waste stream and their carbon footprint through their business practices.

How can you make sustainability “pay off”, not just in terms of social gains, but also in terms of the bottom line?

Our business sells sustainability. We provide experiences to our customers that influence them greatly as they visit pristine diving locations in Mexico and the world. Through these experiences our clients learn that to conserve these beautiful surroundings and to have the opportunity to continue experiencing them in the future we need see sustainable businesses in all industries in the market. These places are “hope spots” for what the ocean biodiversity and concentration of life should be.

Do you consider the industry you are in to be a good example in terms of sustainability?

This depends on which lens you see it through. The scuba diving industry, just as any other, has people who operate their businesses with a friendly and caring environmental outlook. Seaspace, for example, is very aware of, and cares greatly about, the negative impact scuba diving can have on aquatic life - their fauna and flora. Hence Seaspace avoids, at all costs, altering feeding and mating behaviours which are not healthy to the species and provoking aggressive behaviours on normally non-aggressive animals. Our divers are conscientious protectors of the underwater environment.

How great an effect can external organisations, such as the government and the UN, have on climate change or is it more important to “win the hearts and minds” of private business and individuals?

I think this has to be a global effort, which includes government agencies, international NGOs and private businesses and individuals. The oceans are being devastated at such a rate that they cannot afford to wait for, and depend on, isolated efforts.

What can Mexico do to become more sustainable and is it doing enough at present?

This is a multi-task effort that requires a balance of economic and community development together with environmental protection. Legislations should be reviewed and adapted to the new and urgent environmental needs. At present, Mexico needs to hurry up in leading this effort, given the wealth and biodiversity we have. It is not hard to “lead” - it is a matter of working smartly and caringly.