Why: Water is our most valuable natural resource. By conserving your domestic consumption water you use at home for cooking, drinking, cleaning, washing, flashing the toilet etc, you are making a great first step! 

However, in order to secure water for all life in our planet in the future we need to cut down on the virtual water we consume by buying goods more wisely.

How: Domestic water conservation is easy and has big payoffs. Get informed by visiting websites which offer 100s of tips. Consume less meat or choose meat which was raised on grass and never waste food!

Why: Consumer choices make a big difference!

How: Select products that are eco-friendly and/or offered by a responsible (ethical) business or by a local community in need. Buy local to support your community and reduce the carbon footprint involved in goods transportation. Think of making gifts that support a good blue cause! Never buy products derived from endangered species such as sea turtles.

Why: Chemicals used to make most of the products we use daily end up in our seas, poisoning marine life and our food chain! They can be disruptive to the development, reproductive, neurological and immune systems of animals and humans.

How: Many product makers are phasing out harmful substances in their processes. Choose “Green” household cleaning products, paints, beauty products, toys, clothes and organic foods.

Why: The majority of our seas are overfished jeopardising food security of more than 1 billion people for whom fish is a primary source of protein. The use of destructive fishing techniques means sea turtles and marine mammals are killed in the process and their ecosystems destroyed. 

In recent years demand for seafood in the EU has increased and fish supply consists, mainly, of fish caught in distant waters, aquaculture and imports. Mislabelled fish is presented as sustainably harvested by large corporations, misleading consumers.

How: Don’t buy processed fish meals covered in sauces or fish sticks to avoid fraud, as it is difficult to tell what you are actually eating. There are dozens of guides for consumers available online, that will help you make the right choice depending on what country you live in. Look for one!

 We are responsible for choosing what we eat. For European countries, visit the European Commission’s website.

Why: An innocent car wash can be a cause of pollution of seas and oceans. Through untreated water being discharged to the storm drain system, heavy metals and toxic fluids find their way into the sea. 

How: Prefer taking your car to a car wash that has wash water collection methods so as to prevent discharges to the storm drain system, otherwise they will end up in the sea. Most products available for car wash, contain substances which are harmful to the environment. Read the labels carefully! Choose a product that doesn’t require the use of water which could runoff into our seas and oceans. By washing the car on your lawn, the soil and grass will filter the wastewater and you will be watering the lawn at the same time!

Why: Climate change is a major threat to our oceans and marine species: higher sea temperatures, ocean acidification. Global warming has a direct effect on sea turtle nesting beaches as higher sand temperatures produce more female hatchlings. Increased ocean temperatures can lead to coral bleaching and other damage to turtle feeding habitats. Any sea level rise may lead to the loss of nesting beaches. Changes in ocean currents can modify migration paths and feeding patterns.

How: When it will be time to change your bulbs and electrical appliances, choose low energy consumption ones. Support or use renewable energy solutions, prefer walking, carpool, recycle and fly carbon neutral!

Why: Marine litter is turning our seabeds into dumps and it’s also deadly to sea turtles and other marine species that mistake it for food.

How: Avoid unnecessary waste. Choose products with less packaging, which are made with recycled material or which are at least, recyclable. Prefer refillable to single-use containers and reuse everything you can… before recycling it.

Be creative and upcycle! Take a minute to think smart and make environmentally sound decisions at the store, at all places and times. Save natural resources, landfill space and money.

Why: MEDASSET works to safeguard and preserve the marine environment to improve our quality of our life and that of our children’s. 

But we can’t do it without your support!

How: We rely on individual donations to continue our work. If you wish to help us, you can order a unique item from our gift shop or donate.