Lush New Zealand: Stop Seabed Mining with Lush

Stop Seabed Mining with Lush is a campaign in support of protecting New Zealand's natural coastlines.  These natural coastlines are in danger from seabed mining since as much as a third of future mineral production could come from beneath the oceans, and mining here has put it's marine life in danger.  The Seabed Mining experimental industry collects sand primarily for construction and also for the replenishment of urban/popular beaches.

Seabed Mining is a problem since the sea floor is the home to loads of ocean creatures such as mussels, worms and many others.  These creatures are part of an ecosystem and support a food chain that leads all the way up to sharks and dolphins.  Anyone who knows me and has read some of my other posts know by now I'm a massive shark lover.  This, therefore, is very serious to me.  It not only affects the sea creatures that live where the mining occurs, it also affects distant habitats due to the plume created when mining.  Each time seabed mining takes place all the creatures that live there die.  This turns the seabed into a dead-zone.

The coastline is also facing coastal erosion from mining.  Coastal erosion happens because of the removal of large amounts of sand.  In past mining cases, coastal erosion was predicted, but the outcome of erosion was much higher than predicated.  Therefore the science behind seabed mining isn't as "carried out" as it should be.  Coastal Erosion is a battle on it's own never mind it being increased by seabed mining.  Coastal Erosion is responsible for the destruction of sand dunes, beaches and coastal rock (stacks, stumps, cliffs).  So it's really important awareness of Seabed Mining's impacts come to public's knowledge to be a part of something greater than what it may seem at first glance.  This is clearly important and I'm really pleased Lush are supporting such an incredible campaign.

Plus, if you're a surfer you'll want to support this.  No sand means less waves or no waves at all! Waves won't be able to take the distinctive shape they do, what all you lovely surfers enjoy to ride.  Time to find a new hobby, I guess.  Skateboarding is just like surfing, right?

From April 8th to April 15th Lush New Zealand have ran a campaign to help stop Seabed Mining.  Lush has teamed up with the organisation Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM) to bring awareness to it's impacts and to help raise funds for KASM's campaign.  The aim of the campaign is to put pressure on legislators to implement a moratorium (a temporary halt of action) until a thorough scientific investigation has been carried out on the impacts and implications seabed mining could cause.

Gathering awareness and support for campaigns such as Stopping Seabed Mining is vital in achieving a victory. Below is a direct quote from Phil McCabe, the founder of KASM.

"New Zealand is an Island Nation full of Coastal People. We love our marine environment and will not allow it to be damaged by an unproven industry called Seabed Mining. Our government has underestimated the destructive nature of seabed mining as well as the commitment of New Zealanders to protect our oceans for future generations. We’re stoked to have LUSH standing beside us as we call on our government to place a moratorium on seabed mining."

Lush created a body scrub called "Life's a Beach" to raise the funds to go toward KASM's campaign.  It's a one week exclusive product available both online and in store and has been a complete success.  Unfortunately, Lush New Zealand don't ship internationally like Lush Australia so Lush Australia's campaign was the only option of purchase before it went out of stock.  Thankfully, I was able to pick up a couple of pots (happy dance!)

The problem overall is a lack of oceanic knowledge and understanding.  People don't know and don't realise the damage humans are inflicting on the ocean and sadly, seabed mining is only one problem on a list.  I myself didn't comprehend the massive impacts seabed mining would have so I am very thankful for Lush to join in on this campaign.  Not only has it brought awareness to me, sharing it now here, it's given me another campaign and organisation to support, not only for the better good but for my sharks too.   We need to stop taking beautiful and natural resources for granted before the damage is irreversible and all that's left in it's wake is regret.  I was out with my driving instructor last week and we discussed the ocean and what she said (in my opinion) is a perfect fit to the ignorance of these actions.  

'If I can't see the sea bottom then I'm outta there! Noooo way, I don't like it.'

Just because we can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there.  Just because it isn't our day-to-day habitat doesn't make it any less important.  And just because the damage inflicted each day is gradually unseen, it doesn't mean the damage will be unseen in years to come.  It doesn't mean the damage isn't happening right now.  Seabed Mining has to stop now! And hopefully, with growing awareness, it will soon.


Click here to go to Kiwis Against Seabed Mining's official website to learn more and to see what else you can do!


Thanks for reading!

Instagram: @lushvoyage

Lush Australia: Grave Barrier Reef Campaign

The Grave Barrier Reef is a campaign in support of protecting Australia's Great Barrier Reef - the largest collection of corals off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

Over the years the Great Barrier Reef has declined in liveliness and will continue to do so.  The Reef once thrived back in 1980 and now in 2015 it's a shell of what it once was.  Did you get my pun?  Yeah, I know this is a serious post and what not but there are many different headsets this needs to get through to.  Despite the Reef's decline, it is in a much better standard than what it is going to be by 2050.  By 2050 it truly will be a shell of what it once was.

The causes for the Barrier Reef's destruction range from climate change to industrialisation for coal and gas along the coastline.  There are too many threats to the Barrier Reef and this is why action must be taken.  Further damage to the Barrier Reef will have a powerful and negative effect on ecosystems and marine creatures such as humpback whales and green sea turtles.  Oh! Clownfish also live here.  That's right, if you don't help little Nemo and Marlin, they won't be able to tell Clownfish jokes.  And Finding Dory may not happen (dun-dun-dunnnn).

From April 8th to April 15th Lush Australia have ran a campaign to help the cause of protecting Australia's Great Barrier Reef.  Lush teamed up with 1 Million Women (Environmentalist Organisation) to raise funds and collect signatures to help.  The signatures collected will go toward the World Heritage Committee urging it to recognise the Great Barrier Reef's endangerment and the funds will go toward 1 Million Women.  The entire aim of the campaign is to successfully declare the Great Barrier Reef in danger and to bring awareness to it's frightening decline.  

Lush created a body scrub called "Life's a Beach" to raise the funds to go toward 1 Million Women's campaign.  It's a one week exclusive product available both online and in store and has been a complete success.  Australia's website has had to restock multiple times before it went out of stock - thankfully I picked up some pots before this happened.

Although a new product by Lush was a very exciting prospect for many of us Lushies - it is the reason of why this product came about that is most important.  I'm very passionate about the ocean and although I am in awe of all the contributions Lush pay toward selected charities, I do wish more of those charities were ocean and marine life focused.  This is why the 'Grave Barrier Reef' campaign meant a lot to me, why I took action and bought pots and why I'm writing about it here.  I want people to learn and to join the fight to help the ocean's current threats.  And I'm delighted Lush took it upon themselves to create a product that without a doubt received mass attention.  And fingers crossed, it will help declare the Great Barrier Reef "World Heritage in Danger" and give it a fighting chance.


Click here to read about Lush New Zealand's campaign to Stop Seabed Mining. 


Thanks for reading!

Instagram: @lushvoyage