The PADI AWARE Foundation has announced the launch of the digital eLearning Dive Against Debris specialty course.
The new course will feature a new lesson guide and supporting materials. The citizen science section of the course will roll out with new upgrades to the PADI AWARE app.
The new course will not supplant the Dive Against Debris Adventure Specialty, which will remain as a standardized one-dive specialty course.
By the end of July, the new course and materials will be available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, Simplified Chinese and Russian.
Commenting on the new course, Danna Moore, the director of the PADI AWARE Foundation stated:
“Dive Against Debris has been at the heart of PADI AWARE Foundation’s marine debris program since 2011, resulting in groundbreaking marine research and the largest underwater citizen-science database on the planet. The digital enhancement of this program will empower both PADI Members and students to create ocean change.
“Our Dive Against Debris eLearning course is the most accessible way for anyone to take action and support PADI’s Blueprint for Action goal of reducing marine debris by 50 percent in target countries by 2030. More than 250 million tons of plastic are estimated to make its way into our ocean by 2025. The environmental damage caused by plastic debris alone is estimated at $13 billion US a year. Divers are often the first to witness the human impact on the marine environment and are uniquely positioned to help report, remove and advocate to stop marine debris at its source.”
