PADI AWARE facts for kids

The PADI AWARE Foundation is a group that works to protect our oceans. It is a nonprofit organization, which means it doesn't make money for its owners. Instead, all the money it gets goes back into its programs.

This foundation has offices in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. Its main goal is to help local groups protect the ocean. They do this by working with scuba divers all over the world. Many of these divers are part of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI).

How PADI AWARE Started

In 1989, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) decided to create something special. They started the Project AWARE Foundation. This was their way of showing they cared about protecting the ocean.

A few years later, in 1992, Project AWARE Foundation became its own official nonprofit group. It had a clear mission: to protect the environment. In 2021, the group changed its name to PADI AWARE Foundation. It also started working even more closely with PADI. Together, they made a plan to reach important goals for ocean protection.

What PADI AWARE Does

PADI AWARE Foundation runs several important programs. These programs are paid for by people who donate money. They focus on four main areas:

• Cleaning up ocean trash
• Protecting sharks
• Giving money to local groups
• Creating Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

These programs give people, especially scuba divers, ways to help. They can join in activities like:

• Citizen science: This is when everyday people help collect scientific data.
• Education: Learning about ocean problems and solutions.
• Advocacy: Speaking up for the ocean through letters, petitions, and photos.

All these efforts help to solve the biggest threats facing our oceans.

Cleaning Up Ocean Trash

In 2011, PADI AWARE decided to focus on removing trash from the ocean. They asked volunteer divers from all over the world to help. These divers actively remove garbage from the seafloor.

This program is called Dive Against Debris. It has become the largest underwater citizen science program on Earth. More than 100,000 divers from 117 countries have reported what they found. In 2020, PADI AWARE Foundation shared its findings. They worked with another group, Ocean Conservancy, to publish data about trash found on coasts and under the sea.

Protecting Sharks and Rays

Protecting sharks and rays is a very important part of PADI AWARE's work. These animals are vital for healthy oceans. They are also important for shark tourism, where people go to see sharks in their natural habitat.

In 2021, the Foundation asked divers to help protect Mako sharks. These sharks are in danger. PADI AWARE worked with other groups to ask governments to stop people from catching these vulnerable sharks.

Community Grants and Adopt the Blue

In 2021, PADI AWARE Foundation joined the PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action. This plan supports the United Nations' call for a "Decade of Action." The goal is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PADI AWARE specifically helps with SDG14, which is about "Life Below Water."

To help with this, the organization started two new programs:

• The PADI AWARE Community Grant Program. This gives money to local groups working on ocean protection.
• The Adopt the Blue program. This helps divers and dive centers take care of specific ocean areas.

PADI AWARE also connects with dive leaders and ocean supporters online. They have an interactive map to show conservation efforts. They offer special dive courses about conservation. They also organize letter-writing campaigns. By joining other environmental groups, they work together to make a bigger impact.