- **This crowdfunded has finished but please head to my website for updates and the continued chance to sponsor me aboard eXXpedition** www.ecoyogasurf.com/exxpedition
Hello again!!
Here I am for the final round of crowdfunding towards my place on eXXpedition and I need YOUR help!
Thanks to amazing support from crowdfunding back in June I managed to raise £675 for the initial deposit (yup I put in £825 myself to reach the original target)... and now I'm looking for donations toward the final instalment to get me onboard, offshore and eXXpeditioning to the Azores.
As a current MSc student, financial support is invaluable and without it I would not be able to take part. I hoping I am able to raise the £5200 needed to participate in the eXXpedition... because I couldn't be more stoked: this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity...
©Eleanor Church Lark Rise Pictures
eXXpedition is a Round the World campaign 2019-2021, involving an all-women sailing voyage with a focus on highlighting the devastating impact single-use plastic and toxics from land-based activities are having on our planet’s oceans, ecosystems and on human health. Previous research carried out by eXXpedition has highlighted the endemic nature of microplastics within our ocean environments globally and the increasing potential impact they have on human health.
eXXpedition was founded in 2014 by ocean advocate Emily Penn and Dr Lucy Gilliam to make the unseen seen, from the toxics in our bodies to the toxics in our seas.
©Eleanor Church Lark Rise Pictures
WHY SUPPORT THIS CAUSE?
eXXpedition is a platform to inform and educate so that people can better understand the real problem of micro-plastics and use that to shape actions and solutions.
During eXXpedition, participants discover the power of their individual roles in addressing these complex issues. Empowered by their first hand experience at sea we provide the tools, confidence and support they need to become effective leaders that can influence meaningful impact through their personal and professional communities. The team also carry out outreach events, where possible, to engage local communities and generate press coverage.
The campaign tackles questions around gender by empowering the all-female crew to become more effective ocean ambassadors, whilst facilitating collaboration opportunities between their diverse backgrounds – artists, scientists, filmmakers, sustainability professionals, businesswomen, sailors and so much more.
Professor Richard Thompson and his team of scientists at the University of Plymouth, UK, will be taking the lead on the Exxpedition sea-based science programme, while the collaboration with Dr Jambeck and the University of Georgia, USA, will be focused on land impacts. The impacts on local communities will be measured using a Circularity Assessment Protocol, developed at the University of Georgia, which looks at everything from waste washed up on coastlines to plastics in community shops.
©SorayaAbdelHadi
WHY SUPPORT ME?
eXXpedition is a global campaign and the costs to run it are high. My place on board is costing £5200 which is why I'm turning to crowdfunding to invest in me as a citizen scientist and help use this great platform to generate interest and support.
By supporting me on the eXXpedition campaign, you are not only highlighting your commitment to the plastic pollution crisis, but the ocean in general. We need to act now and across many disciplines: from science, to retail, to media awareness to philanthropy... by working together we can find creative and simple solutions to keep plastic out of the ocean.
This campaign will aid my own Sustainability Masters major project, creating a Scientific paper with cutting edge data to inform future interventions and policy. My hope is that we can use these findings to help change the systems that are producing plastic, and eliminate it at source.
Plastics are a huge issue, and these days a CSR beach clean is not enough to offset the amount of packaging produced by one company. As a part time student, my focus will be on my studies but I believe it will add value to my experience if I can share and develop my findings in an industry setting. I am dedicated to helping the surf industry become more sustainable.
For everyone that sponsors me I am offering a special logo provided by eXXpedition, as well as a copy of my ebook "All systems go"; an entry point into systems thinking (underdstanding the world as you know it from a systems point of view) which I am planning to release once the eXXpedition is complete.
©Jen Russell- North Pacific leg 1 Hawaii to Vancouver
THANK YOU so much for being behind me and for helping this cause!
“We're strong when we walk together. Together, we can sing much louder.” – Serena Ryder
Don't hesitate to contact me: [email protected] for any further opportunities, and stay tuned at @yogarama_uk for updates.
We set sail Monday 7th October 2019!
For more information:
www.ecoyogasurf.com/exxpedition
All photos courtesy and copyright of eXXpedition