Why do we need to help seabirds?
You may have seen photos of Hawaiian albatrosses full of plastic, but did you know the same thing is happening HERE in Australia right now??
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Dr. Jennifer Lavers found 270 pieces of plastic inside this 80 day old Flesh-footed shearwater chick. She's also found that 100% of this species on Lord Howe Island contain plastic.
Populations have already declined by more than 50% in the past 35 years. We need to find out more, before it's too late.
Who are we?
Two Hands Project
In less
than 3 years the ‘Two Hands’ concept has gone worldwide, with over 35,000 fans
on Facebook alone, this gives a reach of around 400 000 per week.
It
continues to grow, inspiring and encouraging people to clean their own patch of
park, lake, beach or coastline and post a photo showing the rubbish collected
with just their two hands in 30 minutes …
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This simple idea both records what
was found and recognizes others cleaning up polluted waterways and coastlines
all over the world. Even better, it connects community groups,
schools, individuals, businesses and local authorities with their local area through regular
involvement. The best bit of all: this results in changes in behaviour and attitudes to the way we
‘consume’ plastic.
The Two Hands Team
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The Two Hands Project is a not-for-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers.
The seabird team is made up of:
Paul has worked hands on in marine education and shark conservation for over 20 years. Some of the awesome things he's done on this journey include co-founding the award-winning Two Hands Project in 2010, sailing and researching tsunami debris in the North Pacific Garbage Patch and creating a touring 'Shark in a Bus' to provide marine education.
Silke is the other Two Hands founder and an award winning photographer, Australian Seabird Rescue volunteer and winner of the Manly Environment Eco-Award for her pioneering campaigns to stop plastic pollution. She spends her 'spare' time running clean ups, doing education programs and making plastic pollution displays.
Alice is a conservation biologist and serial volunteer. Her adventures in conservation have taken her from hanging out with monkeys in Bolivian jungles, to feeding sharks in Sydney, to photographing whales and trawling for plastic in the Indian Ocean, to talking to huge rooms of rowdy school children.
Dr Jenn Lavers
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Dr Jenn Lavers is a conservation biologist and bird lover who studies the impacts of plastic pollution on seabirds. You might have seen her on the ABC or read about her in Australian Geographic or the Sydney Morning Herald. She is completely in love with the fleshfooted shearwaters and is passionate about saving them, before it's too late.
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What are we doing?
Funding is urgently needed for research on remote islands
off Western Australia. We want to study how seabirds on these islands are being
affected and provide much needed data to raise awareness about the extent of
this issue.
Your money will go towards:
-
Vital research into the effects of plastic
pollution on Australian seabirds such as the flesh footed shearwater
- Education and raising awareness about this huge
problem
- Ongoing research on Australia’s seabirds
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We need enough to cover transport, accommodation and equipment. Nothing fancy, just return economy flights, car rental (to get from Perth to Albany as well as doing workshops in coastal towns on the way), and camp-site fees. Anything extra that we raise will go towards future projects and education programs at public events and schools.
What can you do?
Every dollar gets us closer to our goal, so if you can afford to donate we'd appreciate anything you can give. For $30 we'll clean a beach just for you and for $60 you can get one of these awesome, limited edition Save Our Seabird reusable CHEEKI drink bottles. The bottles will be sent out in time for Christmas so they'll make great presents for any of your friends or family who are still buying plastic water bottles!
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You can also share our campaign on Facebook or Twitter and help us get the word out. And of course, say NO to "disposable" plastics - there is no excuse for single use!
