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Holborn's environmental policy
Climate change represents a huge threat to the environment, and Holborn dive club is keen to avoid adding to this problem through its diving activities.
Equipment
Repairing and maintaining the club dive kit is vital to help avoid waste. We recognise the important role of the equipment officer in this respect.
Sharing and joint use of equipment should be encouraged and enabled on the strict understanding that individuals must take personal responsibility for checking the dive-worthiness of the equipment before using it and either reporting existing faults or repair/pay for the repair of faults they've caused. The loan of kit is voluntary and there is no requirement on members to lend kit to other members.
Branch kit is primarily for pool training purposes. However, we recognise that where the development of newer divers may suffer as a result of lack of dive equipment, the equipment officer has the discretion to lend branch equipment for branch diving activities. There is no charge for the loan of kit, though a deposit will be taken to ensure timely return of kit in a pool-ready state, Again, divers must take personal responsibility for the safe use of this kit and return it in the same or better condition a copy of the equipment lending policy will be available on the Holborn website.
Boat
Keeping the boat engines well maintained is vital for fuel efficiency. We recognise the important role of the boat officer in this respect.
Boat handlers should pay attention to the need to conserve fuel on dive trips and handle the RIB accordingly. This requirement is overridden where the safety of members may be at stake.
A record of fuel usage should be made by the boat handler/s for every branch activity.
Travel
Joint travel to dive sites should be encouraged. The dive marshal should identify those people with vehicles and encourage shared use and sharing of expenses.
As a central London branch we recognise that car ownership is often impractical, and renting vehicles to share for the duration of the trip is beneficial. A list of car rental agencies will be kept and updated as part of the dive marshalling pack (aka the Holborn Bible).
Conduct at dive sites and protection of the marine environment
Holborn dive club commits to leave dive sites in the same or better state than it finds them.
Taking all our rubbish away and disposing of it with care
Avoiding fuel spillage
Where possible, collecting up any litter at the dive site, both above and below water and disposing of it with care.
The branch as a whole should promote a philosophy of 'look but don't touch' while respecting the choice of individual members to carry out activities such as scalloping, collecting flatfish or removing items from wrecks where such activities do not contravene the law or local regulations.
The branch commits to undertake at least one organised event in support of the environment every dive season, for example, SeaSearch survey or beach clean up; and to support the Marine Conservation Society by joining as a branch.
Responsible dive tourism
We recognise that dive tourism is desirable for our members. Holborn as a branch undertakes to avoid causing harm to diving destinations, and commits to making long-term positive links with the communities in those destinations where we regularly dive in order to support local environmental and other initiatives.
As part of our responsibility for making sure that diving destinations are sustainable we aim to participate in the following:
Twinning activities: we are twinned with the Mauritius Underwater Group
Supportive campaigns: such as London divers support Dahab
Education and awareness: sharing information about our diving destinations and raising awareness of the issues
Environmental initiatives: working with local organisations to help divers to contribute positively to the environment and help sustain the destination.
The branch Chair is responsible for leading on international initiatives.
Promoting good practice
The branch will undertake to share this policy with others by making it available on the branch website, and encouraging others to adopt these and similar measures.
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