Take the 28 day challenge with ocean pledge and the two oceans aquarium for a healthier and more sus

It is said that 90% of the decisions we make are done so subconsciously. It’s also said that it takes 28 days to break a bad habit. We don’t know if that’s true, but we do know that our often subconscious decisions and day-to-day habits are having an impact that reaches from our homes, cities and jobs and impacts the oceans, ecosystems and planet that we share.

Join us for a 28 Day Challenge to make small changes in your life that have big positive impacts on the environment. Every day we’ll be giving you another small habit to break, and vital info on just why that small change is so valuable.

At the end of the 28 days, it will be up to you to decide which of these habits you choose to carry on with for a more sustainable (and often healthier and more affordable) lifestyle.

Follow the daily challenges here:

• 28 Day Challenge #1: I pledge to make a start
• 28 Day Challenge #2: I pledge to buy less stuff
• 28 Day Challenge #3: I pledge to step away from the throw-away culture
• 28 Day Challenge #4: I pledge to bin it right
• 28 Day Challenge #5: I pledge to choose sustainable seafood
• 28 Day Challenge #6: I pledge to rethink the bag
• 28 Day Challenge #7: I pledge to give up cling wrap
• 28 Day Challenge #8: I pledge to become a microbead detector
• 28 Day Challenge #9: I pledge to say no to plastic bottles
• 28 Day Challenge #10: I pledge to eat less meat
• 28 Day Challenge #11: I pledge to minimise plastic packaging
• 28 Day Challenge #12: I pledge to give up plastic straws
• 28 Day Challenge #13: I pledge to ditch polystyrene
• 28 Day Challenge #14: I pledge to say no to balloons and plastic party decor
• 28 Day Challenge #15: I pledge to be energy-conscious
• 28 Day Challenge #16: I pledge to bring my own cup
• 28 Day Challenge #17: I pledge to wash my clothes cooler, slower and less frequently
• 28 Day Challenge #18: I pledge to compost
• 28 Day Challenge #19: I pledge to make my existing plastic last longer
• 28 Day Challenge #20: I pledge to buy second hand items
• 28 Day Challenge #21: I pledge to wrap gifts responsibly
• 28 Day Challenge #22: I pledge to green my commute
• 28 Day Challenge #23: I pledge to cut a loop
• 28 Day Challenge #24: I pledge to make my wardrobe more ocean-friendly
• 28 Day Challenge #25: I pledge to join an environmental cleanup
• 28 Day Challenge #26: I pledge to be alert about greenwashing
• 28 Day Challenge #27: I pledge to support local businesses
• 28 Day Challenge #28: I pledge to make a lifelong commitment (even a small one)

How does your pledge make a difference?

Your home is connected to everything

We have all seen evidence of the global devastation caused by plastic pollution, climate change, habitat degradation and loss, and species at risk of extinction, which are generally caused by our behaviour and consumption habits.  We know that our lifestyles are at least partially to blame for this destruction, yet, so often, we feel overwhelmed and don’t quite know where to start to make a positive difference.

Even if you feel disconnected from the oceans, these environmental issues have very real effects on you personally. Air pollution is raising the rate of lung disease in adults and children, you consume (and even breathe) thousands of microplastic particles without knowing it, warming temperatures are causing increased mental health issues, plants are become less nutritious due to increased CO2, and most noticeably - the prices of the foods you know and love are increasing, while the quality and diversity of what is available decreases.

The 51 trillion pieces of plastic currently littering our oceans, killing millions of animals every year and having unknown effects on all levels of the food chain (we humans included) are the true cost of many of our minor conveniences. But ocean plastic, just like climate change, deforestation and species loss can all be linked to our households - you are as empowered to fight this harm, as you are to create it.

Who are the organisations behind the pledge?

Ocean Pledge and the Two Oceans Aquarium have decided to focus on turning awareness into action. With this 28-day day programme, we hope to show you how simple it is to adjust your life in a myriad of little ways so that you can develop a step-by-step approach to living a life of less waste and in so doing contributing to a positive change in the environment. The programme is filled with a range of healthy hints to really make a difference and a couple of myth-busting facts too.

Ocean Pledge:

Ocean Pledge is an initiative aimed at bridging the gap between awareness and action when it comes to the issue of single-use plastics ending up as pollution in our ocean. Founder Diony Lalieu's personal motto is "It's not for me, it's for the sea." That's certainly a sentiment we can relate to!

Two Oceans Aquarium:

For 25 years, the Two Oceans Aquarium has been a symbol of South Africa's marine heritage - one that we would like to preserve for the benefit of future generations. With the establishment of the non-profit Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, the Aquarium has taken its mission of creating awareness around the environmental issues facing us and the direct actions taken to help rehabilitate the animals affected by human negligence, to the next level.