Love Is An Action; Start caring about Marine Pollution right now

The 22nd marked the exclusive screening of ‘Blue The Film’, orchestrated by ‘Love Is An Action’ in conjunction with ADEX Ocean Vision 2020.

Text: Sitaraah Joshi

The bubbly social atmosphere was hosted at ‘The Projector” (Singapore), where the film was screened. Fifty-five attendees and eight volunteers were in support of a cleaner, plastic-free ocean. The event was an absolute blast — with attractive prizes to be won and a flow of food and drinks to keep the night going. 

‘Love Is An Action’ is a non-profit organization founded by Joshua O’Neill, a PADI Staff Instructor, and experienced diver for the past ten years. The inspiration to spearhead this organization came from his love and deep passion for the ocean and marine life. He observed a significant increase in the marine litter at dive sites, especially in East Malaysia. After watching Blue the Film, Josh was stunned by what we were doing to our oceans and the impacts that plastic marine litter is having on them. As a result, he decided to create a non-profit organization and do something about it. 

Joshua O’Neil introducing the Love Is An Action (LIAA) initiative

Josh is committed to protecting the world’s oceans by reducing the amount of waste entering them and finding innovative ways to remove waste that is already there.

As an Eco-diver who volunteers yearly to do Reef Check, this exacerbation was very noticeable. Additionally, he attended several beach and ocean clean-ups and used mesh bags to collect trash. Josh began to frequent the use of mesh bags, and at times there was more trash than he could fit. 

The evening’s vibrant gathering

Memorabilia – Passes for all!

This thought process to create the mesh (they call it ‘meshee’) bags stemmed from the fact there were only a handful of beach cleanups organized each year, and that a quick solution to eradicate marine litter could be achieved by collecting any rubbish that they see, or at least use it to take their rubbish home and recycle it. Whether you are heading out for a dive, swim, snorkel, paddle or surf, you will have easy access to this simple waste solution.

Excited young viewers clicked several pictures with Miss Scuba Malaysia 2018, Alycia See, who also came down to Singapore to support the cause.

Fun-filled atmosphere!

The next chapter for Love Is An Action entails attempts to collaborate with like-minded corporations who strongly believe in running an eco-friendly business for sponsorship of their waste reduction initiatives. The products they sponsor will be personally delivered to people via Love Is An Action’s Ambassador network, along with educational messages for propagating behavioral change. 

Currently, they are developing sipee’s, jiffee’s and totee’s to compliment their range of products. Additionally, they will also be conducting beach cleanups, and awareness campaigns personally and through social media, using country Ambassadors to embed behavioral change. 

The event included a feedback board where people could stick a post-it note as they left the cinema to express personal thoughts and views. 

“We were overwhelmed with the positive feedback and support and have had many requests to show the film to schools and universities and even recommendations for it to be part of the education curriculum,” says Josh. 

“This project has been born out of a dream to make a difference to our marine world. It has been totally self-funded to this point and we are now looking to work with passionate partners, sponsors, volunteers, and community groups to save our oceans, and the lives they support, but all this needs Action. Love is an Action.”