Responsibility underwater rarely shows itself in big gestures.
More often, it appears in small actions. In what we notice—and in what we choose not to leave behind.
Trash underwater is nothing new. Anyone who dives regularly knows it: plastic fragments, fishing lines, bottles, packaging. Things that clearly don’t belong there, yet are everywhere. For a long time, I asked myself what the right response should be. Ignore it? Get annoyed by it? Or take action?
For me, the answer is clear now: I take what I can safely remove with me.
A mesh bag is simply part of my dive kit
When I dive, I almost always carry my BlueOceans mesh bag with me. Not because I actively search for trash or want to turn every dive into a clean-up dive—but because I want to be prepared. If I come across a piece of trash underwater, I can simply collect it and bring it back.
This isn’t about heroics or grand gestures. It’s about awareness. About noticing what doesn’t belong in this world. And about taking responsibility without losing sight of the dive itself.
It doesn’t stop at the water’s edge
This mindset doesn’t end when I leave the water. Even when I’m not diving, I often pick up trash during my visits to the beach or the edge of a lake. A piece of plastic here, a can there—small things that are easy to take and would otherwise remain behind.
They may seem insignificant, but that’s exactly the point for me. No one has to solve everything at once. But everyone can do something.
Not everything can be removed easily
Of course, there are limits. Tiny fragments, microplastics or heavily degraded waste can’t simply be collected “on the side.” Removing those usually requires sieves, specific methods and well-organized clean-up efforts. That’s where dedicated clean-up actions make sense—when many hands come together.
For me, it’s important to be realistic. Not all trash can be removed spontaneously, and not every dive should aim to collect as much as possible. Safety, the environment and the purpose of the dive always come first.
When more trash calls for collective action
There are moments when the amount of trash becomes especially noticeable—after strong storms at the sea, for example, or in heavily frequented coastal areas. In situations like these, it can make sense to think bigger.
Sometimes, it’s enough to initiate a small clean-up yourself and ask for help via social media. Often, people are surprisingly willing to join in. Alternatively, you can reach out to organizations that regularly organize clean-ups and have experience in handling them.
What matters most to me is this: It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to happen.
The value of small successes
I know that this can sometimes feel hopeless. The amount of trash in our waters is immense, and a single bag of collected waste can feel insignificant in comparison. And yet—for me, these moments are genuine feel-good moments.
Seeing that a piece of plastic is no longer drifting in the water.
Knowing that an animal won’t get entangled in it.
Realizing that, at least in that moment, I’ve made a small impact.
Maybe it doesn’t change the world. But it changes this one place—for this one moment.
Part of my attitude toward diving
Collecting trash is not a separate project for me, nor an obligation. It’s part of my attitude. Part of how I understand diving—as a guest in a world that gives me so much: calm, fascination and perspective.
And that’s exactly why I want to give something back.
Even if it’s just one small piece of trash.