National Careers Weeks – A day in the life of marine environmentalist

by Emma Slater on 5 Mar 2015 Half way through Lifeskills National Careers Week and we caught up with Dan Reading, Sustainability Officer for The Green Blue, the environmental programme of the RYA and BMF. Dan tells us more about his job, the qualifications and skills needed to do this type of work and what he loves most about the work he does

So what exactly is a sustainability officer?
A sustainability officer in the context of what I do is someone who helps people reduce their environmental impact from the activities they do. It also includes helping maximise any positive impacts they can also have. My job involves working right across the boating sector, but primarily making sure that boaters don’t pollute the water; but I also look at things like materials used, waste, water and energy use.

How did you get in to a job in the marine environmental world?
I had always been on and under the water from an early age but after my A levels I went abroad for several months on a diving conservation expedition. Having never dived before at that point; it was a big step to commit to an expedition lasting three months! I learnt all about the types of marine life as well as some of the threats. After a year of diving around the world I studied Geography in Plymouth which led me into the role I have today.

Did you have to do any special qualifications to get a job in this area?
I think that whilst I did have some qualifications that certainly helped me get to where I am one of the main drivers was a passion for what I do. Sometimes a detailed knowledge of a topic can be very different to actually seeing how it is applied.

I have certainly learned a lot in my job, one of the main areas I have specialised in is making events more environmentally friendly, this has involved working for the Olympics and the America’s Cup. Learning on the job can be through more experienced colleagues, courses or researching the area myself!

What do you love about your job?
Normally when people ask me what the worst part of my job is my answer is going around a sailing club or marina when the temperature is -5 during January and the best part of the job is doing the same thing in July, when hopefully temperatures are a little higher!

I think one of the best parts of the job is to dip in and out of so many businesses and clubs and to actually see improvements being made which will result in cleaner waters. I have been very lucky in my job and have been able to meet some interesting people and even royalty! Occasionally I manage to get out on the water which of course is always a bonus.

What are the biggest challenges in your job?
The biggest challenge is without doubt trying to get someone to change their behaviour when they have been doing something in the same way for years. Changing people’s habits is notoriously difficult. When it comes to the environment, changes in what we know and general rules and regulations mean that we have to adapt. If you ask some older generations they used to throw all their rubbish overboard and now they wouldn’t dream of doing it.

Top tips for someone thinking about getting a career in this area?
• Work experience. I really wanted to be an architect and it was only after spending time at an architects on work experience did I realise it was not for me.
• Keep up to date with what is happening in the subject area, this can be through twitter, Facebook and RYA magazines- it can be quite fast changing so good to keep up to date.
• Perhaps volunteer or become a member of an organisation where you might be able to help, this can give you good experience and looks good on the C.V.

What has been your favourite aspect of your job so far and why?
Working on large events like the London 2012 Olympics - a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am glad I was able to be part of it.

Describe a typical day for you as a marine environmentalist?
A typical day for me would either be at the office or out doing a site visit. During a site visit I get shown around a business or club premises and we go through all the various operations, I then come up with strategies to reduce their impact and give them ideas from places we have visited in the past showing what works. I would normally spend part of the day working on a strategy to make boating more environmentally friendly, this involves designing educational material and looking at social media outlets to promote it.

How has your career changed over the years?
I have been working for The Green Blue for five years and even in that time there has been more people requesting our help. Also social media has proven useful for keeping up to date with similar organisations. I am now much more confident in my approach to work with external organisations, I now train people myself and this is an enjoyable part of my job.

What kind of skills do people need if thinking about a career in this area?
It is important to be able to communicate well with people, a lot of the time you can be having conversations with people and use persuasive language to get them to change their ways.

How have things changed in the world of the marine environment since you started?
I have only been directly involved with the marine environment for five years however in that time there have been lots of changes. The main changes are the designations of Marine Conservation Zones and the huge uptake in offshore wind farms. Of course in some instances these can have an impact on boating because if a wind farm is on a well-used cruising route it may present a problem. These areas are not dealt with by The Green Blue but some of my colleagues in the RYA’s planning and environment team. We also find that many people have realised that if they can reduce the amount of energy and other utilities used there can be some great savings to be had so we often get involved with clubs redesigning buildings and facilities.

What advice would you give someone starting out in marine environmentalism?
The marine environment is used by lots of people and is important to everyone for different reasons. Try to get an idea of what the key issues are for the marine environment- these can be global and local issues as well as an idea of competing user groups. I would also recommend getting a good coat as you will inevitably end up doing some outdoor work!

What would your dream marine environmentalist job be?
Probably working in somewhere where I could combine my love of diving with my passion for protecting the marine environment, so maybe somewhere like Western Australia with its fragile coral reefs.