Tangaroa Blue presented itself at the Wet Tropics Tour Guide Field School in Port Douglas on March 13th, a new and unique platform to educate the educators.
The idea was born during a walk on the beach when one of our crew and tour guide found out how misinformed tourists are about litter and marine debris and what a strong message a tour guide can send when you walk the talk and lead by example.
The two-day-excursion run by the Wet Tropics Management Authority (WTMA) provides tour guides in Far North QLD with a broader insight and background information about projects and organisations in their region to boost their knowledge. Tangaroa Blue’s presentation aimed to build a sense of pride and ownership amongst the audience for the unique environment, explained the sources and impacts of marine debris, illustrated the concept of Tangaroa Blue and equipped the tour guides with tips on how to inspire their clients to do the right thing and reduce littering.
We even brought the “beach in the bag” to the classroom and emptied the local rubbish out on the floor. The great response of the audience and some truly shocked faces showed what impact the presentation made. It clearly opened many eyes of people who will hopefully pass their new knowledge on to their groups. One guide even offered to make beach clean-ups a part of their tour program.
Last, but not least, WTMA expressed interest in further presentations on the topic and presented Tangaroa Blue with a (paper) certificate of appreciation with the words: “guaranteed biodegradable”. They clearly got the message!
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