Ocean Hero of July - Kirstine Engell
A quick introduction of yourself
I’m a travelling session hairstylist & makeup artist, freelance writer, qualified yoga instructor, avid surfer, part time beach bum and full time life enthusiast. My ultimate ambition is to interview awesome ocean lovers, because there is just something special experienced in every ocean moment and I strive to share those tales and educate people in how we all can become more aware of ways to protect the sea.
What do you do to take care of the ocean?
Working in the beauty industry, you really become aware of how much nasty stuff there tends to be released into the aquatic environment. Personal care products like shampoos, shower gels and face washes are almost unavoidable in every household, making them a large threat. Take for example the little balls of microplastic, that have been causing chaos for many years, flushing down our drains and eventually making their way into the oceans, polluting the water and killing marine life. And when you think that a single shower could result in 100,000 microbeads entering the water system, it's easy to understand how vast the issue is and that we all have to make an effort to make a change.
When did the ocean become important for you?
I’ve been a swimmer since my childhood, my grandad was a sailor and my dad was born on the beautiful island Bornholm. Both my parents are ocean lovers so it has been a very organic part of my whole life. I tend to feel sick or restless if I’m far away from the ocean for too long. My grandma was also a swimmer, for not to mention a crystal healer. I’m slowly turning into a spiritual cowgirl myself, feeling that surfing can offer a calling as much as a more obvious spiritual teaching. The ocean is not just home to us ocean lovers, but it is home to the greatest abundance of life on our planet. I think every surfer craves the experience of surfing with sea turtles, dolphins or sitting close to basking sharks in blue-green water. This will rarely happen in the future if we don’t stop polluting our seas, which I became very aware of on a sad surf day in Uluwatu last year, paddling through big piles of plastic I could never have imagined existed, before I saw it and felt it!
What role does the ocean play in your life?
The minute I step my foot in the ocean nothing else matters except being at one with it. For me surfing is the best way to challenge myself both mentally and physically, which gives me so much respect and power of nature. Surfing has taught me to adapt to different situations in life, but to always remember to have fun.
What do you think is the biggest challenge we have to solve in order to save the ocean?
When it comes to saving our planet, I'm fully aware that we can't all individually take the “Go Big or Go Home” approach. There are so many amazing, simple ways out there to contribute to the wellbeing of our planet, simply by making it local: Grab your keep-cup for coffees, say no to single use plastic, subscribe to sustainable toilet paper or toothbrushes. By using small items that are plastic free and biodegradable, you’re that tiny bit closer to cleaning up the only home we all have. Baby steps. I'm not asking you to save the world, just to go to the toilet, brush your teeth and drink your coffee in a more sustainable way.
What is your happiest ocean memory?
Every moment I spend in a new, foreign land adds a favorite one. I recently visited South Korea, Bali, Cornwall and Morocco, and those travels were absolutely sublime moments of my life. All in different ways, with different waves but left me with the same pure happiness bubbling inside of me.
Who are your everyday heroes?
Gosh, so many. Definitely Rowan I just did an interview with for Girls are Awesome - there's actually also a live Talk you can find on their IGTV. She is so inspirational not only for her work as a marine scientist crossing the Great Pacific garbage patc with exxpedition an All-female sailing voyages investigating ocean plastic pollution, helping people use their skills to solve it, but also for her podcast sustain.our.seas, values and opinions on life and human equality. Rowan actually made me become aware of that Certain chemicals in plastics (phthalates, bisphenol A -BPA etc.) have the potential to disrupt especially women’s hormone and reproductive systems.
What would you like to thank the ocean for?
For soothing my wild soul through surfing. I’m so busy in my life, so ambitious in my career and so hungry to see positive change in the world - and the by-product of all that activity is stress, which is why I need to surf or be close to the sea. As soon as I duck under the waves, it all slides off into the whitewash. Trimming along the face is my meditation. Surfing brings you face to face with the raw beauty of nature. When I leave the ocean for the day my mind is clear, my body is honed and my adventurous soul is satisfied. Surfing is nature’s therapy!
What does tavaha (Tag Vare på Havet) mean to you?
That we simply have to do whatever we’re able to from where we stand to help sustain our seas and its wildlife. Change that toothbrush, skip the straw, use reef friendly sunscreen and always, ALWAYS grab some garbage from the beaches you visit. It should be as normal as wearing undies!
What are your three #tavahatips for taking care of the ocean?
1. Be eco-friendly about the small things as mentioned above :)
2. Educate yourself and be curious on your everyday products:
UV Filter, The ingredients have been shown to be toxic to marine life, including deformed coral larvae, plankton and algae, as well as accumulating in the muscles of fish and crustaceans (which humans then eat).
Triclosan, If you own an antibacterial hand gel, (and I know you sure do under the world's circumstances RN), chances are it contains Triclosan. After entering the water system, Triclosan accumulates in the cells of algae and marine mammals, restricting their growth and killing them. The toxin is also found in our drinking water and is thought to be of similar threat to humans.
Parabens, The concern is that parabens, like some UV filters, are endocrine disruptors, not only affecting the hormone levels in marine life, but potentially humans, too.
3. Why not make your own sunscreen?
Ingredients for DIY mineral-based sunscreen:
Coconut Oil (SPF 4-6)
Almond Oil (SPF 5)
Jojoba Oil (SPF 4)
Rose Hip Oil
Zinc Oxide Powder (Every % of the total mix is +/-1 SPF 2)
Shea Butter (SPF 4-6)
Cacao butter
Love <3
Thankyou for sharing my thoughts <3