MORTEN
Morten Have Hansen, fly fisherman and co-founder of the initiative #PlasticInTheBasket, comes with a message that we can all do something - he tells us about campaigns and missions to save the ocean! Painting the real and unfortunate picture of many Danish coastal areas, he gives ideas on how to contribute to conserving our environment. #PlasticInTheBasket is an online phenomenon founded in 2017 by Nikolaj Korsholm and our ocean hero, Morten Have Hansen.
THE OCEAN AS A PIECE OF US
Morten’s connection to the ocean originates from his childhood. Growing up on a danish island and spending a lot of time close to the water, developed a very natural connection to the ocean. “The ocean is a big part of my life and it always has been..[It] feels like home, no matter where I am”. Committed to his long-term hobby, Fly Fishing, Morten spends his holidays travelling the world with a fly rod in his hand and considers the ocean to be an escape - a place where one can be peaceful and reflective.
FROM LITTER PICKS TO #PlasticInTheBasket
#PlasticInTheBasket was founded in 2017, initially as a hashtag campaign by Nikolaj Korsholm, when he started noticing the amount of plastic found at the danish coastlines and decided to do something about it. As Morten explains, we seem to tend to look at the ocean and not what lays further inland, but for a healthy ocean ecosystem, we need to become more aware of our impact anywhere.
“The beaches might seem clean at first, but having a closer look often reveals the opposite. An example of this occurred in the autumn of 2020 where we were hosting a plastic collection in collaboration with a Fly Fishing event. One of the organisers claimed that the piece of coast we had chosen was almost plastic-free. However, in just 50 minutes 22 participants collected 120 kg of waste materials.”
#PlasticInTheBasket, now as an initiative and a campaign, contributes to taking care of the ocean by inspiring people to collect plastic and trash while enjoying nature. Its principle is simple: pick it up and put it in the basket! The name comes from the baskets that fly fishermen usually carry and extends to all kinds of ways that can help fight pollution. “Our mission is to make picking up waste as natural as putting it in the bin at home.” Through events and social media campaigns, the team hopes to inspire people around the world to contribute to saving the ocean.
OCEAN CHALLENGES
As Morten puts it, global warming has a massive impact on the ocean, but nowadays this hardly is a surprise - “thankfully the majority of world leaders are aware of the problem”. He also believes that commercial fisheries are a massive threat to ocean wildlife, as it impacts entire ecosystems. “To end this, we need to stop eating the same amounts of fish on a global scale. The ocean can not keep up with our massive consumption.”
“We need to stop using the ocean as a trashcan. In many cultures, rivers provide a natural waste disposal. This was maybe sustainable hundreds of years ago, when waste contained only organic materials. Today, the majority of materials can not decompose in nature. This phenomenon is one of the reasons why we see huge amounts of plastic in the ocean.”
INSPIRED AND INSPIRING
Morten’s happiest ocean memory is his first fishing trip with his dad when he was able to catch several sea-run brown trout. He mentions that this was the point when he knew he was completely hooked with the sport, as well as the ocean sceneries!
During the several events organised by #PlasticInTheBasket, Morten finds it fascinating to see so many people with so much energy to help out. “The atmosphere and passion are hard to describe with words. It is like a drug that makes you high for days!” His own ocean heroes are ordinary people who are actively participating in taking care of the ocean. “It is the everyday heroes that count and their way of inspiring others. They truly make ocean sustainability cool and relatable for everyone.”
Our ocean hero is inspired and thankful for all the wonderful memories and experiences the ocean has provided him with over the years, and that therapeutic effect that fills his body and soul with peace.
#Tavaha
To Morten, taking care of the ocean means being aware of our own personal impact, and finding ways to reduce it. It means choosing a cause that matters and leading by example. His #tavahatips are:
Consider what your personal impact on the ocean is and how it can be limited
Take action e.g. collect plastic and other waste materials
Spread the word and inspire others to do the same