Here are a few ways for you to take care of your carbon footprint during your holidays, and then try to take those good habits home with you! 
 
BEFORE LEAVING, SAVE ENERGY
Turn off all the electrical appliances and devices that you won’t use while you're gone. Unplug everything you can and try to keep running appliances at a minimum. If you are leaving for an extended period of time, take this opportunity to clean out your fridge and freezer to dispose of the unwanted items. If you are really motivated, you can even empty it entirely and leave it off while you're gone. Donate the items to a friend in need or a community center for those less fortunate than you. Waste not, want not. 

CARPOOL
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If you cannot avoid driving, try and fill all the spaces in your car that you can. All over the world you can find apps, facebook pages and websites that connect people traveling in the same directions for ride shares. This reduces your carbon emissions and can even save you a little money on gas with friends to share the bill! 

PRINT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE
 
Don’t bother printing your booking tickets. You probably wont need them and find them transformed into a sweaty lump in your money belt weeks later.  Nowadays just showing your passport or ID card is enough for the hostess to find you in the database at the airline check-in counter. You can also show the QR code from the company on your mobile.
Take photos on your phone or save a copy of your important documents on your cloud so you can access it at anytime if needed.
 

DON’T WRAP YOUR LUGGAGE IN PLASTIC
 
Use protective luggage covers or just a secured clip instead of the wasteful shrink wrap machine. There are many options for keeping your luggage clean and firmly shut. 
 
USE An ECO FRIENDLY SUNSCREEN
 
Did you know that conventional sunscreen contains a chemical that destroys coral reefs and marine ecosystems? Its name is oxybenzone, and many sunscreens contain it. According to experts, approximately 14,000 tons of sunscreen end up in the oceans every year.
Search online or at your local dive center for reef safe options. They are now becoming increasingly affordable and easy to find. 

​SAY NO TO STRAWS
When you order your cocktail at the beach bar, don’t forget to say “no straw”. Single use plastic straws have been the target of successful global campaigns raising awareness of how they can impact our oceans. 
If you don't like to sip your drink from the edge of the cup consider a reusable option like metal or bamboo. You can even buy collapsible straws that are easily stored in a small case connected to a keychain. 

BRING YOUR CUP
 
Do you need the comfort of caffeine in the morning? Do you hate drinking your sunset mojito from disposable plastic cups? 
Where many people will think to bring a reusable water bottle, most don't think to bring other reusable beverage receptacles. An insulated thermos for your morning coffee is a great way to reduce waste and keep the drink piping hot until you're ready for your fix. Beach bars are notorious for going through hundreds of plastic cups in a night. You can do your part by having your own party tumbler which will keep your drink cold and covered from sand or other undesirable additions.
There's even an added bonus that some places will offer you a discount for bringing your own cup!
 
…. AND YOUR CUP!
 
Ladies, we all know that week when the bathroom’s trash bin is particularly full. Have you ever tried the cup?
This revolutionary feminine hygiene product helps to reduce the rubbish you can produce during that special time of the month. You can wear it day or nights, for much longer than a tampon. It's also very comfortable and rarely leaks. 
Trying is adopting it! Even for diving, it is tested and approved.

Most of the best dives are in a location where you are likely to meet strong currents. Take as example our beautiful Mergui Archipelago: currents bring nutrients and therefore lots of underwater life. But, it can be tricky to navigate, especially if you can't drift with it because the underwater topography doesn't allow it. Below you will find a few tips to make your immersion more comfortable and safe!

If there are any marker buoys at the surface, have a look at them. Usually if there is some current you will see it splitting at the marker level. It will give an indication of the direction and the speed.
Check the tide timetable, it could give you indications of whether the tide is going down (you have more chance to have a North to South current), or up (South to North current). Currents are weakest when its at its highest or lowest point so depending on the dive site you want to explore, this can be a great time to dive.
Ask the diving professionals or the captain of the boat. They might know how to read the water movement from the surface and can even give you tips to be able to understand it yourself.  

Depending where you want to dive, you will have to chose the best and safest entry.

• if you can find shelter at the surface: (a rock or island rising out of the water)

If you are diving from a big boat, it might be easier for the dive group to jump into a dinghy. This can allow you to get as close as possible to the entry point where you can be protected from a strong surface current which could make you drift away from the dive site before descending. Thereby, especially for beginners, you can still go into the water positively buoyant and take your time to go descend slowly.

• If you dive a pinnacle (underwater mountain) :

From a big boat or a dinghy, the best way to enter will be with a negative entry (with no air in your BCD). You will not be affected by the surface current and will be able to go straight down and meet the group at the bottom.

If you have to swim against the current, you have to maintain a horizontal position in order to reduce water resistance. Proper weighting is the key of being streamlined!
Moreover, make sure all your equipment is streamlined. Any alternate air source hose, torch or pointer dangling off your gear can get stuck in the reef or make your movements more difficult.
If you are photographer, diving into current with very big cameras can be tricky. If you have the option to take a smaller device for strong current dives, don't hesitate!
If you find yourself out of breath or too tired to kick against the current, stay close to the bottom and find a piece of rock or dead coral to rest. You can also pull yourself with one or two fingers to help you reach the point of interest. Obviously do this while staying respectful to the environment; Don't touch anything alive, and limit contact as much as possible.

Watching how this fish move can give you an idea of how to deal with the current.
For example, if you see a fish close to a rock staying still, you would want to seek shelter in the same place if you want to rest.
If you see a fish swimming in a vertical head up position along a wall or a slope, you understand that you will have to face a down current; don't panic and adjust your buoyancy.
Schools of barracuda or trevally hunt swimming against the current so seeing this behaviour can give you an indication of current direction. You can also observe how strong they are swimming to have an idea of the strength of the current.

- You will use more gas fighting the current, so check your air gauge more often.
- You might have to stay in deep areas to find shelter or to observe the underwater life revolving around you. Be careful to watch your No Decompression Limit closely!
- If you get caught in an uncontrollable current and have to end the dive, deploy your Surface Marker Buoy as soon as possible so the captain can follow you from the surface during your safety stop. It will avoid surfacing far away from the boat and long swims.
- Dive with a professional or experienced diver who can give you advice on your technique and guide you around the dive site safely.
​- If you don't feel comfortable, end the dive! Your well-being is the most important thing to consider.

"How much weight do I need?" "Should I take one more kilo to be sure?", "how do I know when I can shed one more weight from my belt?".
These are very common questions asked to dive professionals all over the world. 

​Good buoyancy control is a crucial part of diving which allows you to dive safely, while avoid damaging the reef or your equipment. When properly weighted, you will consume less air, and generally enjoy your dive more.
Although mastering this art requires time and practice, a very good place to start is with appropriate weighting!

One of the most common injuries while diving is a painful Middle Ear barotrauma, I’m sure you all felt a squeeze in your ears, even when only snorkeling and trying to go a few centimeters below the surface without equalizing, while diving, your ear are subject to the pressure around you and this squeeze can become very painful and cause serious permanent damage to your ear.

As you might know, pressure increase when going deeper below the surface. Your middle ear is a dead air space, connected to the back of your throat by the normally closed Eustachian canals, if you fail to fill up this space with air when the pressure around you increases (this is called equalizing) this is what’s happening: