Planet Mermaid Blog
Planet Mermaid helps save the Whales and Dolphins!
Planet Mermaid is very proud to have one of its own mermaid team member’s sign up to the “Swim Serpentine” event to raise valuable funds for WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, the leading global charity dedicated to the protection of whales, dolphins and porpoises. The Swim Serpentine event is a one day open water swimming event held on Saturday 18th September at the beautiful Serpentine in Hyde Park, London, home of the Serpentine Swimming Club. Hyde Park swimming is open to everyone at the Serpentine Lido and is an amazing venue to do wild water swimming. Mermaid Ophelie who took no hesitation in signing up comments: “When I was given the opportunity to participate in this event, I said yes straight away without knowing too much about the details. I am always up for doing new and exciting things that challenge me and allow me to work towards a specific goal, all whilst raising money for a great cause. I had recently seen articles about an annual tradition in the Faroe Islands in Denmark where a festival involves the needless killing of hundreds of dolphins and whales, these images have continued to be my inspiration and motivation for doing the swim. Whales, dolphins and all sea creatures are a Mermaid's best friend and they need to be saved, they all deserve a chance to live. When I started training, I was barely able to swim 500m, and this was with lots of breaks! I can now swim 1600m with minimal breaks and longer sets, with each session I try and push myself to swim longer and further. I have loved swimming and being in the water, both in pools and outside in the fresh and most of the time very chilly water. My hair never looks nice, I always seem to have water in my ears and can’t get rid of the smell of chlorine, but it is completely worth it! I'm so excited for the event on the 18th September and can’t wait to swim alongside everyone else participating, I'm sure I won’t be the only mermaid there” Planet Mermaids founder Maggie goes on to say: “We at Planet Mermaid are super proud of Mermaid Ophelie for her endurance, strength and courage to improve her health and stamina whilst doing her part to help save whales, dolphins and porpoises; we are behind her at every stage of this exciting journey” Mermaid Ophelie is openwater swimming in her wetsuit and neoprene swim cap but has said if she raises enough for WDC she may think about using her mermaid tail or even enter other open water swim races in 2021! Mermaid Ophelie has been training extremely hard for this and if all goes well may look to do the North Channel Swim as her next challenge!! Ophelie has already smashed her £300 target which is simply amazing, lets help her get to her ultimate goal of £700, simply click on the link to go straight to her just giving page of you would like to donate to this worthy cause - https://bit.ly/3ySjHyb If Mermaid Ophelie has inspired you to try openwater swimming and you are thinking about where you can find “open water swimming near me” just google and locations will come up near you. Mermaid Ophelie chose to train at Box End, Kempston in Bedfordshire, near Planet Mermaids HQ. Planet Mermaid will be cheering Mermaid Ophelie on during her swim the 18th September so keep an eye on our social media for live updates! Go Mermaid Ophelie you truly are an inspiration and the whales, dolphins and porpoises will be so proud of you!
Plastic Free July
History Plastic Free July is an international movement designed to educate millions of people to reduce their plastic waste. The inspiration behind it is that even if one person makes just one small change collectively it will make a massive difference to the world we live in. Source: Google It is so inspiring that it has captured over 250 million participants in over 177 countries! Shocking Ocean Plastic Statistics: The visibility of plastic waste pollution is increasing because of its accumulation in recent decades and unlike organic waste, plastic can take hundreds to thousands of years to decompose in nature. Source: Google The shocking statistics highlighted below show just how severe this problem is getting: More than 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine animals die from plastic pollution every year. 100% of baby sea turtles have plastic in their stomachs. There is now 25 trillionmacro and micro pieces of plastic in our ocean & 46,000 pieces in every square mile of ocean, weighing up to 269,000 tonnes. Every day around 8 million pieces of plastic makes their way into our oceans. The world produces 381 million tonnes in plastic waste yearly – this is set to double by 2034. Over 2 million tonnes of plastic packaging are used in the UK each year. 88% of the sea's surface is polluted by plastic waste. Between 8 to 14 million tonnes enters our ocean every year. Britain contributes an estimated 7 million tonnes of plastic annually. Plastic packaging is the biggest culprit, resulting in 80 million tonnes of waste yearly from the US alone. On UK beaches there are 5000 pieces of plastic & 150 plastic bottles for each mile. More than 1 million plastic bags end up in rubbish bins every minute. The world uses over 500 billion plastic bags a year – that’s 150 for each person on Earth. 3 billion plastic straws pollute the world’s beaches, but only 1% of straws end up as waste in the ocean. By 2020 the number of plastics in the sea will be higher than the number of fish. 1 in 3 fish caught for human consumption contains plastic. Source: https://bit.ly/3gtPgWi Source: Google What can we do about it? – Take the Challenge! Visit https://bit.ly/3gqgqgG to sign up to “plastic free July” and enjoy reading stories from other participants and receive the latest plastic-free ideas and tips to help you reduce your own plastic intake and in turn help save the environment. Beach Clean Ups One fantastic activity very close to Planet Mermaids heart is a beach clean-up! With the summer holidays soon upon us the desire to visit the beach is ever more luring! Why not make a difference and organise a local clean up or even just spend an hour or so during your trip picking up rubbish that has been washed to shore or left by fellow holiday makers. You never know if people see you doing such an amazing thing they may offer to help! Source: Google Take lots of photos and share them on social media and use the @plasticfreejuly handle along with @PlanetMermaid to promote your amazing work. Visit www.planetmermaid.com to view our latest in amazing fabric mermaid tails for kids and adults, woman’s mermaid monofins, siren tails, mermaid leggings, mermaid tops, mermaid swimsuits, mermaid gifts and a whole lot more! Mermaid love to you all Keep safe! @plasticfreejuly
World Reef Awareness Day
World Reef Awareness Day held on the 1st June was founded by Raw Elements, a certified natural sunscreen company, to inform the world about the importance of our reefs and inform us how we can protect them. Source: Google This day is a call to action for businesses, organisations and consumers to reflect on how delicate our coral reefs are and bring people together to actively promote change of our current ways through education and awareness. What are Coral Reefs? Coral reefs are living communities of colonial organism made of individual polyps that excrete a bone-like skeleton. This skeleton forms large rock-like structures that are homes for thousands of organisms. They provide an important eco system for marine life giving them food and shelter. Source: Google Where are Coral Reefs Found? Corals are found in all oceans however they only build reefs in warm waters, the most famous being the Great Barrier Reef in Australia which is a staggering 2,300 kilometres long! The Health of our Coral Reefs The health of a reef tells us a great deal about the state of an ocean and many fish and other ocean animals rely on the reef for protection, food and most importantly their life support system. The benefits of a healthy reef ecosystem go far beyond the ocean: essential to the plant and fish-life contribute to a lively fishing industry protect beaches and coastlines from erosion acts as the oceans filter provide life-saving medicines and possibly the one animal on the planet capable of consuming plastic Source: https://bit.ly/36w8Ey5 Coral Reef Threats There is however a great threat to our amazing reefs and this is in the form of coral bleaching. This is such a desperate problem that reefs are disappearing at a rapid rate. The Great Barrier Reef for example has decreased by 40% and others along the Florida Keys and the Caribbean have seen a decline between 85-99%! Source: Google What causes coral reefs to die off? Rising sea temperatures Industrial pollution, plastic pollution, sewage Chemical sunscreens and Unmanaged, high-density tourism all threaten coral reefs. Source: https://bit.ly/2M0l0Fe How can we help protect our Coral Reefs? One easy step to help protect our amazing coral reefs is to wear non nano zinc oxide sunscreen. This reduces the toxicity and the impact to our ecosystems is mitigated. If each of us spreads this awareness we in turn help save our reefs for tomorrow and will be able to continue to enjoy the splendor these magical ecosystems have to offer.. maybe even in your magical mermaid tail! For further information please visit www.worldreefday.org
National Sea Monkey Day
Yay today is National Sea Monkey Day! Have you ever had your own sea monkeys to grow? The excitement of sprinkling that magical ingredient into the water and then watching them hatch, diving and flipping around in the water. Source: Google The contentment and wonder of watching a creature being born right in front of you is just amazing! Did you know that Sea Monkeys were invented in 1957 by Harold von Braunhut and have been part of our households since the 1960’s! They have even made appearances on television including The Simpsons and Desperate Housewives! But…the most amazing experience they have encountered was on October 29th 1998 when they went into space with the astronaut John Glenn aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. After nine days in space they returned to Earth and hatched eight weeks later completely unaffected by their travels…WOW!! Source: Google How do Sea Monkeys get their name as they don’t live in the sea nor do they look like monkeys? Well it is because they have long tails and demonstrate playful, monkey like behaviour! One of the most fascinating characteristics of the Sea Monkey is its ability to live for years as an egg before it hatches, and then once hatched they grow steadily over the next few weeks feeding on a diet of yeast and spirulina. Source: Google Want to know some Sea Monkey facts to impress your friends?! Sea Monkeys have three eyes and breathe through their feet! Sea Monkeys go by many names. They are actually a form of brine shrimp with the biological name of "Artemia NYOS". Sometimes they are also called seed shrimps When Sea Monkeys are born, they are so tiny it’s very difficult to see them. In about a month’s time, they grow to about a half inch in length and will begin mating to make more baby Sea Monkeys! Sea Monkeys are loving little creatures who kiss and cuddle to show affection for one another When Sea Monkeys need more oxygen, they will swim upside down. Since they breathe through their feet, this type of swimming provides it. A cousin shrimp, the fairy shrimp, swims upside down all the time The “special ingredient” that is added to the Sea Monkey’s water is actually sea salt. Sea Monkeys have to live in salt water to survive Sea Monkeys eat algae, so unless it gets too bad, don’t clean the sides of their tank of algae You can tell a Sea Monkey is properly fed when you see its tummy turns black after eating If the tank is too cold, Sea Monkeys won’t grow Sea Monkeys can change colour anywhere from white to a deep, dark red Male Sea Monkeys have whiskers on their chins 6 degrees is the perfect temperature for a Sea Monkey tank They can live up to 2 years if cared for well Source: https://bit.ly/2zTlBWq Why not celebrate National Sea Monkey Day by buying some Sea Monkeys of your own and enjoy watching them grow! We would love to hear how you get on..what will you call them? Leave your feedback please visit our social media pages - @PlanetMermaid #planetmermaid On a separate note we are still scheduling mermaid swimming sessions via www.mermaidwave.com for this summer and we recommend keeping spirits high in such strange times by letting our children continue to believe in the magic of hope and prosperity. Please use the #mermaidlockdown to show the world that the UK will continue to be hopeful and positive in a time where our generation can use technology to unite spirit and mind. Planet Mermaid will continue posting parcels whilst our UK/International Couriers continue to knock on our door in Bedford to collect. Please look out for any vulnerable neighbours and extend the hand of grace and kindness to all postal staff, NHS staff and shopkeepers, small businesses who continue to provide a service. At this time we would like to say the biggest mermaid thank you to you all for your continued support. Visit www.planetmermaid.com to view our latest in amazing fabric mermaid tails for kids and adults, woman’s mermaid monofins, siren tails, mermaid leggings, mermaid tops, mermaid swimsuits, mermaid gifts and a whole lot more! Mermaid love to you all Keep safe! #mermaidlockdown #NationalSeaMonkeyDay
Global Recycling Day – 18th March 2020
Today is “Global Recycling Day” a day to highlight the importance of recycling and make us think about what we throw away. The last 100 years has seen a rise in temperatures seeing the hottest days recorded. The climate is now facing an emergency and if we do not each make changes to our way of living we will see a continued rise in global temperatures leading to melting icecaps, deforestation, fires and pollution. Source: globalrecyclingday.com Something very close to Planet Mermaids heart is the harm pollution is doing to our oceans. The invention of plastic plagues the land we live on, it is not only overwhelming landfills because it does not decay; it is also filling our oceans with harmful debris killing marine life. It is estimated that more than 817 animal species are affected by ocean pollution, an increase of 23% in the last five years alone! Source: Google Oceans are the biggest water bodies on our planet however in the last few decades’ surplus human activity have severely affected marine life. “Marine pollution is spreading harmful substances such as oil, plastic and other waste into our oceans. Source: Google Below are some disturbing facts that really put into perspective the problems our oceans are experiencing right now: The North Pacific Ocean is the most polluted of the World’s oceans – it holds 2 trillion pieces of plastic, representing one third of the total plastic found in our oceans! Plastics are the most common element found in the ocean today According to a recent study 18 billion pounds of plastic trash ends up in our oceans each year. That is enough to cover every foot of coastline around the world with 5 filled rubbish bags of plastic! The five most common items found in coastal clean-ups were plastic cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastic beverage bottles, plastic bottle caps and plastic straws There are 25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean, of that 269,000 tonnes float to the surface Plastic causes more than 80% of the negative effects on animals associated with ocean trash Ocean pollution kills more than one million sea birds each year Approximately every square mile of ocean has more than 45,000 pieces of plastic floating on it Over 100,000 marine animals die each year from plastic It is estimated by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish! Source:rubiconglobal.com It is not too late we can still turn this problem around but it needs everyone on board to do their bit to help the environment. Source: Google To get us stated why not start to follow the ten simple steps below to help make a difference and save our amazing oceans: Conserve water Reduce pollutants Reduce waste – recycle what you can Shop wisely Reduce vehicle pollution – walk more/do lift shares/take public transport Use less energy Fish responsibly Use reusable plastic products Respect our habitat Volunteer to help clean beaches, help with injured sea animals, raise money for worthy charities Source: oceanservice.noaa.gov Oceans provide a home to a wide variety of marine animals and plants and it is the responsibility of each and every one of us to play our parts to help make these oceans clean again so our important marine species…and mermaids can thrive for decades to come! Remember even the smallest of changes really can make a difference! If you would like to volunteer with beach clean ups please visit www.nationaltrust.org/lists/pitch-in-with-a-beach-clean and you will be given information on events held around the country and how you can sign up to help. Source: Google We would love to hear from you if you have already done or going to do your bit to help our amazing oceans. All you need to do is tell us your stories on our social media platforms so we can share with fellow mermaid lovers alike! @PlanetMermaid #planetmermaid @mermaidwave #mermaiwave Visit www.planetmermaid.com to view our latest in amazing fabric mermaid tails for kids and adults, woman’s mermaid monofins, siren tails and a whole lot more! Keep mermaiding and sharking
World Book Day – Thursday 5th March 2020
World Book Day is celebrated every year and is a festivity of literature, illustrators and authors all getting together to enjoy the general love reading has to offer. This year the theme is “share a million stories” It is a proven fact that storytelling is a fantastic learning platform and not only does it provide confidence and enjoyment to the recipient it also greatly improves: Literacy & creative writing Composition Spoken English Speaking & listening Language & vocabulary Communication skills Cultural understanding Participation Learning & thinking skills In fact, there’s evidence to suggest that reading for pleasure is more likely to determine whether a child does well at school, rather than their social or economic background. To coincide with World Book Day Planet Mermaid are excited to announce the launch of their very own book club where you will have the opportunity to share your love of ocean themed books with fellow mermaid friends and once a month be given suggestions for exciting reads. The club will give you the opportunity to dive deeper into the enchanting world of merfolk. From mermaids at school, to merfolk mixing with humans in magical ways, or getting lost in the fun mermaids and sharks get up to on their adventures, these picks are sure to make a splash with children of all ages. Whether you are a merboy or mermaid there are plenty of exciting reads to choose from. Let Planet Mermaid lead you into the enchanted world beneath the sea. Source: Google To get the book club going we would like to introduce our first book of the month “Can you catch a Mermaid?” (by Jane Ray) Source: Google This story is an enchanting, touching tale about friendship, filled with a wonderful sense of magic, myth and mystery. Beautifully told and illustrated by the award-winning Jane Ray, this magical story is perfect for mermaid lovers of all ages. We would love to hear your personal thoughts on this or make any suggestions for future reads. There is a prize each month for the best feedback! To be part of our monthly book club and to leave your feedback please visit our social media pages - @PlanetMermaid #planetmermaid Visit www.planetmermaid.com to view our latest in amazing fabric mermaid tails for kids and adults, woman’s mermaid monofins, siren tails and a whole lot more! Happy reading…. Keep mermaiding and sharking
National Hug Day 2020
Now who doesn’t like a hug from someone, whether it be a friendly greeting or an expression of warmth showing your gratitude for someone, hugs are the best way to express your love when words fail to describe. It is an indication of trust and control in your life. Source: Google National Hug Day is an annual event on the 21st January. Founded in Michigan it has spread through the years to Canada, UK, Australia, Poland and Germany. This annual day is dedicated to the act of hugging, whether it is with a loved one, a special friend or a stranger who you feel just needs an arm around them. Receiving a hug not only provides emotional support it is also proven to have health benefits. Studies have shown that hugs increase levels of oxytocin and reduce blood pressure! Source: Google A hug can convey different messages so it is best to be aware of the message you are trying to put across when hugging. The most common types of hugs are: Bear Hug – tight, reassuring and worth a million words Polite Hug – a hug you usually share with acquaintances and colleagues One-Way Hug – when one person hugs with everything they have but is not reciprocated by the other party Intimate Hug – a close, full-body embrace Buddy Hug – a sideways hug suggesting a level of comfort and trust Back Hug – another form of an intimate hug, a sign of trust and protection Source: https://bit.ly/2P7FA9j There is one hug that has not been included above and one which all mermaids think is the most important of all….the “Mermaid hug” let’s try and get this hug within the top six for next year’s National Hug Day! Source: Google If you are embracing National Hug Day today please let us know and tell us which hug is your favourite, we would love to hear from you and share on our social media pages - @PlanetMermaid #planetmermaid Visit www.planetmermaid.com to view our latest in amazing fabric mermaid tails for kids and adults, woman’s mermaid monofins, siren tails and a whole lot more! Keep mermaiding and sharking
National Cookie Day - 4th December
How to Celebrate! National Cookie Day is a day when people come together to bake cookies. It is a time when parents and their children have fun in the kitchen making lots of edible treats for all to enjoy and with lots of different cookie recipes to choose from the hardest part is deciding which recipe is the tastiest! Who would not want to get together and celebrate such a fun and yummy day! History of the Cookie – How did it all come about? While the origin of National Cookie Day is unknown, the history of the cookie is very interesting. Cookies were invented during the 7th century in Persia. It then spread throughout Europe thanks to the Muslim conquest of Spain where the cookie would continue to march across the continent until it became one of the most eaten snack foods in Europe by the 15th Century. The story does not stop in Europe, in the 17th century the cookie had made its way across the Atlantic into the Americas via the Dutch settlers of the time. Colonial housewives snatched up the concept of the cookie and began making their own using butter or if they wanted to be more elaborate rose water, maple syrup or even beer! Source: https://bit.ly/2OGwm2c Even today cookies are a very popular choice when it comes to baking and consuming. We Brits ate a record breaking £3 billion in 2018 alone! Mermaid Inspired Cookies Why not have a go yourself! For the mermaid lovers amongst us it is the perfect opportunity to bake mermaid inspired cookies. To get your creative design juices flowing below is just a small selection of amazing mermaid inspired cookie designs which you could try at home: Source: Google To get you going why not try out this delicious recipe: Under the Sea Cookies Ingredients For the cookies 100g butter, softened 75g caster sugar 1 egg yolk 200g plain flour 1-2 tbsp milk For the royal icing 15g egg white 455g icing sugar 75g water To decorate Wilton® Colour Right System Scrumptious Sprinkles Unicorn Sprinkletti Mix or Under the Sea Sprinkletti Mix Instructions Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Lightly grease 3 baking trays. Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and cream together until light and fluffy. Separate the egg yolk from the white and set the white aside. Beat in the egg yolk. Sift in the flour and mix well with enough milk to give a fairly soft dough. Knead the mixture gently on a lightly floured surface and roll out to 5mm thick. Cut into your chosen cookie shapes, place on the prepared baking trays and bake for 8-10 minutes. To make the royal icing, first sieve the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the egg white and combine gently. Add the water and mix with a spoon until combined. Using an electric mixer, mix on low for up to 15 minutes until you have a nice light texture. To colour your icing, first mix colours in a ramekin or small bowl, then add small amounts using a cocktail stick to achieve the colour you want – you will need approx. 2 tablespoons of royal icing to 2-3 touches from a cocktail stick. We used the following number of drops from the Wilton Colour Right System: Blue: 4 x blue Lilac: 6 x red, 2 x blue Jade green: 8 x blue, 4 x yellow Pink: 8 x red, 1 x blue, 6x pink Pipe the outline on the biscuits using a disposable piping bag fitted with a piping tube. When the outline has dried, let down your icing by adding a few drops of water until it has the consistency of thick yoghurt. Spoon the let-down icing into a piping bag, snip off the tip to make a very small hole and fill in the middle of your icing design. Use a small decorating brush to help spread it to the edges and remove any air bubbles. Leave to dry completely unless you’re adding sprinkles to the wet icing. Decorating tips Mermaid – ice the face, arms and middle first and leave to dry, then ice the rest. Add sprinkles to her tail when the icing is wet. When fully dry, paint on her face using a black edible food pen. Turtle – add sprinkles to the wet icing to make the shell. Shark – pipe on the teeth and eye using white icing. Seahorse – pipe a wavy snail trail from its head to tail and three little dots in rows on its fin. Attach tiny pearls and stars to this icing then paint on eyes. Starfish – stick a large pearl from the sprinkles in the middle, then pipe small dots of white icing along the centre of each arm. Source: https://bit.ly/2OYo3iz Why not have a go yourself and send us your creations to our social media pages, we would love to see them and share with fellow mermaid lovers! @PlanetMermaid #planetmermaid Visit www.planetmermaid.com to view our latest in amazing fabric mermaid tails for kids and adults, woman’s mermaid monofins, siren tails and a whole lot more! Keep mermaiding and sharking x
World Kindness Day 2019
World Kindness Day is celebrated annually on 13th November with the attempt to make the world a better place by celebrating and promoting good deeds and pledging acts of kindness, either as individuals or as organisations. What does kindness really mean? Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Affection, gentleness, warmth, concern, and care are words that are associated with kindness. While kindness has a connotation of meaning someone is naive or weak, that is not the case. Being kind often requires courage and strength. Source: Google The origin of the word kindness came from the old English word “Kyndnes” meaning “nation” or “produce, increase”. It derived from the Middle English word “Kindenes” meaning “noble deeds” or “courtesy” and the first recorded use of the word kindness was in the 14th century. World Kindness Day was launched in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, an organisation formed at a Tokyo conference in 1997 made up of like-minded kindness organisations from all around the world. To date there are over 28 nations involved in this amazing day where the mission is to create a kinder world by inspiring individuals and organisations towards better kindness. Kindness Day UK is organised by Kindness UK, a non profit organisation launched on the 13th November 2010. Since its establishment this day has grown from strength to strength s and now individuals, schools, charities, institutions and businesses all take part. How can you join in the fun? If you would like to take part all you need to do is pledge a good deed, for example you can: Give complements Smile at a stranger Hold the door open for someone Say thank you Offer support to those in need Give up your seat to someone else on public transport Offer your lunch to someone less fortunate than yourself Offer to make the tea and coffee to all your work colleagues Share treats with your friends …anything goes! Most of us take for granted what we have and are so focused on our own day to day lives that we forget what is happening around us, this day brings it home and shows you that by simply doing something nice for others really does feels good! Planet Mermaid challenges you to do five acts of kindness for other people. We would love to hear what you have done and how it has made you feel. Please share your acts of kindness with us on our social media platforms using #WKD, we would love to see them and share with fellow mermaid lovers! @PlanetMermaid #planetmermaid Visit www.planetmermaid.com to view our latest in amazing fabric mermaid tails for kids and adults alike! Happy World Kindness Day Mermaid lovers! Keep mermaiding and sharking For further information on this National Day please visit the following websites: https://bit.ly/2rl9Zap https://bit.ly/2K4Q0n8
