Floating tennis court featuring sports stars to enhance protection of Australia’s coral reefs (video)

Australian coral reefs are one of the most amazing ecosystems on our planet, they are as beautiful as they are delicate. A natural wonder that is terribly endangered, by human action, between pollution and waste. That’s why sportswear giant Adidas, with the Australian Open on the gates, has decided to launch a campaign to raise awareness of Australia’s reef problems. The discovery was astonishing: a floating tennis court running across the beautiful sea of ​​the embankment, with some Australian sports stars throwing some shots: Ian Thorpe, Jesse Fox, Steve Claire Smith and Nathan Cleary. A clever marketing move, of course, given that the uniforms worn by the champions are also the famous German company’s new tennis line. But at the same time it is a way to focus attention on the problems of the ocean, which we unfortunately have assessed as “trash.”

Not everyone realizes that we throw tons and tons of plastic into the oceans every day, the equivalent of 1,400 dump trucks. Because of this, the image of turtles eating plastic as if it were natural food has become a sad reality. It is estimated that without targeted action, the oceans will contain more plastic than fish by 2050.

The “Three Teams” company announces that Colorful new 2022 tennis line made in part from Parley Ocean Plastic (recycled material) It is completely inspired by the colors of the Great Barrier Reef.

“We collect plastic from coastal communities before it ends up in the oceans and turn it into filaments”, explains Shannon Morgan, senior director of the Pacific division of the adidas brand, a method the company has adopted since 2015 when it announced its partnership with ocean warriors Barley. “You will see our athletes on the field at the Australian Open next Monday with these clothes made of this yarn. We are using a sporting event, which is the largest on our continent, to really show the beauty of the reef.”

like him Ian Thorpe, Australian swimming legend: “I’ve been to amazing places since I was a kid, meanwhile the pollution got worse year after year, and the pristine places today don’t exist anymore. When we look at what’s going on and how we can go back to some of those remote places and find plastic on the beaches, It’s awful. Plastic is the only thing that has no end. It will be in the environment forever. Everything else, at some point, will die. Plastic is not. This is a problem that must be addressed immediately.

“We are in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef that extends 2,300 kilometers along the coast of Queensland,” explains Fred Nocifora, Director of Reef Education and Engagement at the Great Barrier Reef and Marine Park Authority. “To give you an idea, it’s along the west coast of the USA. There are 3,000 individual reefs on 1,000 islands that range from small caves to mainland islands. They are home to one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on our planet. I really commend Adidas and the work they do.” in their sustainability realms, because it is those actions that help protect places like the Great Barrier Reef and the ecosystems that depend on and are connected to them.”

Marco Mazzoni