Silhouettes of 3 people playing in a wave in the sea

Sport and Movement

Sport and movement is enabled by the ocean and blue environments benefit human health

Being physically active reduces the risk of long-term health conditions, and supports a long and healthy life. Even small increases in daily movement can improve health outcomes, and this improvement is greater in minority and underserved groups. Environments that foster movement and support activity can enable positive health outcomes and support communities to thrive. Our coasts and blue spaces are shown to increase access to, and opportunities for activity, providing a valuable resource in increasing physical activity levels.

Lady in a red top surfing on a stand up paddle board competition
  • 271 million recreational visits are made to the UK coast and beaches every year.
  • The most popular activity undertaken in these visits was walking, either with or without a dog, conducted on 123.7 million beach visits annually, and on 78.2 million other coastline visits. 
  • Regular physical activity is associated with an increase of life expectancy by 0.4 to 6.9 years.

Our use of the coast and sea to practice sports and movement can damage the natural environment

The use of coast and sea for sport and movement can cause significant damage to these environments. Popular activities like dog walking often disturb wildlife such as seabirds and seals, causing stress and disrupting natural behaviours. Additionally, water sports like surfing and paddleboarding, which have surged in popularity since the Covid pandemic, rely on equipment and materials that are often non-recyclable and sometimes harmful to marine ecosystems.

An information board about waterspouts and wildlife

Case study – Neoprene damaging the planet

Surfers and other recreational water users often rely on wetsuits to stay warm in the sea. Currently, most wetsuits are made from neoprene, a synthetic rubber with negative impacts on environmental and human health. The production of neoprene starts with petroleum, a non-renewable resource notorious for high levels of CO2 and toxic emissions, which can severely degrade air quality and pose serious health risks to communities living near manufacturing facilities. Once disposed of, neoprene is neither recyclable nor biodegradable, meaning it ends up in landfills where it may leach into water systems.

Silhouettes of 3 people playing in a wave in the sea
  • The community living in the shadow of the Denka plant (neoprene production factory on the banks of the Mississippi) has by far the highest cancer risk in the US – 50 TIMES the national average.
  • An estimated 8,380 tonnes of old wetsuits are discarded globally each year, contributing significantly to landfill and unsustainable product life-cycles.
  •  244 million pounds(lb) of CO2 is sent into the atmosphere every year due to wetsuit production. 

How to practice sports and movement without damaging coastal environments

  • Protect coastal wildlife when participating in sports and movement by keeping dogs on leads, keeping a significant distance between yourself and coastal wildlife to minimise disturbances. 
  • Pick up beach litter and support beach cleans
  • Dispose of beach equipment such as boogie boards, bucket and spades correctly and recycle when possible. 
  • Use your purchasing power to choose alternative materials and water sports equipment that has the least damage on marine environments, such as purchasing Yulex wetsuits rather than neoprene. 

Resources