The Blue Marine Foundation has teamed up with actress Helena Bonham Carter and Unseen Studio for a virtual reality (VR) experience designed to teach kids about blue carbon.
Making its debut at Earlsfield Primary School, the project seeks to explain how this carbon is stored in the seabed could be a means to offset emissions and reduce the effects of global climate change.
From examining plankton to observing shoals of glittering fish, the VR experience, titled The Sea We Breathe, allows viewers to virtually journey into unique underwater worlds.
The entire “journey” uncovers three marine habitats: open ocean, kelp forests and seagrass meadows.
Being able to immerse yourself in the experience aims to highlight how the ocean plays a crucial role in fighting climate change through the capture and storage of carbon. When stored in the ocean, it’s known as blue carbon.
“The ocean produces as much as 80 per cent of Earth’s oxygen and captures 40% of the carbon emitted by burning fossil fuels - therefore its role in the fight against climate change is absolutely vital,” explained Joanna Coumbe, Director of Outreach, Blue Marine Foundation.
“By creating this VR experience, we hope to educate future decision-makers in ocean-climate issues like never before.
“Traditional education methods are often not enough to trigger behaviour change and VR creates psychological presence, or a sense of “being there”, which encourages adoption of pro-environmental behaviours.”
“We are delighted to work with Blue Marine Foundation on this experience as it brings the outside world into the classroom and puts learning into a real-life context,” said Steve Trow, Headmaster of Earlsfield Primary School. He added: “That is something pupils don’t get from textbooks - it provides a whole new level of engagement and understanding.”
‘The Sea We Breathe’ will soon be accessible for over 800 schools across the UK, from the end of February. You can view it for yourself here.
