Hello
Our Only World - Tina Robinson
"We are a small, Cornwall-based charity on a mission to help restore the oceans with effective solutions that can be rolled out across the country and beyond. "
Tina's Tiles
SeAlive Tiles Keep the Sea Alive!
SeAlive Tiles Keep the Sea Alive!
On a trip to Australia, Tina witnessed 'Living Sea Walls' in action, and knew that she would be the person to bring these simple but effective innovations to the UK. Having collaborated with Plymouth University’s Dr Louise Firth, Associate Professor of Marine Ecology, who provided research and funding with the support of the university, Tina oversaw the installation of these tiles (above and right) in Plymouth Harbour.
SeAlive Tiles Keep the Sea Alive!
SeAlive Tiles Keep the Sea Alive!
SeAlive Tiles Keep the Sea Alive!
Tina's 'SeAlive' tiles can be attached to flat, manmade structures in the sea to provide a vital habitat for marine life. These are typically the underwater sections of harbours, piers and sea defences. By changing the surfaces from flat and barren to rocky and uneven, all sorts of species can find a home, from seaweeds to invertebrates and fish. These once barren structures can be transformed in only a few short months.
Tina says, "Have a look at Plymouth, Mevagissey and Falmouth harbours to view our living sea walls. Padstow and Newquay to follow by the end of the year, and we wont stop there!"
Tina's Dolphins
Tina in Porthtowan
Tina in Porthtowan
Tina says, "Before I founded Our Only World, I regularly fundraised with my local marine group to install a water refill station on our local beaches, Polzeath and Rock – you may have used them yourself!
This was a big success for me, but these stations were shipped over from America, adding a big carbon footprint and price tag. So, I knew a UK version had to be made!
Since launching the water refill project with my not-for-profit Our Only World, I have championed local designers, engineers and plumbers to help with my mission: to install refill stations across Cornwall and reduce plastic pollution.
We installed our very first station in Wadebridge in June 2022, and by the end of 2023 have installed over 17 stations around Cornwall."
The dolphin above is in Mevagissey.
Tina in Porthtowan
Tina in Porthtowan
Tina in Porthtowan
By May 2024 there were 30 refill stations throughout the South West, potentially reducing single use plastic consumption by over 5 million over the lifetime of the units. The dolphins on the top are locally made in the South West using recycled fishing nets gathered from Cornwall's beaches.
Did you know?
– 5.25 trillion macro and microplastics may now be floating in the open ocean, weighing up to 269,000 tonnes.
– 8 million pieces of plastic pollution make their way into the ocean every day.
– The world’s population consumes 1 million plastic bottles every minute.
– 100,000 marine mammals and turtles and 1 million sea birds are killed by marine plastic pollution every year.
– 12 million tonnes of plastic is dumped into the ocean every year.
– 80% of all studied marine debris is plastic.