This week Richard Branson posted a tweet: “Releasing baby turtles into the ocean. Hope they can beat the odds & survive! virg.in/sch.” To be found at the end of the link is a Branson blog post about a young entrepreneur who is showing a bit deal of ‘gumption’. He was the fortunate recipient of Virgin initiative to help entrepreneurs on the British Virgin Islands and, as Branson, says “was the first to pay the loan back in full”.
He goes by the name of Gumption and his outfit is called Sea It Clear, a thriving glass bottom boat business. The young man has decided to give something back to the oceans. “Save The Turtles is built 100% with the turtles in mind. I think it’s important if I’m going to make money off the ocean it’s only right & positive I put back into the ocean.”
His campaign’s mission is to raise awareness about the need for turtle conservation in the BVI. “The turtles are being hunted for food and the shell so the tourists that visit the British Virgin Island can buy it or something that was made from it.”
So what’s this all about releasing baby turtles. Branson explains: “This week he (Gumption) got in touch after spotting some baby turtles stranded while on his boat. Some of them were stuck in oil, and the heavy winds and strong current were all against their survival.
“He found eight in total, cleaned them up, and then I joined him in placing the turtles on the beach.”
Gumption talks in his blog about giving them a second chance to make it into the ocean: “Everyone should have another chance to have a fresh start in life, we don’t always get it the 1st time, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th time, but with willing to do good, with positive thinking in life, with having another chance we can get it right.”
To find out more about how Gumption is taking the ecological route rather turtle farming and hunting, check his blog: gumptionblog.com