Daisy Kermode
Marine Scientist – Model – Eco Faerie
On health, gratitude, passion, action
Daisy is a young woman who fits a lot into life, for herself, for people and for planet. We asked her to share the story of her zest for life and passion for ocean action. This is an inspiring read for the young, the young at heart, and anyone wanting to be reminded the future is bright and we can all help make it so!
Q. Daisy, when we look at you, we see a super healthy young woman with high vibes. What do you think is key to such a positive presence in life?
The key is to stay grounded and stay true to yourself every day. You shine in high vibrations when you drink plenty of water, eat healthy foods, prioritise sleep and move your body as much as you can. Self-care plays a massive role in how we as humans feel, when we look after ourselves, we can take better care of others around us and mother nature. Another perspective I take on to stay positive, is to be excited about little beauties in your day, a blue sky, a calm ocean, a beautiful flower, an ancient tree or a buzzing bee. Take a deep breath, focus your mind and be present. Don’t forget to smile!
Q. We understand that life isn’t always rosey, is there a strategy or example you’d like to share that might be used by others when they need a lift?
Take a deep breath, give yourself a hug and go jump in the ocean. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, thoughts racing or in a less favourable mood, I find that immersing my body in the cold ocean water is the natural fix of endorphins I need to gain some resilience to deal with whatever I need to. Cold water ocean swimming is a form of meditation for me. It slows my breath, my mind, my body. The salt water helps me float and I can feel the energy of the waves moving through me, the good energy! I feel as though the cold water cleans my mind from any negative thoughts, it is a complete reset in perspective for me and for that, I thank you ocean!
Q. It’s clear you live a varied and interesting life Daisy. But when you’re home in Perth working a regular job (as regular as a marine scientist-model-eco faerie can be), what does a typical day in the life of Daisy look like?
Every day is different and exciting for me, at this stage in my life it can look like getting up at 5am to go for a run outside and then to work or to go out on a boat to go scuba diving. My job could be in the ocean or on the land and varied hours each day. Many of my jobs include interaction with nature which I believe adds to my levels of happiness. I am often outside in fresh air and moving my body around which I love. My work brings lots of diversity and change into my life, different locations, different activities, change is good. Grateful for all opportunities that come my way.
Q. You created a clean up group that had a significant impact on your local environment.
I created a volunteer beach clean-up group called Coastal Cleanup Crew, bringing people together to clean the beaches of Perth.
How much litter do you think you cleaned up as a group?
We easily cleaned up thousands of kilograms of marine debris from our Perth coastline. As we were cleaning as a group for over 3 years, mostly once a week, you can remove over 50kg of debris as a group so that’s a substantial weight. Sadly, the litter keeps on coming back, but with more helpful hands, you can remove more debris in a shorter time period. Any marine debris removed from the environment is one less item of pollution drifting out there.
How many friends have you made through this group?
I have made lifelong friends through Coastal Cleanup Crew. Friends that will stay close to my heart for this lifetime. I found out that any human that will voluntarily clean up the mess of other humans in their free time, is a good one! I met hundreds of people from all over Perth, and the world, shiny humans with good hearts, wanting to make a difference. It is such a good feeling to bring these amazing people together for a good cause.
Any guestimate of how much exercise you received from this work?
Each time we conducted a clean-up, there would be an hour or more of walking at the beach which could be up to 5 kilometres, then an hour or so of sorting the marine debris too. The clean up event can take up to 3 hours, with constant action and movement. Beach cleaning is a form of fitness as you are walking on uneven ground, up hills, down slopes, bending over, lifting, you just need to remember to protect your back always.
Any other benefits to belonging to a community/environmental group like this?
You gain a rewarding sense of community and friendship, with lots of laughter as well as a rewarding feeling of giving back to a place that you love, the ocean. You get outside, early in the morning, in the fresh air, which reaps benefits on your mental health. You physically remove something harmful from the environment that is not meant to be there, making it safer for the animals and more beautiful for the community, which is an empowering action to do with your own hands.
Q. You’re a Marine Scientist. Do you recommend this field and science generally to other young people, particularly young women? What do you get out of it?
I definitely recommend this field to any who feels passionate about protecting our planet, the plants and animals, as they need a voice and activism to protect them. My love for the ocean is so strong and we need more nature lovers in our society, so if you have a drive for the environment, pursue a career in this field. The more passionate activists, the better, for the health of our oceans. I gained a deeper understanding of our biological world and a deeper understanding of myself.
Q. Who inspires you?
Any human who stays true to themselves, is honest, kind and giving. Anyone who can keep their heart open and share their goodness, in a world that can be so cold. Anyone that stays true to their character inspires me because in this world, we are bombarded with fake, plastic people. Stay real people!
Q. What would be your message to 14 year old Daisy?
My message to 14 year old Daisy is as you walk through life, you can feel lost or uncertain, but that is part of the journey to finding your passions, hobbies and what sparks you up. Never give up hope and always keep moving forward. Life is more than the serious aspects too, it is important to watch the sunset with friends, eat a hearty meal with your family, go for a walk and reflect. Make time for all of the wonderful aspects there is to be enjoyed in your life. Trust yourself, trust your intuition. You will be okay. Remember to smile.
Q. What is your message to folks that need some eco-ocean-hope?
Go to the ocean, sit in silence and bask in the magic that is our ocean. You can learn a lot from nature, just by being there and using your senses to comprehend the world, your sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch. Yes, humans have overpopulated the planet, and when a species overpopulates, there are ramifications, but that doesn’t take away the magic of the ecosystem. Respect our ocean, respect our clean air, respect our animals. You can use your two hands and your strong mind to make a difference if you feel called to do so for our oceans. Awareness is key, action is the solution.
