World Oceans Day, a global day of collaboration for a better future, is being recognized on June 8th. Coordinated by The Ocean Project, which links individuals and groups from around the world, World Oceans Day celebrates the ocean and promotes steps to protect it. With our waterways facing more threats than ever, this important endeavor works to save our treasured marine environment.
Plastics are a major part of the pollution problems that our waterways face. The Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit that organizes an annual coastal cleanup event in more than 150 countries worldwide, reports that plastic debris makes up around 85 percent of all the trash collected from beaches, waterways and oceans. Plastics harm sea life, and they release potentially toxic chemicals such as bisphenol-A, styrene and phthalates, which can then enter the food chain. A clear example of the impact was recorded in 2008, when researchers with the Algalita Marine Research Foundation found that fish are ingesting plastic fragments and debris. Of the 672 fish caught during a single voyage, 35% had ingested plastic pieces. Researchers at the Foundation documented an increase in plastic debris in the Central Pacific Gyre five-fold between 1997 and 2007, where the baseline in 1997 showed plastic pieces outnumbered plankton on the ocean surface.
Partnering with the Youth Advisory Council, The Ocean Project supports conservation and ocean protection endeavors by providing a wide variety of guides, videos and support services for sea lovers who want to hold their own Ocean Day events. (link) The resources available on the World Ocean Day website include thought-provoking posters and downloadable graphics such as “Marine Litter in Numbers” and “Skip a Straw, Save a Sea Turtle”, which offer bright and eye-catching imagery and straightforward messaging.
“This year we are seeing young people step up in huge ways to help lead the charge for positive change,” said Bill Mott, Executive Director of The Ocean Project, which has coordinated World Oceans Day internationally since 2002. “We all need a healthy ocean to survive and young people are increasingly taking action now to conserve and restore this vital resource. With nearly half of the world’s population under age 25, it is imperative to empower young people to step up as leaders at an early age, and engage them in a solutions-oriented approach to ocean conservation.”
You can help keep our oceans free of plastic waste! Here are some things that you can do, that can really make a difference!
BYO
Pick up the habit of toting your own to-go container, coffee cup, and shopping bag.
Skip a straw
Americans use 500 million straws daily, which is the equivalent of five grocery bags of plastic trash for every foot of coastline. And although straws amount to a tiny fraction of ocean plastic, their size makes them one of the most insidious polluters because they entangle marine animals and are consumed by fish. So, invest in reusable straws, or skip them altogether.
Stop buying water
Each year, close to 20 billion plastic bottles are tossed in the trash. Carry a reusable bottle in your bag. If you’re nervous about the quality of your local tap water, look for a bottle model with a built-in filter.
Buy in bulk
Single-serving yogurts, travel-size toiletries, tiny packages of nuts—consider the product-to-packaging ratio of items you tend to buy often and select the bigger container, instead of buying several smaller ones over time.
Bring your own garment bag to the dry cleaner
Invest in a zippered fabric bag and request that your cleaned items be returned in it instead of sheathed in plastic.
Wean yourself off disposable plastics
Ninety percent of the plastic items in our daily lives are used once and then chucked: grocery bags, plastic wrap, disposable cutlery, coffee cup lids. Take note of how often you rely on these products and replace them with reusable versions. It only takes a few times of bringing your own bags to the store, silverware to the office, or travel mug to Starbucks before it becomes habit.
Keep our beaches pristine
When you visit the beach, pack out all of your trash and pick up any trash you see during your visit. Better yet, join beach cleanups to help remove trash from our waterways and coasts. Each year, Sub Sea Systems participates in the International Coastal Cleanup via Reef Alliance. You can participate in a local cleanup, or start a cleanup of your own. Learn about opportunities here.
And don’t forget to check out the materials posted on the World Oceans Day website. Share them with family members and friends!
What are you doing to ensure our oceans and waterways stay clear of plastics and pollutants? Tell us below!
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