Nine Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Ocean

Posted on January 9, 2017 by resourcefulman

We are responsible for keeping the oceans clean, and so far we are failing. Most of us are unaware that the ocean is harmed by the daily routines we do. Best of all, these are things that are easy to stop doing or do better.

What’s at stake

There is still time to save the oceans and our sushi menu with a little more care. The next ten years are critical to the survival of the seas. Do you think one person cannot make a difference? Maybe you’re right. It will take a lot of motivated, informed people ready to make changes, and large companies need to get involved as well. One person willing to speak up can make an impact. Here’s what you can do to make a significant difference to the environment in your own life, at home, or in your personal life.

Simply put, if the oceans die, we die . The oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and provide 50% to 85% of the oxygen in the air we breathe. More than 97% of the world’s water is found in the ocean, and about a sixth of the protein in our diet comes from fish and shellfish. In some regions, such as California, fresh water is becoming scarce, and desalination of ocean water is our best long-term solution.

We – all of us – need to make some changes, and as quickly as possible. Here are some of the little things that can make a big difference.

Do not buy products containing “microbeads”

Microbeads are tiny pieces of plastic that are added to products you use to cleanse and exfoliate, such as shower gel and toothpaste. They are too small for water filtration and recycling plants to clear of water, and millions of tiny beads end up in our rivers, streams, and other waterways, which eventually carry them into the ocean. There, fish and other marine life mistake them for food and eat, and in addition, the plastic from which the beads are made is toxic to the marine environment .

In 2015, President Obama signed legislation banning the manufacture of rinse-off microbead cosmetics . The law comes into force in July 2017 and prohibits the sale of products starting in January 2018. However, this means that many microbead products will be on store shelves for another year. That is, until people stop buying them. If manufacturers cannot sell them, they will stop producing them much sooner.

If you can’t imagine life without exfoliating cleansers, find one made with organic materials like sea salt, sugar, or ground walnut shells , or make your own , but honestly, you don’t need them at all .

Eat organic fish

Some species of fish are so popular that they are dying out due to overfishing. If you like fish and want to eat it too, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has a free Seafood Watch app (for iOS and Android) that you can download and use at restaurants or grocery stores . This will help you find a seafood market or organic fish restaurant near you, find out if your favorite sushi is organic, and get recommendations for organic fish you might like if the one you love is a bad choice. environment.

Don’t wash your car at home

Think about everything that washes your car and where it goes. If you wash your car at home, you flush oil, grease and fluids such as antifreeze and transmission fluid down the drain, where they drain into waterways without treatment. Most states require professional car washes to restrict water use and direct used water to a wastewater treatment plant or to a septic system where it is filtered.

If you need to wash your car at home, this list of tips from Care2 contains many ways to make the process as clean and environmentally friendly as possible. For example, you can choose biodegradable cleaning products, use as little water as possible, and park your car on gravel or grass so the waste goes into the ground instead of down the drain.

Help clean up the beach

You love the beach, right? Volunteer for cleaning events at an organization like Surfrider , or just pick up the trash every time you go. Carry a reusable trash bag with you and collect any trash you see. It’s a quick and easy way to get involved.

Likewise, if you don’t live near the beach, don’t neglect local rivers, lakes, and waterways. Check with your local environmental authority at City Hall or (preferably) on the Internet. Most likely they have programs to get people to clean up the waterways and regular volunteer events where everyone comes together to clean up the shore. A few hours go a long way .

Reduction, reuse and recycling

Don’t buy disposable products like disposable plastic water bottles if you can avoid it. Lightweight, non-recyclable packaging ends up in the sea, carried by birds, carried by the wind, or drifts along waterways or through sewer systems into these waterways. Used unrecyclable and non-biodegradable Keurig cups alone could circle the ground by about 12 times. Reusable cups are available but not popular.

The sheer volume of floating plastic waste in the ocean is mind-boggling. One collection of debris floating in the North Pacific has grown so big that scientists have named it the Great Pacific Garbage Patch . It’s the size of Texas and is 90% plastic. To get an idea of the size and magnitude of the ocean debris problem, check out this interactive world map .

Americans alone throw away 10.5 million tons of plastic waste a year and recycle less than 2% of it. Worse, plastic doesn’t just degrade. Almost every piece of plastic ever made still exists today.

There is another, more selfish bonus to cutting back on disposable packaging and groceries. You will save money if you buy in bulk and pack snacks in a reusable lunch bag or trendy bento box , and travel mugs that keep your drinks hot or cold with Styrofoam glasses for a mile.

Do not smoke

You already know that smoking is bad for you and the people around you, but did you know how bad cigarettes are for the environment ? When cigarette butts get wet, marine life-poisoning chemicals such as arsenic, acetone, ammonia, benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, lead and toluene are released into the surrounding water. They are eaten by birds and fish, and you can guess where all this chemical waste ends up. In addition, the filters contain plastic. They may be small, but the 4.5 trillion cigarettes that people smoke every day around the world can add up to 1.6 billion pounds of toxic waste a year , and most of it ends up in the ocean.

Quitting smoking isn’t easy, but it’s worth it, if not for you and your loved ones, but for the environment as a whole. If the environment is not enough, consider how much money you will save and how much you will also save on insurance. If you are looking for a way to quit smoking, visit smokefree.gov , and if you want to support someone trying to quit smoking, we have some tips for you .

Repaint the boat

You may not have a boat, but just in case (or you know someone who does), this is a small change that you can make with a lot of influence. Antifouling paint used on boat bottoms is usually toxic … on purpose. It is formulated to prevent adhesion of marine life such as shells and plants.

Most hull paints use copper to keep boat bottoms clean. The Environmental Protection Agency found copper levels in ports and marinas well above acceptable standards . There are 16,824,000 boats of every size and description in US waters alone , and most have copper-based antifouling paint. The EPA recommends finding a non-toxic paint instead.

Learn and Protect

One World One Ocean is an advocacy group and team of filmmakers dedicated to raising awareness of the challenges facing our oceans. They make great IMAX® films that grab attention and highlight environmental issues that might otherwise go unnoticed. Check out your local museum, IMAX cinemas, aquariums and science centers to find a movie and take your friends with you. Change starts with education.

One World One Ocean’s goal is to spread the word, and anyone can. Plus, by spreading the word about the project, by sharing their videos, you help inform other people. Tell your friends and they will tell their friends and very soon we are all together.

Throw a few dollars for a good cause

While individuals like you and me can certainly make a difference, there are more serious threats to the oceans and the environment in general, from overfishing, commercial waste, illegal and international dumping, and international maritime companies. who use the oceans as endless trash bins and toilets.

Here’s a list of organizations looking to change that, where you can donate, find ways to volunteer, and learn more:

The oceans are facing challenges on all fronts. Commercial agriculture creates low oxygen dead zones due to overuse of fertilizers, commercial ships use the ocean as a personal dumping ground, global warming creates more CO2 than ocean plants can process, oil spills threaten entire ecosystems, overfishing and ocean temperatures, disrupting migration patterns, and underwater ecology all contribute to the deterioration of the health of our most important resource.

For something that gives us so much, the least we can do is make the best choice. No one can save the oceans alone, but each of us can do our part and help spread the word.

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