World Oceans Day

Today is World Oceans Day!

Whether you live by the ocean or not, each and every one of you are an important part of keeping our oceans safe and clean.

What is World Oceans Day?

World Oceans Day is a day to raise awareness about our oceans and to provide an opportunity to help protect and conserve our oceans.

Why are oceans important?

Oceans are more than just a body of water to swim in! Other than being the home to thousands of different marine life, oceans help:

• Regulate our climate
• Help provide drinking water
• Generate oxygen
• Provide food and medicine
• Hold nearly 97% of the planets water

How many oceans are there?

There are 5 oceans that make up 71% of the planet’s surface. These oceans contain the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the Southern Ocean.

What harms our oceans?

There are so many factors, unfortunately, that play into harming our ocean.

• Microbeads
• “Plastic microspheres that are widely used in cosmetics as exfoliating agents and in personal care products such as toothpaste, as well as in biomedical and health science research, microscopy techniques, fluid visualization and fluid flow analysis, and process troubleshooting.”
  • How to avoid: go for an all-natural exfoliant that include oats, almond meal, sugar or salt as an exfoliant.
• Plastic Bags
  • How to avoid: reuse! Bring reuseable bags for shopping, reuseable water bottles, travel mugs, food containers, etc. The less plastic waste, the better.
• Littering and excess trash/waste
  • How to avoid: buy less packaging. Bring your own containers to the grocery stores and coffee shops.
• Chemical based products
  • How to avoid: Go all-natural or make you own at home cleaners, skin and haircare products.
• Carbon emissions
  • How to avoid: car-pool, walk or bike to work.

Other factors :

• Ocean acidification
• Off-shore drilling
• Oil spills
• Over consumption of seafood

How can I get involved? 

There are a ton of organizations that want you to get involved in ocean conservation!

• 5 Gyres Institute
  • Join 5 Gyres in their #beadfree campaign and their #theplasticproblem initiative.
• World Oceans Day
  • Organize an event with the World Oceans Day team to raise awareness!
• Oceana
  • Become an Oceana member to help restore the World’s oceans.
• Blue Ocean Safina Center
  • Join their mission to show why whales and other wildlife need care.
• Blue Frontier
  • Get involved with the Blue Frontier campaign to help those who care about the coast take action in keeping it safe.

But you don’t have to join an organization to get involved! Check out our article here on how to create beach clean up groups, cut down on plastic waste and work with your community to keep our oceans clean!

Happy World Ocean Day! Let’s work together to keep our oceans safe.