The Top Five Ways to Help Our Oceans


The Top Five Ways to Help Our Oceans

Ocean pollution harms marine wildlife, threatens food safety, and contributes to climate change. Ocean pollution reduces habitat and species populations. Pollution threatens food safety by contaminating seafood with heavy metals, which are harmful to humans. Ocean pollution contributes to climate change by changing the acidity and the temperature. By following these five steps, you will help reduce ocean pollution and increase ocean health.

#1 DO NOT POLLUTE

Our oceans are full of billions of pounds of pollution. In fact, billions of pounds of pollution enter the ocean every year. [1] The pollution comes from many sources including street trash, beach litter, and household waste. Other forms of ocean pollution include animal waste, vehicle fluids, and agricultural run-off.

Credit: NOAA

#2 STOP USING SINGLE-USE PLASTIC

Plastics are responsible for 8 million tons [2] of ocean pollution per year. Sadly, wildlife gets tangled or ingests plastic pollution often causing their death. Alternatively, use durable or renewable goods like metal straws and cloth shopping bags.

Credit: City of Fort Lauderdale

#3 EAT WISELY

Over-harvesting fish threatens the health of the oceans by interrupting the natural food chain and by reducing species’ populations. According to the World Wildlife Fund, thirty percent of commercially fished species are over-fished and in danger of not being able to naturally replenish its stock. [3]

Credit: NOAA

#4 REDUCE CARBON EMISSION

Credit: State of CA
Excessive greenhouse gases, including carbon emissions, raise the atmospheric temperature. Increased temperatures cause the Arctic glaciers to rapidly melt, which effects the ocean currents. [4] Ocean currents are important in maintaining climate temperatures and carrying nutrients and food to ocean-dwelling organisms. [5]


#5 VOLUNTEER

Help cleanup in your community, in your watershed, and at the beach. [6] The simple task of volunteering to help pickup trash will reduce the amount of pollution in the oceans. “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try,” ~ unknown.

Credit: clipartkey.com

I challenge you to not pollute, not use single-use plastic, eat sustainably harvested fish, reduce carbon emissions, and volunteer to clean-up in your community!


Reference: 

[1] National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. n.d. “Ocean pollution”, U.S. Department of Commerce https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-pollution  

[2] International Union for Conservation of Nature. n.d. “Marine plastics” https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/marine-plastics#:~:text=At%20least%208%20million%20tons,causes%20severe%20injuries%20and%20deaths.

[3] World Wildlife Fund. n.d., “Facts and Figures: the cold hard facts about overfishing” https://www.fishforward.eu/en/topics/facts-figures/#:~:text=Today%2C%20each%20person%20eats%20on,caught%20world%2Dwide%20%5B2%5D&text=Over%2060%25%20of%20fish%20stocks,stocks%20are%20classified%20as%20overfished.

[4] National Geographic. n.d. “Ocean currents” https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/ocean-currents/#:~:text=By%20moving%20heat%20from%20the,ocean%20life%20to%20new%20places.

[5] ] National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. n.d. “Ocean currents” https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-currents

[6] National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. n.d. “How can you help our ocean”, U.S. Department of Commerce. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ocean/help-our-ocean.html

Image Reference:

[1] “Beach pollution” https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-pollution

[2] “Single use plastic” https://gyr.fortlauderdale.gov/greener-government/more-flavor-less-plastic

[3] “Over-harvesting fish” https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/media-release/number-us-fish-stocks-sustainable-levels-remains-near-record-high

[4] “Carbon footprint” www.bayvilleny.gov

[5] “Volunteer” www.clipartkey.com

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