Strategies to Help Protecting Our Ocean

Our ocean and its marine life suffer against our inability to put our trash where they belong. Many people stay ignorant about the fact that our ocean receives 12 million metric tons of plastic garbage each year. The worst thing about it is that it continues the figure increases yearly and soon, our ocean will become a pile of dirt. A polluted ocean can actually bring this world to its end. Without clean water, almost all living things on Earth won’t be able to survive.

Anyway, there are several things that you can do to help protect our ocean. Many strategies, tricks and lifestyle changes can help keep not only our ocean but our environment as a whole. In the end, we are the ones that will benefit from all of this as a healthy living environment means a healthy life and body for all of us. Here are some strategies that can help protect our ocean.

Reduce the Plastic

Refuse plastic whenever possible. Plastic is one of the leading cause of land and water pollution. They are non-biodegradable and that means they will stay floating on the ocean for millions of years. They will pile up and pose danger to marine life and ocean itself. The chemicals used in creating plastic pose so much risk and danger to our health too. If possible, avoid using plastic bags, water bottles, straws, takeout utensils, cups, etc. You can try carrying your own reusable versions of these items – there are many eco-friendly and reusable grocery bags, bottles, containers, coffee cups and utensils available out there. Here is the impact plastic has on our oceans.

Use Eco-friendly Products

Use eco-friendly sunscreen products. If you love snorkeling, swimming, or going to the beach, one thing you might want to consider replacing is your sunscreen products. If possible, use reef safe sunscreen to lessen the destruction of our coral reefs. They are an important part of the marine ecosystem and the fact that the reefs all over the world are dying means that fishes and other marine life are in grave danger. With millions of people going to the beach every summer, not using an environmental friendly sunscreen harms our coral reefs.

Use eco-friendly beauty products. If you’re going to use eco-friendly sunscreen, why not go all out and use eco-friendly beauty products? Many beauty products are harmful to the environment and even to your health! Good thing there are many eco-friendly and healthy alternative beauty products out there. You can keep yourself healthy and help save our environment, especially the ocean.

Reduce Emissions

Minimize energy usage. If possible, ride a bike, walk, or use a public transportation instead of using your car. By doing so, you can reduce air, land, and water pollution. Another great thing about it is the reduced usage of fossil fuel. When fossil fuels are burned, the carbon dioxide they emit contributes to our ocean’s acidification. This will greatly affect marine life as calcifying species like oysters, clams, sea urchins, and corals can be negatively affected and when these species are at risk, then the entire marine ecology and even the entire food web is at risk.

Avoid Littering

Pick up trash and litter. Sometimes, the simplest actions can mean the greatest. Pick up any trash, no matter how small or large it is wherever you are. Show an example and the others will follow. Reducing land litters and trash can greatly help reduce ocean and water pollution. Why is this? Because when it rains, the rainwater will flow back to rivers and eventually to the ocean and they will bring any trash they carry with them along the way.

Join and/or support organizations that are working to protect the ocean. Supporting organizations that help keep our ocean safe and clean is another way that you can contribute in saving our sea. You can either volunteer yourself to physically help on the efforts or if you don’t have time and is financially able, you can donate to these kinds of organizations. An example organization is Oceana.

Aside from these, there are so many other ways to help and keep our ocean safe and clean. Perhaps the best first step you can take is to always keep your surroundings clean and environmentally friendly and spread the word.