5 Simple Solutions to Protect the Oceans Right Now
By Astley Cervania
How bad is ocean pollution exactly?
When the pandemic started, air pollution wasn’t as high. This is because a majority of people stayed indoors self-isolating.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean things have been improving.
It’s the opposite. In fact, it’s getting worse.
Ocean pollution levels, specifically, are estimated to rise by 5% annually.
The smallest things you do have the biggest impact. There goes the saying, “If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right”.
You’ve heard it before but I’ll say it again – it’s all the little things that matter because these are what add up and multiply.
It all starts from perspective.
There are a multitude of environmental hazards – mainly from microplastics. It’s what causes a negative impact on our environment and daily lives. But unfortunately, it’s not always acknowledged.
In this guide, we’ll dive into the 5 ways you and the world can protect the oceans from further damage.
1. Social Sharing
Who isn’t using social media nowadays?
Nearly everyone around you has an account on an online social media platform. Whether that’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
With that said, it’s easy to share any news through the click of a button.
One way we can use the internet to our advantage is by raising awareness. Use your platform as a voice to spread the word around your network.
Often, you’ll find different types of posts about the oceans if you look for it through the search bar. Most of the time, you’ll find videos and informative content that gives you all the details.
To use your platform, educate your followers with what’s going on by doing things like:
*Reposting on your profile or story
*Sharing the posts
*Tagging friends and family
When people are aware of endangered species, wildlife, and the potential consequences, they’re more likely to take action.
2. Actively Contribute to Save the Oceans
Though this covers a broad area of things, we’ll look into different activities you can contribute to save the oceans.
There are simple things you can do even from home to improve our environment. For example, turning off the car when you’re not using it.
Whether you leave it on for a couple of minutes or for the whole day, it uses energy. The chemicals released are what have an impact on ocean acidification. A key element that’s responsible for this is carbon dioxide.
Something as straightforward as switching your car off when you’re not using it can decrease ocean pollution. Firstly, it saves energy. Above all, it benefits the ocean since
fewer emissions are released into the atmosphere.
And that’s just one example, let’s take a look at a few more below.
Reduce plastic usage
You’re most likely familiar with the damage that plastic has causes to marine life in the oceans. Most of the time, it’s plastic pollution that’s killing nature because we’re not being responsible for how we handle plastic items.
Fish, seabirds, sea lions, and turtles…
There’s a reason why these animals are endangered.
Over 1000 turtles have died suffocating from entangled plastics. This includes things like disposed fishing gear or equipment.
And that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
The plastics thrown away don’t only kill animals who accidentally come across them. It spreads toxins and increases the ocean pollution rate.
Not only do plastics suffocate animals who accidentally come across them, but it spreads toxins and makes the oceans suffer from pollution.
So, to prevent this you should handle plastics responsibly by not throwing them into the ocean and by reducing plastic usage.
Consider Using Public Transport
This step doesn’t only just protect the oceans because you’re using less emissions. You’re also saving resources that can’t be replenished once they’re used up, e.g. fuel.
The main ways to think about travelling eco-friendly are either on the road or by water. In other words, by car or boat.
Each car that runs on petrol contributes towards the environmental hazards of global warming and climate change.
So, aim to use transport systems that are good for the environment. Try to stay away from vehicles that release lots of chemicals into the atmosphere.
When it comes to travelling, electric vehicles have zero exhaust emissions. If it’s possible for you to access this type of transportation, use it. Unlike a regular vehicle, these won’t release the same harmful chemicals into the air.
But, electric cars aren’t the only solution…
If you can’t get access to electric cars since they’re usually more expensive, consider using public transport. So instead of having another car that produces extra fumes, you’re preventing that by maximizing the services that have been made for us to use.
Beach Cleanups Near Me
When was the last time you volunteered for community service?
Using your spare time to support good causes like an ocean cleanup project is not a bad idea and it goes a long way.
If there are no ocean plastic cleanup projects that have been organized, why not set one up yourself?
By doing this, you can bring together a community to do good service. Encourage your friends, family and locals to take part in a non-profit event that helps clean up the mess left in our oceans.
Your generosity means a lot to both your community and mother nature.
Seafoods
Fish stocks are rapidly declining. If you haven’t already noticed, they’re diminishing as we speak.
One of the main reasons it’s happening is because their place of living isn’t safe for them anymore.
The oceans are already getting overheated and filled with harmful toxins. But to top things off, it’s also because of human activities that make it worse. For example, people who hunt down sea animals to sell them on the market.
The next time you’re out shopping for seafood, you can reduce the demand for different types of species by not buying them. This way, it stops hunters from exploiting those vulnerable areas since they’re not in market demand and therefore saves marine life.
3. Have Second-Thoughts The Next Time You’re Shopping
Keep in mind the main points covered above the next time you’re out shopping. Remember that every purchase you make has an affect towards our climate in general.
Here are a few things to look out for:
- Look for alternatives that contain nontoxic chemicals
- Sustainable seafoods
- Avoid buying plastics if possible
- Choose energy efficient items
- Eco-friendly clothes
4. Treat Ecosystems and Habitats With Care
Cleaning up after yourself is a standard etiquette to follow. Yet, not everyone is carefully thinking about their actions.
Try to imagine our climate as a real human being – a person. As if it was someone who belongs in your family.
In this perspective, you should love and treat them with respect. So, if you saw people hurting them you would naturally take action.
If you’re out for holiday and you notice a sign that tells you to stick to a certain footpath, stick to it to avoid carbon footprints. Or if you notice someone forgetting to pick up their rubbish, be a good samaritan and tell them.
This shift in the way of thinking helps put you in a frame of mind where you should be more gentle and caring of the boundaries in your surroundings.
5. Support Ocean Blue Project
If you’re looking to help, why not support the Ocean Blue Project whose primary mission is to save the oceans?
Aside from Ocean Blue Project, there are other ocean-friendly brands and services too. This includes brands such as:
- Patagonia
- Oceano Azure
- Healthy Human
- TOMS
- Boxed Water
So far, we’ve cleaned 173,302 pounds debris of microplastics. While it’s respectable, it’s not but a fraction of the trillion pieces of plastic that have been dumped into our ocean.
While we’re doing our best to stop things from getting worse before it’s too late, we still have a long way to go. If you love adventures check out this Elephant Rock in Heimaey in Iceland.
Closing Arguments
Be an advocate for a healthier, longer-lasting world by implementing the solutions discussed.
It’s fair to say that a big part of the problem is simply because we’re not educated enough about things that matter.
If we all know the repercussions of our actions, surely we will think twice before making a decision.
If you’re not too familiar with what’s going on with the oceans right now, educating yourself and those close to you is a good start. You can quickly get up to date by signing up to our email newsletter.
Author Bio: Astley Cervania is an observant, curious UK-based writer and minimalist.
