As the World Ocean Conference is being held in New York this week and, on the occasion of the World Ocean Day on 8 June, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) cites ten simple advice that everyone could do, in order to save oceans.
Although the ocean is vital for human life, as it protects us from the worst effects of climate change, humanity hasn’t been too kind, as it pollutes and destroys this valuable resource, according to UN. Today, 40% of oceans are considered heavily affected by human activity.
1. Stop drinking bottled water
Every day, millions of people around the world buy plastic water bottles and throw them away after one use. As it takes at least 450 years for one plastic bottle to degrade, people are advised to think twice when buying plastic bottles, when they could get a non-disposable, stainless steel bottle instead.
2. Don’t throw cigarette butts on the street
Each year, 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide. Just like plastic bottles, many of them find their way into our ocean and onto our shores. Cigarette filters are comprised of thousands of chemical ingredients, which can kill marine and freshwater fish. So if you’re a smoker, throw your cigarette butt in a bin, not on the floor.
3. Make better seafood choices
While global demand for fish is increasing every year, fisheries around the world are collapsing because of unsustainable fishing practices. When you buy fish, make sure it’s been caught or farmed in an environmentally responsible way.
4. Lower your carbon footprint
The ocean absorbs over 25% of human carbon dioxide emissions. That results in ‘ocean acidification’ which harms a wide array of marine species. Stopping ocean acidification is the same as fighting climate change: we need to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions. On a personal level, that means opting for your bike or public transport instead of your car, reducing your overall energy consumption, using green energy like solar and wind, and making more conscious choices about what you eat and shop.
5. Don’t use disposable plastic cups, cutlery, and straws
Over 50% of sea turtles found dead have ingested some form of marine litter. If we want to save our marine life, we need to rethink our use of plastics. Use your own cups that can be reused as many times as you want, instead of using disposable ones.
6. Be an informed consumer
Microplastics from your toothpaste, body wash, and clothes enter the ocean with wastewater and they can impact also humans, to whom the plastic gets passed on when eating seafood. When shopping for personal care products, avoid those containing microbeads. If it contains anything like “polypropylene”, “polyethylene”, “polyethylene terephthalate” or “polymethyl methacrylate”, don’t buy it.
7. Organize a beach clean-up
You can very likely see ocean pollution first-hand when visiting your closest beach. Pieces of plastics, such as water bottle caps or straws, are often washed onto the shore. How about taking your friends and their friends out on a sunny day and pick up marine debris? Just make sure to dispose of the collected materials in a sustainable manner so that they don’t end up in the ocean for a second time around.
8. Avoid buying goods in plastic packages
When you skip buying goods from big supermarket chains that are wrapped in plastics and instead buy from local farmers and markets, you can kill two birds with one stone: avoiding plastics use while lowering your own carbon footprint by shopping local. Whenever you have the choice, favor paper and glass containers and packages over plastics.
9. Be a responsible pet owner
If you own a pet, there’s a good chance you’ve harmed the ocean ecosystem without even knowing. Cat litter, for example, is very harmful to marine life so don’t flush it down the toilet as it will enter the ocean with the wastewater cycle. When buying your pet food, make sure to read the labels to scan for ingredients that are not environmentally responsible. If you own an aquarium avoid buying wild-caught saltwater fish. Never release non-native aquarium fish into the ocean. While it might seem like a great idea to release the fish into freedom, this could cause significant harm to the native marine life.
10. Support an organization that saves marine life
All marine life — from sea turtles to corals to seals — is under threat. Ocean acidification, habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, and overfishing are the major factors reducing our ocean’s biodiversity. If you care about life below water, and if you care about yourself, donate time or money to an organization that will help tackle these important issues.