Spreading the Word for a Cleaner Ocean by Creating Awareness
Oceans are important in the life of humans; half of the oxygen humans breathe comes from the oceans.
And…
Millions of plants and animal species call the ocean home. This shows the essence of the ocean in the existence of life itself! Oceans also control the climate and offer valuable sources of food. All living creatures need water to survive and no life can exist without it. Despite the role of oceans in human life, people fail to take care of natural resources and protect it from pollution. This is slowly killing the ocean.
What’s more, over 71% of the world’s surface is ocean cover, meaning the effect of pollution in the oceans is vast and devastating. The society has put various measures in place to properly dispose of plastic waste. However, 4 to 12 million metric tons of plastic waste still ends up in the oceans. This waste is enough to cover all coastlines worldwide.
And, the increasing ocean waste has been attributed to low recycling levels, increasing production of plastic, and poor waste management. The figure, according to the National Geographic, has been projected to triple in the next couple of decades. Plastic pollution is a major threat to the health of oceans across the globe.
Plastic pollution in the oceans affect whales, sea turtles, fish, seabirds, coral reefs, and many other marine life and habitats. Based on various research findings, almost all seabirds and over half of sea turtles worldwide have consumed plastic.
Plastic pollution also affects coastlines, beautiful beaches, and sites for diving and snorkeling worldwide, including remote areas such as Midway Atoll. What makes plastic a problem is that it is non-biodegradable, meaning it doesn’t go away. Instead, it breaks down into small particles referred to as microplastics, components whose effects on the environment are yet to be confirmed.
Whether you’re a yachtie, a recreational diver, an ocean lover, a swimmer, or simply enjoy water sports, everyone needs to take part in protecting the planet and making it greener. You can make a few changes in your lifestyle and habits to help conserve the ocean. Small changes can have great effects on ocean conservation. Therefore, there’s a need to raise awareness on the issue of plastic pollution in the oceans to help clean them up and protect the planet.
Raising Awareness
A series of events aimed at raising awareness on ocean pollution and cleanup can show the main environmental issues of macro- and microplastics in oceans and seas. The events can also showcase innovative technologies that can help tackle the issue. Developing and implementing innovative solutions can increase plastic particles’ concern in the Mediterranean and Baltic seas, among other oceans worldwide. The solution involves installing special devices to prevent waste from entering the oceans, atop gathering, and degrading microplastics.
Creating awareness to increase the knowledge and understanding of plastic pollution among people of great diversity is the key to cleaning up the oceans and seas to make them clean and pollution-free one day. For instance, CLAIM takes part in major scientific events worldwide to foster technological and scientific innovations on cleaning oceans and to spread the passion for science among adults and children alike.
Community visits, beach clean-ups, and compensation to fishers can help build environmental awareness on the issue. A few ways to protect the oceans and save the planet include: reducing the use of plastics, taking care of beaches, and avoiding products that harm marine life. Using organic products, volunteering time for cleanup, making sustainable food choices, and of course, creating awareness of plastic waste can also spread the word for a cleaner ocean and protect the planet.
We ask everyone to get involved and help clean and save our ocean
Our Hands-on program scopes of activities include clean-ups of streams, beaches, and bays. Join our advocacies to help and save our coastlines and the oceans! E-mail Us Today!