Its our responsibility to keep the oceans clean and, so far, we suck at it.
Most of us dont know we harm the ocean with ordinary things we do every day.
Best of all, theyre things that are easy to stop doing, or to do better.
The next ten years is critical to the survival of the seas.
Think one person cant make a difference?
One person willing to speak out can make an impact.
Put simply,if the oceans die, we die.
We -all of us- need to make some changes, and fast.
Here are some small things with the potential to make a big difference.
President Obamasigned a law in 2015 that prohibits the manufacture of rinse-off cosmetic products that have microbeads.
However, that means many microbead-carrying products will still be on store shelves for another year.
That is, unless people stop buying them.
If manufacturers cant sell them, theyll stop making them much sooner.
Eat Sustainable Fish
Certain types of fish are so popular, they are dying out from overfishing.
Help Clean up the Beach
You love the beach anyway, right?
Volunteer to attend cleanup eventswith an organization like Surfrider, or just pick up trash every time you go.
Carry a reusable trash bag and pick up any trash you see.
Its a quick and simple way to get involved.
Check with your local environmental authority, either down at City Hall or (preferably) on the web.
A few hoursmakes a huge difference.
Usedunrecyclable and non biodegradable Keurig cupsalonecould circle the earth about 12 times.
Reusable cups are available, but not popular.
The sheer volume of floating plastic waste in the ocean is staggering.
Its about the size of Texas, and its 90% plastic.
To visualize the size and scope of the ocean trash problem,check out this interactive world map.
Even worse, Plastic doesnt just degrade.
Nearly every piece of plastic ever made still exists.
Theres another, more selfish bonus to cutting down on disposable packaging and products.
Plus, the filters contain plastic.
The anti-fouling paint used on the bottom of boats is usually toxic…on purpose.
Its formulated to prevent marine life, like barnacles and plants, from sticking to it.
Most hull paints rely on copper to keep boat bottoms clean.
The EPA recommends that you find a paint thats non-toxic instead.
Change begins with education.
The goal of One World One Ocean is to spread awareness, and thats something anyone can do.
To boot, by spreading awareness of the project, sharing their videos, you help inform other people.
Tell your friends, and theyll tell their friends, and pretty soon were all in it together.
For something that gives us so much, the least we can do is make better choices.
Title illustration by Jim Cooke.
Photos byLily Monster,Greekfood-tamystika,Paulbr75,Killerturnip,Nels Israelson,Kieran McCarthy, andDeborahb.
