Five things you can do to help the oceans today
Monday, August 2, 2010 at 10:53PM
There's a seemingly endless stream of negative news floating around about how bad a state the world's oceans are in. Sure, there are problems, but the oceans are FAR from trashed, no matter what you hear. There's plenty of beautiful places to visit and there's still millions of animals and plants that happily make the seas their home. We certainly aren't going to engender a desire to preserve these wild places if we keep talking about it like its a lost cause. In fact, during the oil spill crisis that has occupied us over the last 3 months, I have become progressively more fed-up with the doomsayers in the media, the blogosphere and the twitosphere; none of that bile actually helps (I would include the first paragraph of my own post here). So, in partial celebration of moving to a new domain, and because I am feeling especially optimistic today, here's 5 ideas for how you can help the oceans, right now.
1. Reduce, Reuse, Recyle. OK, that sounds like 3 things, but it just means scale back the impact of your consurmerism. A lot of waste finds its way into the sea eventually, either as visible pollution or as chemical leachates. Don't freak out about every piece of garbage you throw out - you're a resident of this planet too and you can't avoid having some impact. Just see if you can find some "low hanging fruit": easy places where you can make a big dent in your waste stream with relatively little effort. Start with fabric shopping bags, buy drygoods in bulk to reduce packaging, and recycle green waste as compost for the garden.
2. Cut your emissions. I don't mean lay off the beans, I'm talking about your carbon footprint. A recent IPCC report states that 90% of global warming in the last 50 years has been absorbed by the oceans. And the heat contained in the oceans is the major driver of global climate patterns. Global warming is therefore an ocean problem, moreso than an atmosphere problem. If you can cut your carbon footprint, of which gas consumption tends to be a big chunk, then you can make a real difference. If you have to commute, try ridesharing or see if you can find a colleague who lives nearby, and take turns driving.
3. Offset some inconsiderate so-and-so. Take a lead from Sarah at the blog WaterNotes, and clean something up, whether its a beach or wetland or a marina; she's cleaned literally tons of garbage single handed, a little at a time. If you're inland, clean a stream, after all, everything flows to the ocean in time. Don't let the inconsiderate scumbags win!
4. Birds of a feather. Join an advocacy group that promotes ocean interests, like Surfrider or Oceana; volunteer to help out. Make your voice heard with legislators at every level. Visit your local AZA Aquarium (they all have conservation as part of their mandate). Surround yourself with folks who share your passion and feel the reciprocal encouragement that results.
5. Stay positive. Keep an optimistic outlook and know that you can make a difference. I am not suggesting for a second that we ignore or downplay the threats that face the oceans. Far from it; I am sugesting we use those very problems as motivations to recognise the value of what we have and take positive actions to protect it. Don't give in to negativity, its pernicious but also, ultimately, a complete waste of time. If you feel your will sagging, go and relax for a day at the beach, go SCUBA diving or take a trip to a coral reef; these "services" are part of what makes ocean habitats so special, and reconnecting with them will energise you to appreciate how valuable they truly are. I know it certainly does for me.
Reader Comments (2)
And I want to 'like' you on FaceBook. Its time for an FB page Dr Dove =)
I have one already, m'dear, and we've been friends on it for years!