8th of June – World Oceans Day

Spread the word. It’s not only the rainforests that need saving, the ocean does too!

The 8th of June is World Oceans day, a day to celebrate everything that’s great about our ocean; and there is certainly a lot to celebrate. The ocean regulates our climate, it provides food, and almost 50% of the oxygen we breath has come from it. Plus, it’s beautiful. Which is why 80% of us head off to its coasts on holiday each year!

However, World Oceans day is not just about celebrating all the amazing things that the ocean provides, or does for us, it’s also a day to reflect on how we impact it e.g. by increasing C0₂ emissions, pollution, and over tourism. What’s more, it’s a day to think about the steps that we can take to minimise these negative impacts, to make sure that the ocean is healthy for future generations.

In the spirit of World Oceans day. Here are our top 5+ tips for going greener for the sake of our ocean:

1. Use Reef Friendly Sunscreen – Chemicals in sunscreen have been found to induce coral bleaching, and to be detrimental to other forms of marine life too. The main chemical culprits in sunscreen are oxybenzone and octinoxate, but nano particles e.g. of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, are also thought to cause damage. When you buy sunscreen, try to make sure that it’s free from these ingredients and that it is reef friendly.
2. Whenever possible, say no to single-use plastic – As much as 91% of plastic is never recycled, and much of it ends up in the ocean where it harms marine life. Increased plastic waste from tourism coupled with overwhelmed local services or flawed or non-existent waste management systems is a recipe for disaster. Just look at this report on the Mediterranean!  Some of the worst offending items are plastic straws and drink stirrers, plastic cutlery, and plastic drinks bottles. At least try to avoid these items.
3. Reduce your Carbon footprint – Excess CO₂ emissions and the knock on effect of increasing average global temperatures have resulted in ocean warming and rising seas levels, ocean acidification and coral bleaching, and dead zones (parts of the ocean where oxygen levels are so low that nothing can grow or live). As our CO₂ emissions increase the situation is only set to get worse. When you are planning your travels, think of our ocean and try to reduce your carbon footprint. Checkout our post Small Steps to a Greener Future for ideas on small steps to can take.
4. If you plan on Diving (or Snorkelling), do it the Green Fins way – Coral Reefs cover less than 1%  of the Earth’s surface, but are home to more than 25% of all marine life; which is what makes them so amazing for diving and snorkelling. However, diving and snorkelling can have detrimental effects on our reefs if not done in an environmentally conscious way. Green Fins (a join initiative between the UN and the World Reef foundation) is an organisation that promotes and encourages environmentally friendly and sustainable diving and snorkelling practices. Green fin members commit to following the 15 environmental practices of the Green Fins code of conduct and are trained, assessed and certified annually. You can find a Green Fin member to dive with here.  Sadly Green Fins is not available in all countries (yet), but if you can’t find a green fins member, you can always familiarise yourself with their free environmental tools and try to follow them yourself.
5. Thinking of taking a cruise? Take the eco-friendlier option – Because of the flight shaming trend, you may think you are doing the right thing by taking a cruise, but mile for mile the carbon footprint of a cruise could be worse. Plus, a cruise ship can generate tons of rubbish, gallons of sewage and loads of waste-water; all of which can make their way to the ocean, causing untold damage. Each year friends of the Earth publish a Cruise Report Card comparing the environmental footprint of major cruise lines. Try to take the eco-friendliest option that you can.

And here’s the + in the 5+. Sign the 30X30 nature petition.  One aim of World Oceans day this year is to grow the global movement calling on world leaders to protect 30% of our Earth’s land and ocean by 2030, as well as to preserve the world’s intact areas and wilderness, to respect the rights of indigenous peoples, and to ensure that our planet is sustainably managed. We’ve already signed!

#WorldOceansDay #ProtectOurHome