“Oceans provide 80 per cent of our oxygen as well as food and medicine, but are in peril. Each of us can help.” said Stephen Freitag, executive director of World Oceans Day.
“World Oceans Day is June 8, Oceans Week is June 1 to 8. Everyone in the world lives on a watershed flowing to an ocean, so everyone can help our oceans each day,” continued Freitag.
Carbon dioxide is at an all time high in our oceans, yet we expect our oceans to generate oxygen for us.
No oxygen, no life on this planet.
Solution: Reduce our carbon footprint by walking, biking or taking public transit.
Reduce our water and energy consumption. Stop dumping chemicals into the ground and into our drains. Every city has a hazardous waste depot.
National Geographic reports eight million tons of plastics enter our oceans each year, some from North America through rivers and lakes.
Solution: Keep all plastics away from shorelines. Have fun doing a shoreline cleanup with friends and family.
Friends of the Earth state one billion gallons of raw sewage goes into our oceans yearly. Ottawa, Victoria and others still allow raw sewage into waterways.
The report card on environmental habits of the cruise lines is a rude awakening. Solution: Tell our governments to take serious action to preserve our environment for our grandchildren and great grandchildren. We can chose a cruise line with a top environmental track record.
Boaters and beach goers are responsible for 70 per cent of the styrofoam entering our waterways and oceans, killing marine life.
Solution: Never use styrofoam fenders on boats or docks, it breaks down too quickly; use fenders and life rings made of a tougher material.
Replace styrofoam picnic plates and cups with reusable containers.
The David Suzuki Foundation and others are warning us some salmon and shellfish farms are having a serious negative impact on the breeding grounds of other species and our environment. Many fish are on the endangered list.
Solution: We can avoid eating fish which are on the endangered list and avoid salmon and shellfish farmed using methods which harm other species and our environment.
Ask before we purchase. Let these industries and retailers understand we care.
To learn more: www.WorldOceansDay.ca