…and we refrain ourselves from doing anything. The reefs and marine creatures are dying slowly but certainly because of human activity – we are pretty well past the point of denying it. There are numerous ways to destroy it, be it through global warming, ocean acidification, overfishing, and so much more; many would say that there is little we can do to help it – but that would be wrong.
Education would be logic and it is the most useful thing but at the same time it is necesary to protect the oceans. Here are some things you can do.Stop throwing trash in the water. There are bins for that. Birds, sea turtles, and other marine mammals often mistake plastic as either food or something to play with. Stop releasing helium filled balloons into the air. They eventually come back to the earth and oceans where marine mammals can ingest them. When fishing take care. Some everyday choices that you make affect the ocean. That may be hard to believe but the world is connected. Recycling and making eco-conscious food and energy choices not just help the oceans but helps you save some money – definitely a win win situation.
For those who truly want to help our planet there is a number of voluntary projects you can easily join. The activities are fun and the people who join such programs are nice. Or you could give a sum of several pounds and adopt a marine creature. That means that the money you give goes to feeding or helping that creature in a way. There are numerous such programs you should not have any real difficulty in finding them.
For governments and big organizations an effective way to make a differece would be to create “national parks of the sea”. This could be huge in reversing trends that have left 76 percent of world fish stocks fully- or over-exploited and marine biodiversity at severe risk. This information is true according to Worldwatch Institute.
“The oceans cannot save themselves,” says Christopher Flavin, president of the Worldwatch Institute. “Collective commitments to thriving ecosystems are needed to save overfished species from being systematically depleted from compromised habitats.”. That makes sense; and just think that by destroying oceans we are destroying ourselves. This is a suicide act. Ignorance is not bliss.
Human-induced climate change is predicted to increase sea-surface temperature, raise sea levels, and reduce sea-ice cover. The polar ice is going to melt and the whole dynamic of the oceans is going to be affected. Pollution from chemical, radioactive, and nutrient sources and oil spills are deadly for the wonderful but fragile ecosystem. But the bad thing is that there is currently no mechanism under existing international agreements to create a global marine reserve network encompassing the high seas—areas beyond national jurisdiction. The report notes that “Current presumptions that favor freedom to fish and freedom of the seas will need to be replaced with the new concept of freedom for the seas,” so things could be a bit better. But you should not take that as a given as there are so many things that you can do to help the oceans. Just care a bit.
Enjoyed this article? Join 40,000+ subscribers to the ZME Science newsletter. Subscribe now!
