Green Options

Happy World Ocean Day!

This brief post is meant to arm you with the knowledge and know-how to take action to protect our oceans.

According to the WWF,

Over 80% of marine pollution comes from land-based activities
A staggering amount of waste, much of which has only existed for the past 50 years or so, enters the oceans each year.

From plastic bags to pesticides - most of the waste we produce on land eventually reaches the oceans, either through deliberate dumping or from run-off through drains and rivers. This includes:

• oil
• fertilizers
• solid garbage
• sewage
• toxic chemicals

From that bit of information we become quite aware that there are small changes we can make to help keep the oceans clean. However, to become part of a larger group of concerned citizens dedicated to the health of our oceans you may want to consider joining up with one of these five groups:

1. The Surfrider Foundation

OVERVIEW
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over 50,000 members and 80 chapters worldwide.

Scuba divers with the Ocean Protection Alliance have removed nearly all of an enormous “ghost net” off the coast of Southern California. The net had been killing sea lions, dolphins, sharks, and fish since a trawler sunk in 2006, as evidenced by the bones and carcasses on the ocean floor.

“Once you start cutting, visibility drops from 30 feet to zero because the water clouds up with particles and tiny creatures that get shaken loose,” said Cinde MacGugan, who led a team of divers to remove 200-sq-ft of netting. “At one point, I was frantically cutting off pieces of netting when one or more was tugged upward by an air bag.”