Oceans are the heart of our precious planet. Just like
our hearts pump blood to your body, the ocean connects people from all over the
world. There are five distinct oceans: the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean,
Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Southern Ocean. Oceans are an indispensable
component of the Earth’s ecosystem and play a life-giving role for both people
and the environment. Some of their crucial functions include: regulating our
climate and supporting numerous life forms, it shapes the Earth’s
characteristics, and they are a source of freshwater. We all depend on it as it
generates most of the oxygen we breathe and it feed us. Without them life would
truly cease to exist.
However, they are often taken for granted as overfishing occurs and an exorbitant amount of rubbish is thrown into the oceans. The conservation of marine species is a drop in the ocean as much can still be done through improving fisheries, protecting habitats, controlling industrial activities and creating marine protected areas. If this occurs, the marine ecosystems will be maintained and will eventually be able to adapt effectively to climate change and other pressures from human activities.
It is about honoring the world’s beautiful yet fragile oceans and about raising invaluable awareness about the conservation of our beautiful blue planet. All people who care for the oceans and its vitally important species, appreciate the ocean’s intrinsic value and show their commitment for protecting marine environments. It is a day to contemplate about what our impacts are on the oceans and the vital role they play in our lives.
It is about inspiring other people to think and act sustainably
so that we can have healthy oceans and curb further detrimental destruction. It
is about advocating for the oceanic world to safeguard vulnerable oceanic
communities.
This day provides the perfect opportunity to learn more
about our oceans and its diverse
inhabitants, their interconnectedness with humans and their importance in our
daily lives, the challenges that our marine life daily face, why it imperative
that it should be infinitely conserved and protected as well as look at the
various invaluable and diverse products that the oceans offer.
It is about providing an invaluable opportunity to take
not only personal, but also community action in order to conserve the ocean and
its precious resources indefinitely.
Water is a limited resource on our earth. This year’s
theme is “Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet” by concentrating specifically on
promoting the prevention of plastic ocean pollution. Everyone’s health
depends on a clean, productive ocean. A healthy oceanic world is critical to
our survival. Undeniably, our oceans are facing tremendous threats and unprecedented
changes as a result of unsustainable human activities, global pollution,
overconsumption of fish species, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing,
destructive fishing, unsustainable aquaculture practices, habitat destruction,
alien species, and ocean acidification. Consequently, it has led to the
drastically diminishing of various species and has put a huge strain on the
oceans. Climate change currently poses an enormous challenge for the health and
productivity of the oceans. CO2 is extremely high in our oceans.
Be a voice for our oceans by implementing small yet
impactful changes:
·
Choose
sustainable seafood – By choosing seafood that is caught or farmed in such a
manner that it doesn’t deplete the species in the long term and is harmless for
the ocean, it will help to reduce the demand for
overexploited species.
·
It is important to keep
beaches clean by bringing a trash bag with you or you can volunteer to do beach
cleanups.
·
One important aspect to
consider is to never release balloons as marine animals mistake it for food and
accidently swallow it.
Facts
•
Our ocean covers over 70% of the
globe. Only 1% of the ocean is protected.
•
An estimated 50-80% of all life on
earth is found under the ocean surface and the oceans contain 99% of the living
space on the planet. Less than 10% of that space has been explored by humans.
•
They provide 80 per cent of the
world's oxygen.
•
Tiny marine plants called
phytoplankton release half of all oxygen in the atmosphere through
photosynthesis.
•
The oceans account for 96% of all
the water on the surface of the Earth, the remainder being freshwater, in the
form of rivers, lakes, and ice.
•
The ocean absorbs approximately 25%
of the CO2 added to the atmosphere from human activities each year, greatly
reducing the impact of this greenhouse gas on the climate.
•
Total carbon deposits in coastal
systems such as such as mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass meadows may be up
to five times the carbon stored in tropical forests.
•
About 90% of
floating debris in the ocean is plastic. It can take hundreds of years for
these plastics to break down at sea.
•
About 8 million tons of
plastics enter our oceans every year.
•
Over 100,000 turtles and
marine mammals, such as dolphins, seals and whales, die each year from ingesting or
becoming entangled in plastic debris.
(Sources: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-and-celebrations/celebrations/international-days/oceans-day/world-oceans-day-2013/; National Geographic)
Activities
People from
all over the world come together to celebrate the ocean and partake in actions to
combat the adverse impacts on the ocean. Specific events include: beach
clean-ups, educational programs, art contests, film festivals, and sustainable
seafood events.Use the following tweets:
Or make use of
the following pictures:
Make use of the following impactful
pictures to effectively convey the message:
Quotes
We need to respect the oceans and take care of them as if
our lives depended on it. Because they do - Sylvia Earle
If you think the ocean isn't important, imagine Earth
without it. No ocean, no life support system - Sylvia Earle
Far and away, the greatest threat to the ocean, and thus
to ourselves, is ignorance. But we can do something about that - Sylvia Earle
Every time I slip into the ocean, it's like going home –
Sylvia Earle
We
have to ensure that oceans continue to meet our needs without compromising those
of future generations. They regulate the planet’s climate and are a significant
source of nutrition. Their surface provides essential passage for global trade,
while their depths hold current and future solutions to humanity’s energy needs
- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
It
is a curious situation that the sea, from which life first arose, should now be
threatened by the activities of one form of that life. But the sea, though
changed in a sinister way, will continue to exist: the threat is rather to life
itself
- Rachel Carson
Conclusion
Our blue planet needs YOUR help. Together we can make a
valuable difference! The message is clear: If we want to ensure that future
generations are healthy, it is our responsibility to take care of the ocean. It
is of vital importance that sustainable practices are followed to meet our
needs without compromising those of future generations. Show your support and
commit yourself to ocean conservation to protect it from further human
destruction. Be ocean advocates and do everything in your power to save this
vital ecosystem. Make a splash and participate in one of the numerous World
Oceans Day events that are globally available. The future of our blue planet is
in our hands. Please remember, it is time to take care of the ocean like it has
taken care of us.
References
http://thegreendivas.com/2014/06/06/world-oceans-day-highlight-acidification-overfishing-plastic/
http://www.un.org/Depts/los/wod/index.html
