World Oceans Day

Oceans are an integral part of the environment, but are under severe threat, mainly due to unsustainable human activities and other natural factors.

World Oceans Day is annually celebrated on the 8^th of June and has become a growing global celebration, as an increasing number of countries and organizations have marked 8 June as an opportunity to celebrate our world oceans and their personal connection to them. It mainly focuses on why oceans are important in our lives, and how we can protect it.  People from all over the world partake in the celebrations. It provides an opportunity to help conserve our world’s oceans. Specific focus is placed on honoring the ocean (our blue planet), which connects all of us. It is done to ensure a better future of all. It raises awareness to inspire to being more involved to conserve this amazing resource we all depend on. This will ensure a healthier ocean and a better future for all.

Each year there is a main conservation focus. Based on the conservation theme of the year, they also develop an annual World Oceans Day social media campaign their partners can tie in with to enhance their efforts. The action focus for World Oceans Day 2018 is to Prevent plastic pollution so as to encourage solutions for a healthy ocean. This also tied in with this year’s World Environment Day’s theme of “Beat Plastic Pollution” to further place the spotlight on preventing plastic pollution.  

Brief history

The Ocean Project has promoted and coordinated World Oceans Day globally since its inception in 2002. They are based in the US, but have various advisors and volunteers in various countries. They are a collaborative organization and work in partnership with hundreds of organizations, including World Ocean Network.

There’s no getting away from the fact that a healthy world ocean is critical to all of our survival.

The ocean plays an integrally important role as it: Generates most of the oxygen we breathe,

Helps feed us, Regulates our climate, Cleans the water we drink, and Offers a pharmacopoeia of medicines. Not only that, but it provides limitless inspiration.

Why is World Oceans Day required?

It helps to:

·         Change our perspective by encouraging individuals to think about what the ocean means to them and what it has to offer all of us. Whether you live inland or on the coast, we are all connected to the ocean. Take the time to think about how the ocean affects you, and how you affect the ocean. This will help to conserve it for present and the future generations.

·         We learn by discovering the wealth of diverse and beautiful ocean creatures and habitats, how our daily actions affect them, and how we are ALL interconnected.

·         It changes our ways as we are all linked to, and through, the ocean. You are a caretaker of oceans when you take care of your backyard and helping out in your community. You can also make small modifications to your everyday habits to make a difference. All of this will be beneficial to our blue planet.

The Ocean Project has recognized that there’s one global ocean connecting all of us. There are five distinct oceans: the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Southern Ocean.

So, how can I get involved?

The official World Oceans Day’s website (www.worldoceansday.org/) has a myriad of ways you as an individual, group, or community can get involved. Simply click on the link below to download and read free resources which you can use then. Ask your family, friends, and community to join you. The more people involved, the better the outcome of this environmental day. By working enthusiastically together, it’s possible to strive towards protecting our oceans. 

You can, furthermore, plan your event, play host, and register your event on their website. You can also find others on the global community map, get celebration ideas, access media and outreach resources, and more!

It is important to help spread the day’s positive impact.

It is not just individuals that will make a difference; it is up to ALL of us to ensure that our oceans are healthy, not only for current generations, but also, importantly, future generations.

I hope you will get involved and participated in a World Oceans Day event near you!

I’ll leave you with this: The ocean, undoubtedly, deserves its own day. Make every day an Oceans Day.

Reference

www.worldoceansday.org/

Today is World Oceans Day!

World Oceans Day is annually celebrated every June 8 and is an annual observation. It’s connected with the celebration of the Ocean Conference, held from 5 to 9 June in United Nations headquarters in New York.

History

Unofficially, it has been celebrated since its original proposal in 1992 by Canada's International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) at the Earth Summit - UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Brundtland Commission (The World Commission on Environment and Development) provided the incentive for a global oceans day as it noted that the ocean sector lacked a strong voice. In 1992, the objectives were to move the oceans from the side lines to the centre of the intergovernmental and NGO discussions and policy and to strengthen the voice of ocean and coastal constituencies worldwide.

Consequently, World Oceans Day was officially recognized by the United Nations in late 2008. The Ocean Project, working closely with other similar organizations, has been promoting World Oceans Day since 2002. This project has also led a three-year global petition movement to secure official UN recognition.

Purpose of WOD

This day is particularly important for Mother Nature as it honors the world’s oceans. It also highlights the importance of the ocean in our daily lives. Its aim is to raise awareness of the role of the oceans, the importance of protecting our marine environment and its resources, the different impacts of human actions on the ocean. Furthermore, it is about mobilising and uniting the world behind a project of sustainable global ocean management. It raises global awareness of the current challenges faced by the international community in connection with the oceans. It’s about celebrating and honouring the bodies of water that links us all. It’s about making a difference in your life, community, and world by taking action to protect our ocean for present and future generations.

Importance of oceans

The oceans cover approximately two-thirds of the surface of the Earth and are the foundation of all life. Oceans provide us with a myriad of resources and services such as oxygen (it is one of the “lungs” of our planet, providing most of the oxygen we breathe), climate regulation, nutrients, and food sources as well as absorb a large quantity of carbon dioxide emissions. It’s also economically important for countries that rely on tourism. They are a critical part of the biosphere. The oceans are vital to food security and the health and survival of all life. It provides an exceptional opportunity to take personal and community action to conserve the ocean.

Why do we celebrate WOD?

·         To remind everyone of the major part the ocean has in everyday life. They are the lungs of our planet, providing most of the oxygen we breathe.

·         To inform the public on the impact of the human actions on the ocean.

·         To develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean.

·         To mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world's oceans. They are a major source of food and medicines and a critical part of the biosphere.

·         To celebrate together the beauty, the wealth and the promise of the ocean

·         To inspire younger generations to get involved with oceans’ conservation.

Theme

The theme for 2017 is Our Oceans, Our Future. The focus of the conservation action is to encourage solutions to plastic pollution and preventing marine litter for a healthier ocean and a better future.

Ocean Threats

Over the last few decades, habitat destruction, pollution, overfishing, destructive fishing, and other forms of exploitation to marine habitats have dramatically occurred.  Even though, there are a myriad of challenges facing the world’s ocean, it’s still possible to achieve a healthy ocean, providing for the billions of humans, plants and animals which depend on it daily. Around 3/4th of our planet is water, but as a result of the occurrence of global warming, there's a threat to even the largest natural resource on earth, namely water. As a result of climate change, ocean acidification has taken place. Accordingly, there's a major hazard to the marine life which thrives in the ocean. This means that it will lead to a loss of equilibrium in the natural order of things.

How it’s celebrated?

World Oceans Day events are celebrated on not only on June the 8^th, but all month long. This day entails launching new campaigns and initiatives, outdoor explorations, aquatic and beach clean-ups, educational and conservation action programs, art contests, film festivals, and sustainable seafood events. You can also show your support digitally by using the following hash tags on your social media platforms: #SaveOurOcean, #WorldOceansDay, #WorldOceansDay2017, #WOD2017, #Oceans.

References

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-oceans-day/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Oceans_Day

http://www.greeningtheblue.org/event/world-oceans-day

http://www.un.org/en/events/oceansday/

Celebrating World Oceans Day

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.

World Oceans Day is a very special day that is yearly and internationally celebrated on the 8^th of June. It was implemented by the United Nations General Assembly and is internationally coordinated by The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network.

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.

Twitter
Use the following tweets:

·       Together we can make a huge difference for the ocean. Join me in celebrating #WorldOceansDay this June 8th

·       The ocean deserves its own day. Celebrate #WorldOceansDay on June 8th!

·       Less plastic means happier sea turtles. I'm taking the #BetterBagChallenge for #WorldOceansDay

·       1 million sea birds die from plastic every year. We want to change that #BetterBagChallenge #WorldOceansDay

·       Disposable plastic is TRASH. I'm taking the #BetterBagChallenge for #WorldOceansDay!

Or make use of the following pictures:

 

Facebook

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

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-and-celebrations/celebrations/international-days/oceans-day/world-oceans-day-2013/

http://www.worldoceansday.org/

http://www.worldoceansday.org/about

http://www.worldoceansday.org/about/annual-theme/

http://www.worldoceansday.org/theme-healthy-oceans-healthy-planet/

Importance of Oceans

The Oceans are the life blood of our Earth. Oceans cover over two-thirds of our blue planet. Oceans play a crucial role in our lives. Everybody depends on the oceans because it is one of the biggest resource for life on earth. Here is a look at the importance of oceans and why it is vital to protect and conserve such a valuable resource:

·        Oceans play an important part in the health and survival of all life. The ocean plays a life-giving role for not only people but also for the environment as it supports a multitude of life forms

·         The ocean connects people across the Earth, no matter where we live.

·       The oceans are essential to food security as it daily feed people. They are a significant source of
nutrition.



·         Oceans play a vital role in the climate system. It powers our climate as it regulate our climate.

·         Oceans produce at least half of all our Earth’s oxygen supply

·         It is the source of our freshwater

·         It offers a pharmacopoeia of potential medicines

·        Aesthetically it is home to a myriad of wildlife and provides us with spectacularly beautiful landscapes and provides immeasurable inspiration

·         It provides an array of recreational enjoyment opportunities

·         It also provides mineral and energy resources

·         It shapes the Earth’s characteristics

We depend on the ocean for our wellbeing. Oceans are the heartbeat of the planet, without oceans, life would definitely cease to exist. A healthy ocean definitely means a healthy planet. It is therefore important to conserve the diversity of oceanic life. Sustaining the ocean is undeniably important and we must do our utmost best to conserve and protect this vitally precious natural resource.

 Every time I slip into the ocean, it's like going home – Sylvia Earle.

Source:

http://www.un.org/en/events/oceansday/