The ocean is a beautiful, vast environment filled with amazing creatures, plant life, and more than you can imagine.  The ocean formed millions of years ago and carried so much history within its waters. Unfortunately, people take advantage of the fact that because the ocean has been here so long it will continue to thrive no matter what we do to it. How are we negatively affecting the ocean and how can we save it? 

1. Pollution is one of the biggest things affecting our oceans. People pollute the ocean is by tossing plastic and waste into the ocean. Some plastic waste is soda cans, plastic bags, and plastic bottles. It is estimated that up to 13 million metric tons of plastic are in the ocean each year. By doing this, this can cause the animals that thrive in the ocean to mistake plastic for food, consuming the plastic is extremely harmful to them and often leads to death. Switch to reusable alternatives, remember to throw away your trash, and recycle your plastic! 

       2. Conserve water, conserving water helps reduce the amount of wastewater that enters the ocean. Actions like shorter showers, fixing leaks, and using water-efficient appliances can make a big difference. 

       3. Overfishing is a serious problem that causes fisheries to catch too many fish, this disrupts the marine ecosystem causing animals to be thrown off the food chain. 90 percent of all large predatory fish – including tuna, sharks, swordfish, grouper cod, and halibut are gone. Support fisheries that follow responsible fishing practices. 

      4. Get involved in beach cleanups. Beach cleanups are a great way to contribute to keeping our coastlines and oceans clean. They increase awareness about pollution and educate individuals through action. Overall, beach cleanups are a worthy cause to bring people together to focus on the environment and learn ways to protect it.

     5. Chemical products like cleaning products can find their way into the ocean through drains and waterways. To help this issue, look for environmentally friendly products and remember to dispose of them chemically properly. 

These are only a few of the ocean’s problems, most we ourselves cannot control but doing a small act such as throwing away your trash or recycling can make such a big difference. 

Together we can make a positive impact and help save the ocean one step at a time!