Monday, June 8th is World Oceans Day and if you're not sure what that is or how to participate, we'll give you a few ideas.
World Oceans Day is a day to celebrate our beautiful deep blue bodies of water that connect us all around the world. It's a day to recognise the ongoing issues we have yet to find a permanent solution to, like plastic waste ending up in our seas. It's a day to stand up to our world leaders and tell them we want to see major action now!
Why is it important for us to recognise this day?
Sure, we humans don't live in the ocean (unless you're an avid scuba diver), but our world very much depends on our oceans. Our oceans actually provide vital living components to us like air and water.
Did you know that the world is covered by about 71% of water and the ocean holds 96.5% of it?
The ocean provides the majority of the oxygen we breathe, cleans the water we drink and helps regulate our climate.
Our plastic waste and neglect for our oceans is killing many of our friendly sea creatures that have been here millions of years before humans. By the year 2050, scientists have predicted that the plastic in our ocean will outweigh the fish. As they rely on the ocean for their food source, they ingest tons of plastic which sadly results in death.
A little history lesson
You may just be hearing about this official day to celebrate our oceans, or you've known about it for years, because in 1992 (that was 28 years ago, wow!) Canada first proposed the idea of World Ocean Day at the Earth Summit.
In 2002, The Ocean Project began global promotion and coordination of World Ocean Day.
In 2003, worldoceansdday.org launched its website to support worldwide events. There were 25 events held in 15 countries that year.
In 2008, the UN (United Nations) officially recognised June 8th at World Oceans Day and added the s to the title, as historically we actually have 5 oceans; Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern (Antarctic).
In 2016, the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council launches to connect youth around the world with the same passion and drive to help save our oceans.
In 2019, with the growing popularity, there were 2000+ events held in 140+ countries, which shows us that many more are invested in spreading this message and taking action.
Which brings us to the current year 2020, a World Oceans Day held in the midst of a pandemic. So how can you participate whilst social distancing?
How can you take action now?
The course of action we take when wanting to rally for change is educating ourselves on the topic. Whether this is reading books, scholarly articles, watching documentaries, listening to podcasts or attending talks on ocean conversation, there are endless amounts of resources to help you gain knowledge on how you can help save our oceans.
Documentaries
Sign the petition
"Leading scientists worldwide have determined that we need to protect at least 30% of our blue planet by 2030. World Oceans Day joins with many organizations on this important initiative. By signing the petition you are telling world leaders that you want action too! Working together we can protect our blue planet home for all!" - worldoceansday.org
Change your diet
Fish are a finite resource and there are specifies of fish that have become extinct due to overfishing. You may love your fish and chips, but did you know a lot of the 'flake' you're eating is actually shark?
Events
Every year there are local beach clean-ups hosted by your community, or you can make it your mission to pick up any plastic or rubbish you see at the beach when you're there, which is Take 3 For The Sea's main mission. Check with your local council for clean-ups, movie screening, talks or you can organise one for your friends and family! It can be as simple as watching one of the documentaries listed and have a discussion on how you live more sustainably.
Everyday things you can do to help
You probably already do the majority of these things, or you need a gentle reminder of the importance of small actions. One of our favourite quotes that we always come back to is "It's only 1 straw, said 8 billion people", which shows us the detrimental effect we can have on our planet if we don't work collectively to solve our waste management.
Say no to plastic
The reality is you don't need that plastic straw so, if you're out at a cafe, make a point of telling them you do not need a straw. Many large food chains and local cafes & restaurants have replaced the plastic straw with paper straws. If your favourite local cafe is still using plastic straws, it may be worth having a conversation with the owner and asking them to make the change. When going to the shops, you can create good habits by always remembering to bring your reusable cloth bags. Some large retailers have banned plastic bags and will charge you if you need to purchase a reusable plastic bag, but remember, it's still made from plastic!
Recycle responsibly
Yes, there are still a lot of products that come in plastic, so if you are going to continue to purchase them, we urge you to please dispose of them responsibly. Big supermarkets like Coles & Woolies have partnered with RedCycle to collect your soft plastics (plastic items that cannot be recycled in your normal council bins) and turn them into things like, park benches, watering cans, community planters, etc.
Here at Flora & Fauna, we have partnered with TerraCycle and accept empty beauty products from all different brands and send them to be upcycled into new things. You can read more about our 'Recycle & Save' program here.
Pick up any rubbish you see and participate in beach clean-ups
It's important we do our bit and pick up any plastic you spot on the beach to avoid it going into the water. If rubbish has washed up on the shore, make it your mission to dispose of it responsibly. If there aren't any beach clean-ups in your community, why not start one yourself?
Organisations that we love
You may need an extra bit of inspiration to get you going, so we recommend following a few of these organisations that we feel inspired by.
Australian Marine Conservation Society
The Nature Conservancy Australia
Let's work together to #ProtectOurHome!
