World Oceans Day 2024: 7 ways you can help to protect the ocean

World Oceans Day is celebrated annually on the 8th of June to raise awareness about the need to protect the oceans and the implementation of global sustainable development goals. While global authorities and governments are trying their level best, it is essential to make conscious decisions on the grassroots level to make a difference.

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Ways you can help protect the oceans

Here are 7 simple things you can do to help save the oceans, at home, around town, on the water, or anywhere!

1) Reduce the use of single-use plastics

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Single-use plastics such as plastic straws, cups, take-out containers, and any other plastic items that are used once and then discarded are the biggest source of plastic waste that accumulates in the sea. Reducing your use of single-use plastics is one of the easiest and most direct ways to get started. Simply buying and carrying your own reusable alternatives with you will go a long way.

2) Recycle properly

While the ideal is to completely refrain from using plastic, but what you may not realise is that we use a lot of plastics in our day-to-day lives and sometimes there isn't any other alternative. In those situations, it goes without saying that all plastics that can be recycled should be recycled correctly.

3) Forego fast fashion

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Clothing that is manufactured only because the style or design is in trend and then discarded when it goes out of fashion creates a lot of waste. The waste is either incinerated or ends up in landfills or water bodies and is extremely harmful to marine life and the environment as a whole. Be careful with your buying decisions, invest in clothing that is designed with eco-friendly, natural and sustainable materials, keeping longevity in mind.

4) Be mindful of microplastics and microbeads

Most plastics when they break up turn into these teeny tiny particles called microplastics, but microbeads are another beast altogether. Microbeads are intentionally designed to be small and are used in many health and beauty products like exfoliants, body washes and toothpastes, and easily find their way into our rivers and oceans via our sewage systems, impacting hundreds of marine species.

5) Boat and fish responsibly

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Make sure you abide by the regulations if you like boating and fishing on the water. Policies such as capture and release and no-wake zones are in place for a purpose. While you appreciate the environment, take care of it and abide by these rules.

6) Reduce your carbon footprint

Did you know you actually don't necessarily need to be near an ocean to help save it? In recent years scientists have raised their voices about how carbon dioxide is turning our ocean water more acidic which is detrimental to corals, clams and other marine life. So keep a check on your energy consumption and try to reduce your carbon footprint as much as you can.

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7) Participate in beach and river cleanups

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While it is essential to help remove the generation of plastic and other non-biodegradable waste in the first place, it is equally important to rid our water bodies of the waste that is already accumulated in them. Whether you merely go on your own or with friends and family, or you join an organisation that organises regular drives, cleaning up your local water bodies is one of the most rewarding things you can do to save our oceans.

We cannot leave everything in the hands of the government and rest easy. It is our moral duty to do our small part to help save our blue planet. Oceans are our planet's largest ecosystem and play a crucial role in all our lives. So adhere to the rules and adopt these simple practices to help save the oceans!

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