In celebration of World Oceans Day, we recognize the beauty this continuous body of water that makes up 71 percent of the planet has to offer. Home to one million species of animals and incredible, complex ecosystems, the ocean is a major contributor to life on Earth.
For these reasons, there is no scenario where humanity could survive without this incredible life support. This is why SeaKeepers takes this time to also self-reflect on their actions and the importance of protecting and restoring our oceans for future generations.
“We understand the immense task it is to make choices in your everyday life that will benefit the future of our oceans. However, if everyone practiced these five tips to living a more sustainable lifestyle, think about the impact your actions can make and how different the futures of our ocean could look.” SeaKeepers
5 Tips to Living a More Sustainable Lifestyle – SeaKeepers
#1 Banish Single-Use Plastics For Good
Saying “goodbye” to single-use plastics seems like an impossible task, but it’s very easy to do when you realize the culprits to watch out for.
According to The International SeaKeepers Society Scientific Advisor and Oceanographer, Sylvia Earle, “our actions over the next ten years will determine the state of the ocean for 10,000.”
One million plastic bottles are sold every minute, and by the end of 2021 it is projected that 583.3 billion bottles will have been sold.
You can easily begin your new journey to a more sustainable lifestyle by cutting down on single-use plastic water bottles and opt-in for a reusable bottle. If that doesn’t convince you, according to a study by Rayne Water, the average American is spending an estimated $1,460 annually ONLY on plastic water bottles. You wouldn’t just be saving the ocean but saving your pocket too!
This method also applies to plastic bags, which are a major contributor to marine wildlife decline. Around 200,000 plastic bags go into landfills every hour.
This problem is easily solved with a reusable shopping bag, brought from home, or purchased at checkout in your local store.
#2 Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
After being cooped-up at home after a year-long pandemic, this is the perfect year to begin setting healthy habits into your everyday life. Every decision we make has an impact – in many cases, that includes the amount of carbon we emit into the atmosphere through our daily activities. You can reduce your carbon footprint and improve not only the oceans health but your own with these simple tips:
- Walk, ride a bike, roller-skate, or use public transportation instead of driving your car to your next destination
- Choose to eat sustainable seafood that is from well-managed, wild fisheries
- Unplug your devices and turn off the lights every time you leave the room
- Educate yourself! Look for a “Carbon Footprint Calculator” to see what your current impact is and look for other ways you can improve.
#3 Fashion Sustainably
Clothing nowadays is often made of synthetic fibers like polyesters, acrylics, and nylon for their moisture-wicking and insulating qualities. Up to 12 million microfibers can be released into the water systems in a single load of laundry that are small enough to pass the filtration in water treatment facilities and make their way to the ocean.
Solve this problem by avoiding “fast fashion” and support companies leading the way in sustainability.
Better yet, give your clothing a second life!
- Choose to buy secondhand clothing that would otherwise go directly into a landfill and donate or sell your gently used clothing instead of tossing it.
- If your clothes are too worn to be used again by another person, find other creatives ways to recycle old fabrics. Cut them up and use old fabric for cleaning cloths, makeup wipes, or other fun projects!
#4 Become an Ocean Activist
Marine debris is a people problem, but that also means we’re the solution. Plastic pollution is incredibly dangerous to ocean wildlife and is overwhelming our oceans. Join a local beach cleanup with SeaKeepers or host one in your community. In return, you’ll reduce the amount of litter entering our waterways and raise awareness on the pollution problem. You can also go the extra mile and vote for ocean issues in your city and advocate for stronger policies.
#5 Share Your Love For The Ocean
There’s no better way to encourage ocean stewardship than spreading the message of responsibility and sustainability with your peers. Get your friends and family involved with your favorite organization making a difference. You could also hold each other accountable by making a game out of your heroics each week – who’s collected the most trash from the beach? What have you done this week to make a difference in your community?
For more stories and tips on how you can be more sustainable for the ocean every day, follow @SEAKEEPERS on all social media platforms and stay tuned!
