I was recently contacted by Modest Fish, in regards to this article, which was posted last year in honor of Earth Day. Modest Fish, founded by Christopher Adams, is aimed at educating, informing and entertaining people about all things dealing with fish. If  you are a regular follower of my blog, you’ll know my son loves fish, the ocean and all things about marine life, AND he keeps fish, and it is NOT easy.

The folks at Modest Fish were grateful I had left a link to an inspiring article by Oceana.org, 10 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SAVE THE OCEAN. Christopher, at Modest Fish, has written an absolutely wonderful article about the ocean. This article, 11 INSIGNIFICANT LIFESTYLE CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE TO HELP SAVE THE OCEAN, is an in depth look at the ocean, reasons to save the ocean, pollution statistics, effects of pollution and how you can help. In order to bring attention to this amazing article, I’ve been inspired to repost this article, and include their link. I’ll also post their article on my site, later today.

To see the Modest Fish article, FOLLOW THIS LINK, or the link at the bottom of the page.

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HERE IS THE MAIN ARTICLE

Do you use plastic? Sure we all do. You’d be hard pressed to live your life without it. That being said, do you ever give any thought to where it goes when you throw it away? Well, to the garbage dump, right?

Where is the biggest garbage dump in the world? The GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH. Did you know, at this moment, there are 5 garbage patches in the ocean. The biggest one is in the Pacific Ocean, and is twice the size of TEXAS!

Here’s a quick fact from the video below. “Approximately 1500 plastic water bottles are put into landfills and the ocean…EVERY SECOND!”

Watch the rest of this 3:00 video

to get an idea

as to the devastation this causes.

 

So, just how will all of the garbage get cleaned up and who will do it? I’d like to introduce you to Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of THE OCEAN CLEANUP, when he was just 17 years old. He is also the youngest ever recipient of the UN’s highest environment award, THE CHAMPION OF EARTH, in 2015.

He recognized the plastic problem in our oceans, and decided to invent a way to collect the garbage already in the ocean, instead of going after the plastic. So, in 2013 he began his work

He developed a system of nets, which use the ocean currents to concentrate the trash, therefor minimizing the cleanup time, from millennia, to a matter of years. The prototype was launched in 2016, with the first working model scheduled for deployment later this year.

What can you do to

help save the oceans?

1. Eat sustainable seafood.– Ask your seafood restaurant or fish market to buy from sustainable fisheries. Look for special terms like “line caught”, “diver caught”, “sustainably caught” or “sustainably harvested. (1)
2. Reduce energy use– The burning of fossil fuels acidifies the ocean. Bike, walk and use public transportation when you can. Turn the thermostat up in the summer and down in the winter. (1)
3. Use reusable plastic products– Plastic is the biggest villain in the ocean. Use cloth grocery bags and reusable water bottles.
4. Pick up garbage and litter near beaches- Pick up any garbage when you’re out and about in nature, to prevent it from getting into the ocean or harming wildlife.

For more tips on how you can help visit:

http://oceana.org/living-blue/10-things-you-can-do

SOURCES:

1. http://oceana.org/living-blue/10-things-you-can-do
2. https://www.theoceancleanup.com/about/
3. https://modestfish.com/ocean-pollution/