5 Simple Actions You Can Take to Help Save the Oceans

It is now no surprise to anyone that our human waste is piling up. We are finding sea animals beached with stomachs filled with garbage and plastic. We find animals with plastic embedded in their bodies or even stuck around their limbs and neck. We all see the pictures, it devastates us, and then we go about our normal lives rarely making any conscious changes to fix what we as a species are destroying at rates that are absolutely mortifying. So, what can we as individuals really do?

1. Skip the straw.

I get it, my teeth are sensitive too. It also helps to keep my lipstick from smearing. Yeah, I really get it. Now lets consciously think of where this plastic waste will end up? More than likely, in the stomach of a sea animal that is dangerously lingering on the brim of endangerment/extinction. So, which is more important to you? It is such a small sacrifice to make to improve the quality of life for the beautiful creatures that share the Earth with you and I.

2. Stop contributing to the saltwater fish pet market.

They are really beautiful fish, something exotic for your home... I see the appeal. However, this can cause chaos in their normal habits. When they are captured from the ocean, the entire ecosystem around them is negatively affected (think coral reefs). Captive bred freshwater fish are the most eco- friendly option and they are just as beautiful. Once again, a small sacrifice to make for such a great positive impact on the quality of life for these animals.

3. Participate in beach cleanups.

The majority of beaches have a community clean up program that would love your help. If you live near the beach, challenge yourself to carry 10 pieces of trash off of the beach/out of the ocean with you before you leave. This may seem like it wouldn't have a high impact, but it is absolutely critical.

4. Cut the rings on your six-pack of sodas.

I understand, some people just need their soda. The plastic rings that hold the bottles together are actually very dangerous for sea life, though. They can get caught around the necks of sea turtles or birds and eventually, this can strangle them. If you cut a slit in each ring you can prevent them from getting stuck on the animals in that way.

5. Choose your souvenirs wisely.

I am guilty of this. Almost every little beach shop has beautiful shell necklaces, jellyfish souvenirs, starfish, sand dollars, etc. Keep in mind that these things are all part of their own ecosystem and mass producing these items for profit is extremely dangerous for their environment. Just say no.

Humanity as a whole has started to make themselves oblivious to this issue. Out of sight out of mind, right? Well... not exactly. The oceans take up 71% of our planet's surface therefore what is detrimental to the ocean will, in turn, be detrimental to us. We may be intelligent enough to run the world, but that does not change the fact that we are still a part of an ecosystem. What affects the rest of our ecosystem negatively will surely affect us negatively as well. There are so many small sacrifices we can begin to make to start to repair what we've done before it is no longer an option for us to fix it.