It's Everyone's Responsibility To Make Ocean Conservation A Priority

By Peter Stevens


There seems to be a lot of discussion in the political arena over whether or not global warming and climate change are real. The vast majority of the population looks at the melting icecaps and rising sea temperatures and sees a problem. Others dismiss the signs as the rantings of liberal alarmists. What should not be argued however is how vital the oceans are to human survival, which makes ocean conservation the responsibility of everyone.

If you are one of the people who respects the environment and is concerned about any negative impact you could have on it, there are some simple things you can do. Teaching your children that walking and biking are viable modes of transportation and that they don't emit noxious fumes into the atmosphere is a beginning. You can turn out lights when you leave a room and turn the thermostat down when you leave the house.

Plastic is such a part of our lives that we don't think about using something else that would work just as well. We now have actual islands in the Pacific and Atlantic consisting of nothing but trash. The convergence of currents and wind has drawn our refuse to areas of the Sargasso Sea and what is known as the Pacific Garbage Patch. Instead of plastic, try using cloth shopping totes, and recycle everything you can.

Beaches are national treasures for every country lucky enough to have them. Many visitors however are careless about how they treat these beautiful stretches of land and water. You can teach your children to leave the beaches the way they found them, to refrain from pulling coral and rocks off the ocean floor, and to become active in community beach cleanup days.

Eating seafood is great as long as you avoid the temptation of delicacies created from endangered wildlife. You should refuse to consider anything in a restaurant or market except sustainable seafood. Coral necklaces, shark's teeth, and tortoiseshell combs are interesting objects in many beach side shops, but purchasing any of them will send the wrong message to your children. You need to explain that exploiting marine populations is not acceptable

Pet owners need to read labels and choose sustainable seafood for pet diets. If you have an indoor cat, never flush the litter. The pathogens can get into water sources and harm marine life. When choosing fish for a tank, avoid wild saltwater fish, and never dump aquarium contents into the ocean.

Education is key when it comes to informing the younger generation about the importance of conservation. You are teaching by example when your children see you researching how your political representatives vote on these important issues. Children will notice if you choose to frequent only restaurants that offer sustainable seafood on their menus.

Protecting the earth is everyone's responsibility. For the moment, this is the only planet we have. If we destroy our ability to inhabit it, it won't matter whether you believed in climate change or not.




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