June 8 is World Oceans Day! This annual celebration is a chance to unite round our love and dedication to this blue planet, offering a day to have fun the fantastic thing about nature, encourage conservation, and take motion to revive and shield our oceans.
Our oceans cowl the vast majority of the planet, however solely a tiny portion of those waters have been explored and studied. People rely closely on the bounties of the deep blue, nevertheless it nonetheless receives little consideration or care from us.
Whether or not it’s aid from plastic air pollution, overfishing, offshore drilling, acidification, or habitat destruction, pure marvels as huge and exquisite as our oceans positive deserve higher.
Regardless of in the event you’re a daily seashore dweller, a seafood aficionado, or only a loving steward to Mom Earth, let’s have fun World Oceans Day by attending to know the blue planet somewhat bit higher.
5 Details About World Oceans Day Historical past
- Canada first proposed the concept of a World Oceans Day on the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
- The United Nations formally designated World Oceans Day in 2008.
- The ocean produces no less than 50% of the planet’s oxygen and absorbs about 30% of the carbon dioxide produced by people.
- An estimated 40 million individuals will probably be employed in ocean-based industries by 2030.
- In 2023, the UN handed its Excessive Seas Treaty to guard 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.
Whereas it’s essential to be taught extra about and do our half to revive and shield the ocean each single day, it’s useful to have someplace to begin. We’ve created a information on tips on how to have fun World Oceans Day this yr.
By the way in which, a number of the hyperlinks on this article (like books!) are affiliate hyperlinks, which implies in the event you make a purchase order after clicking a hyperlink, we could earn a fee at no further value to you. Thanks!
Actions and Concepts: How To Acknowledge World Oceans Day
Be taught
Be taught extra concerning the ocean (and the threats it faces).
The ocean is what makes Earth, effectively, Earth! Since our oceans cowl 70% of Earth’s floor, and our planet is the one planet in our photo voltaic system that’s positively recognized to include liquid water, it makes us fairly distinctive.
The ocean comprises about 1.35 billion cubic kilometers of water, which provides as much as be about 97% of all of the water on the planet. (So I assume we’re saying my canine can’t probably drink all of it.)
This water has a serious impression on how we exist right here on Earth, too, offering us with oxygen, whereas absorbing carbon from our ambiance.
Moreover, the ocean is house to numerous species, lots of which we’ve got but to really examine (or uncover!), they usually stay in 5 totally different life zones throughout the ocean. The ocean’s currents are important to humanity, influencing climate, meals chains, and even our gravitational pull within the photo voltaic system.
For 1000’s of years, individuals have additionally trusted the ocean for commerce and commerce, meals, and power. Whereas there are many alternatives to discover renewable marine power, people have precipitated loads of hurt by way of fishing, mining, drilling, air pollution, and international warming.
The ocean might sound boundless, nevertheless it actually is a finite useful resource — one we have to survive.
“Though the ocean is huge, it’s extra simply polluted and broken than individuals as soon as thought,” a Nationwide Geographic article reviews. “It requires care and safety in addition to skilled administration. Solely then can it proceed to offer the numerous assets that residing issues — together with individuals — want.
Watch documentaries concerning the ocean.
Documentaries are an effective way to dive deeper (ha-ha) into the good physique of analysis concerning the ocean. World Ocean Day gives the right excuse to take a seat down and luxuriate in an informative movie concerning the seven seas:
Learn books concerning the ocean.
In case you’re itching for extra marine media, cease into your native library, or store these e-book alternatives:
- “The Sea Round Us” by Rachel Carson (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “Tides: The Science and Spirit of the Ocean” by Jonathan White (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “The Blue Marvel: Why the Sea Glows, Fish Sing, and Different Astonishing Insights from the Ocean” by Frauke Bagusche (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “Struggle of the Whales: A True Story” by Josh Horowitz (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “The Soul of an Octopus: A Stunning Exploration into the Marvel of Consciousness” by Sy Montgomery (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “The Reef: A Passionate Historical past: The Nice Barrier Reef from Captain Prepare dinner to Local weather Change” by Iain McCalman (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “We Are The Ocean” by Paul Watson, illustrated by Sarah Borg (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “The Huge E-book of the Blue” by Yuval Zommer (Bookshop) (Amazon)
Learn and share quotes concerning the ocean.
With its mesmerizing waves and infinite horizon, the ocean has served as a muse for lots of the world’s best minds. From scientists, conservationists, and adventurers, to poets, philosophers, and authors — quite a few people have shared their reflections and observations concerning the ocean, enriching our views with their knowledge.
We’ve curated a group of essentially the most profound, inspiring, and thought-provoking quotes concerning the ocean.
Discover our full curated article of the most effective quotes concerning the ocean.
Learn excellent news concerning the ocean.
A part of the enjoyable of celebrating the ocean additionally means celebrating excellent news concerning the ocean. We’re all about excellent news at Good Good Good — and we create every kind of Goodnewspaper editions centered round a number of the huge subjects of our time! These embody our annual Setting Version and Animals Version, and even our Water Version!
Plus, we’ve got an entire library of good local weather information tales (particularly ocean excellent news tales!) and excellent news tales about water to maintain you impressed, too.
Take Motion
Donate to organizations that shield our oceans.
Do your half to assist fund efforts to revive and shield our oceans. There are such a lot of giant and native organizations to select from, and any quantity you can provide is significant.
In case you can, organising a recurring donation could make a big impact, all whereas saving you time in the long term.
Listed here are just a few wildlife nonprofits to remember this World Oceans Day:
Urge your elected officers to maintain the ocean.
The oceans-related excellent news out of 2023 was that the UN has lastly adopted a treaty geared toward defending marine biodiversity and increasing restrictions on human actions that trigger hurt. The purpose is to shield 30% of the planet’s oceans by 2030.
Nevertheless, it’s as much as particular person international locations to ratify the treaty and undertake these insurance policies (that may restrict business fishing, drilling, and extra) in their very own home legal guidelines.
The US has signed the treaty, however has not but ratified it. We have now the chance to ensure the U.S. joins different international locations in ratifying it. Name your elected officers and urge them to ratify the UN Excessive Seas Treaty to guard worldwide waters and enhance life on Earth for us all!
Take part in a seashore clean-up.
Whilst you can definitely preserve oceans and waterways clear by thoughtfully eliminating waste, chopping down on single-use plastics, and recycling with care, there’s nonetheless a lot trash to scrub up in our oceans!
In case you stay close to a seashore, coast, or different waterway, contemplate taking part in a seashore clean-up! Yow will discover an interactive map of close by coastal clean-ups from the Ocean Conservancy, discover a chapter of the Surfrider Basis close to you, or be taught extra about staff and solo clean-ups from the Ocean Blue Undertaking.
No matter whether or not you may make it out along with your trash bucket in gloves on World Ocean Day, we at all times urge you to discover a native clean-up crew (or hit the wilderness your self!) any day of the yr.
Attend a World Oceans Day occasion.
Need to collect with different like-minded ocean protectors? There are a great deal of World Oceans Day occasions happening across the globe!
Register to look at the UN’s digital World Oceans Day occasion (which really takes place on June 7 this yr), with a packed lineup of good audio system (together with Xiye Bastida, Sylvia Earle, Lomijoh, and Louis Cato), or discover a map of official World Ocean Day occasions happening in international locations around the globe.
Steadily Requested Questions
Why will we have fun World Oceans Day?
World Oceans Day is widely known to honor the sweetness and thriller of the ocean, all whereas participating the general public to take motion to guard the ocean and its numerous marine life. By way of training, motion gadgets, and celebrations across the globe, it’s a day devoted to defending our blue planet.
What’s the World Oceans Day 2024 theme?
This yr’s World Oceans Day theme is “Awaken New Depths.” The UN is utilizing this theme to attract consideration to the concept that we do not have time for “out of sight out of thoughts.” It’s as much as every of us to encourage individuals to open up their minds (and hearts) to new concepts to save lots of our oceans.
What was the World Oceans Day 2023 theme?
Final yr’s World Oceans Day theme is “Planet Ocean: Tides Are Altering.” The UN used this theme as a chance to hitch forces with decision-makers, world leaders, scientists, executives, Indigenous communities, activists, and celebrities to place the ocean first.
Why is the ocean so essential?
Our oceans are important to life on Earth. They assist us regulate the local weather, generate the oxygen we breathe, and supply us foundational assets that keep our economies, meals manufacturing techniques, and transportation. The ocean additionally helps numerous species of marine life.
What are the 5 oceans?
For many of historical past, there have been 4 named oceans: The Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic. That being stated, many international locations — The U.S. included — that now acknowledge the Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean because the fifth ocean. The Southern Ocean was acknowledged by the Worldwide Hydrographic Group in 2000.
