When we were younger, it seemed like our planet was completely healthy. We were blissfully unaware of the environmental devastation caused by the actions of humans.
Our beautiful, vast oceans are particularly in danger. Climate change is causing rising temperatures and rising levels of carbon dioxide. In order to reverse the effects we caused, we must act now. We must also encourage the younger generations, to act now. Here are a few changes we can make in our daily lives, to positively impact our planet:
- Just say No to Single-Use Plastic: This allows us to be less wasteful. Ditch the plastic straws and invest in metal straws. Plastic straws decompose in 200 years. Our water streams contain 8-12 million tons of plastic straws, posing a threat to marine wildlife, which often mistake them for food.
- Make more Sustainable Food Choices: We understand that seafood might be hard to completely leave behind. So shop and eat from the Sustainable Fishing Guide for your area. Or you can even try going vegan.
- Clean Beaches: Going to the beach can be so relaxing. But when we do go, we have to be conscious of our trash. We need to make sure we don't leave anything behind. Bring recyclables to blue bins, bring your lunch in a reusable container. While there we can consider helping to clean up any litter left behind.
- Less Energy Use: Turn off your electronics when you do not need them! Let's lower our carbon footprint by saving our energy.
- Avoid Chemical Fertilizers: I know gardening is such a wonderful hobby. But, with chemical fertilizers, there is a risk they might enter streams and bodies of water. Compost is a natural fertilizer made from food scraps. It makes a much better option.
- Say Goodbye to Marine Pollution: Spending a sunny day on the boat sounds marvelous. But there is a chance that an oil spill can occur to do this. In order to avoid this from happening, do not overfill your boat tank.
These are some of our favorite tips to protect the environment and our precious oceans. Although these efforts seem small, they will impact our world in a positive way. It might be hard to adjust to a more conscious lifestyle but it's worth it!