Seas the Day!

“All you need is love.”

- The Beatles

The problems facing our ocean, from global warming to overfishing, may seem too big for anything we do on our own to be of significance. Yet we only need to take a minute to stop and think of the ways in which small actions from a large number of us can quickly add up, or, in this case, subtract down.

One great way to start is by rethinking what we really need in life, and then cutting down on our excess consumption. If each of us takes just a few small steps to simplify our lives, and reduce our impact on our blue planet, we can help conserve the world's ocean and the plants and animals that call it home. It's easy to procrastinate, but think of our ocean and act now!

Three for me….

Simplify, simplify, simplify. Most of the items we buy are made from nonrenewable resources. And when we add in the pollution that typically comes with manufacturing and shipping, let alone the matter of disposal, the environmental costs of even the most basic items can be staggering. Before we buy more stuff, we need to think about whether we really need it, and weigh the hidden environmental costs to our planet.
Buy the product, not the packaging. Recycling is great, but generating less waste is even better. Start at the grocery store, and try to buy items with the least packaging or, at least, the most environmentally-friendly packaging. Avoid packaging that uses PVC, polyvinyl chloride, typically labeled with the number “3” or the letter “V” on the recycling symbol, as PVC is a leading source of dioxin, a potent toxin, in the environment. Take action here!
Think of the Eco-alternative. Instead of buying bottled water, use a water bottle. As was recently reported on public radio, “ Prepackaged H2O may be a $40 billion industry, but it's anything but green.” The costs, from packaging to transportation, are astonishing, and all for a product that typically is no better than what we can get right out of the tap!

…and three for the seas

Rethink your morning commute. Did you know that the average American spends more time commuting (100 hours per year) than they do on vacation (80 hours per year)? With all this time in the car, it's no wonder that the transportation sector is responsible for approximately one-third of our nation's total production of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas that is the major contributor to global warming. Consider joining the 20% of Americans who were found in a recent survey to use a bicycle at last once per month for transportation. As added benefits, you'll get in shape and get to know parts of your neighborhood you may never have seen before. And think of all the pollution that will be kept out of our air and our ocean!
Save trees, save seas. Conserving our forests can also help us conserve our ocean. Trees are a great way to combat global warming- they soak carbon dioxide up and store it out of the atmosphere. Try to minimize use of any new paper, and a great way to start is by opting out of all that unnecessary junk mail. Other easy ways include sending out e-mail invitations, reading news and reports online, and using both sides of the paper plus minimum margins whenever you have to print. Next, make sure that you close the loop on recycling by buying post-consumer recycled paper whenever you can.
Tell a friend. Word-of-mouth is one of the most effective ways to spread information! People are more likely to listen and take action based on what they have heard from a friend or neighbor. Take what you find to be the best ways to simplify and rejuvenate your lifestyle, and help spread the word by telling a friend. Ideally, they will tell another friend, who will tell someone else – forming a long chain of informed individuals taking personal action! When we all cut down, it quickly adds up for the ocean!

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