How you can help our oceans
The ocean’s web of life, environment and links to climate change involve complex issues and dependencies. While there’s still plenty to learn, we can act on what we do know now to help protect and extend the life of our oceans and support future generations.
Living Responsibly – Top Ten Things You Can Do
- Reduce your plastic consumption “footprint”
- Make informed seafood and supplement choices
- Reduce your carbon footprint
- Buy local, organic food to reduce chemical runoff
- Dispose of chemicals properly
- Choose or make green detergents and household cleaners
- Use fertilizer sparingly and plant native species
- Practice responsible seaside and ocean tourism
- Pick up plastic and litter, especially near beaches
- Share info with your friends
Seafood Guides & Apps
Sustainable Seafood Card and App
Seafood Decision Guide
Sushi Guide from David Suzuki
Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Guide and App
Seafood Choices Alliance
Good Fish Guide and App – Marine Conservation Society
SharkSavers guide to threatened shark species
Oceana’s Sustainable Seafood Guide and App
Australia’s Sustainable Seafood Guide
Best Ways to Reduce your Plastic Footprint and Support Change
- Avoid personal care products containing polyethylene. Find out more at www.beatthemicrobead.org
- Opt for clothing made from natural vs synthetic fibers, especially polyester; wash synthetics less often.
- Avoid single-use plastic bags, bottles and other containers wherever possible. Carry reusable shopping bags, water bottles and utensils and support establishments that do not dispense disposable, single-use plastics.
- Urge companies in your country or state to phase out unnecessary and damaging plastics such as microbeads in personal products, single-use shopping bags. Organize or join petitions to policymakers to ban these products such as California and the European Union have been doing, or change policies to put more responsibility on producers for the waste they produce.
- Get out and play on the ocean while collecting samples!! You can help researchers get more data on the problem by volunteering for the Adventurers and Conservationists for Science microplastics project.
Support Ocean Conservation & Activist Organizations
Organizations worldwide are committed to making a difference for our oceans, through research, conservation, education, community involvement and political action. While there are simply too many to list here, we’ve uncovered many of the best resources for finding marine organizations that are tackling the issues we face.
Organizations and Coalitions
Consolidated guides to ocean environmental groups and researchers: A Guide to Environmental Non-Profits (including marine organizations) Marine Conservation Organizations – by species and issue One World One Ocean Campaign Deep Sea Coalition NRDC List of Ocean Resources
Political and Personal Action Resources
Get involved! Petitions and Political Action