Created in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro - although not yet officially designated by the United Nations - World Ocean Day is an opportunity each year to celebrate our world ocean and our personal connection to the sea. The Ocean Project, working closely with the World Ocean Network, helps each year to coordinate events and activities with aquariums, zoos, museums, conservation organizations, universities, schools, businesses. Together with the World Ocean Network, we are also working to have the United Nations officially designate World Ocean Day as June 8th each year.
Take time to do something good for our ocean:
Five things you can do to thank the ocean
Learn about the ocean. Visit the www.thankyoucoean.org welcome website, a library or an aquariaum
Experience the ocean: swim, surf, dive, play or just sit around and contemplate
Respect the ocean: take care where you step, don't distrurb sealife that live on land water or air
Choose the ocean: conserve water and remeber that everything ends up in the ocean (see below) so don't litter.
Make a difference: participate in a beach clean up (visit www.surfrider.org), write your lawmakers or join an ocean organization
What else can I do?
You can adopt some easy tips to keep our beaches and oceans clean (thanks to the Surfrider Foundation, San Diego Chapter):- Gutter Talk: Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your sidewalk or driveway and keep your gutter clean of trash and debris.
- Weeding instead of Sprays: Pull your own weeds. The less herbicides and peticides we use, the less they'll spill out into the ocean and ruin your next day at the beach.
- Scoop Poop: Make sure you pick up after animal droppings.
- Stop that Drip: Make sure to turn faucets off completely and reapir any leaky ones.. Driping faucets waste thousands of valueable fresh water every day.
- Become a Prudent Shopper: Look for natural substitutes to clean your house. For example, viegar and baking soda clean well. Become aware of the chemicals you use in your daily routine. Buy eco-sensitive products to help protect our oceans.
- Oily Recycling: Make sure you re ycle used motor oil. Most garages will take your used motor oil - some will even pay you for it.
- Recycle, Recycle: Recycle usable materials - metal, paper, plastic and more. Call 1-800-RECYCLE to locate your nearest drop off locations.
- Mind Your Storm Drain: The trash and toxins that are dumped on the street run straight to our beachers. If we reduce the amount of toxins and debris that goes into our storm dramins, the beaches and oceans will thrive again.
- Don't Water Your Driveway: All that water washes the soap, oil and chemicals on the driveway, sidewalk and streets straight into the ocean.
- Mark Your Storm Drains: Place markers and stickers on storm drains remiding peopoel not to dump or throw anythying into the drain. Contact the Sand Diego Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation at 858 792 9940 for special stencils or more information about how you can help.
For more information on water quality issues, check out the Surfrider series on water pollution.
Other things you can do: celebrate Twenty Five Years of Protecting Ocean Wilderness: The Farallones.
Designated in 1981, the Gulf of Farallones National Marine Santuary protects over 1200 square miles of some of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world through conservation, education, stewardship and research programs. For more information about their hands-on Vistor Center, visit their web site or call 415 561 6622.
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