World Oceans Day is June 8th! The 2017 focus of World Oceans Day is Our Oceans, Our Future. The focus this year is plastic pollution and marine litter. You can learn more about how World Oceans Day came to exist on the website.
The ocean makes up about 70% of Earth’s surface. With much of the ocean still undiscovered and unknown, the ocean is one of the most important things on Earth.
Here are some ways you can help protect our oceans:
1. VOTE!!!
Without a doubt the best thing you can do for our oceans is to vote for people who believe in science and know climate change will irreversibly alter the landscape of our oceans. Full stop!
2. Cut Down on plastics
Be aware of your plastic and single-use consumption. Opt for: reusable options and find new ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Find a beach clean up near you, or just partake in a 2 minute beach clean!
Print: https://society6.com/product/what-happened-when-sharks-disappear-great-white_print?isrc=srt.new-src.profile-hue.1#1=45 
Print: https://society6.com/product/what-happened-when-sharks-disappear-great-white-8s9_print?isrc=srt.new-src.profile-hue.1#1=45 
Print: https://society6.com/product/what-happened-when-sharks-disappear-white-tip_print?isrc=srt.new-src.profile-hue.1#1=45
3. Get Talking!
Inform your friends about what would happen IF SHARKS DISAPPEARED or if the sea ice melted. Opt for: calling your government representative and informing them you support a ban shark fin trade (without exceptions).
4. Limit consumption of fish.
Opt for: knowing the latest sustainable fish options through Seafood Watch.
5. Use Reef Safe Sunscreen.
Opt for: mineral sunscreen (zinc and titanium oxides) versus chemical sunscreen (oxybenzone and other benzenes).
EDIT: The cool thing about science is as time goes on, new discoveries are made! Since I made this post and infographic, some new information has been discovered that says that Reef Safe Sunscreen doesn’t really matter. Here are two really good articles about it if you’d like to learn more: There’s Insufficient Evidence Your Sunscreen Harms Coral Reefs and Data Doesn’t Back Sunscreen Bans. I don’t want to just delete this, but add an update which is that the best thing you can always do for our oceans is VOTE!
6. Responsibly dispose of cigarette butts.
Opt for: informing others about the harmful toxicity of cigarette butts.
Want to find an ocean-related event happening around World Oceans Day? Check out a list of worldwide events HERE.
The key to helping protect or advocate for anything is not to start too large. Just start by incorporating one of these things into your daily routine. For some, it might be partaking in a daily litter clean up on the way to work, or switching to a reef safe sunscreen… but for others, it could be trying to inform friends about sunscreen or cigarette butts! Focus on one area where you could incorporate a tip listed above and then once you have mastered that, incorporate another. For example, I started with beach cleanups as a kid, then I started speaking out for sharks, and I moved on to the other areas as I got comfortable with the one before it. Start slow and without judgment, and work from there.
Click the highlighted text for links with more information.
