Day 12

Encircling every landmass and influencing culture around the world, our global oceans connect us and provide food, oxygen, and habitat for millions of known and unknown organisms. Did you know that the ocean has waterfalls and lakes inside of it? Or that the planet’s longest mountain range is underwater and 10 times longer than the Andes? Or that the majority of life on earth is aquatic? We’ve mapped less than 10% of the ocean, yet what we have discovered thus far is mind-blowing.

We cannot live without the ocean and yet human-caused climate change continues to threaten the lifeblood of our planet. Here’s how: oceans absorb heat from the atmosphere, which influences local and global weather patterns. As our atmosphere heats, the ocean struggles to hold extra warmth. The amount of heat stored in the ocean has drastically increased since the 1950s, leading to increased severity and frequency of tropical storms and other weather phenomena. 

Warming waters also directly and negatively impact marine life. Although the ocean stores huge amounts of CO2, too much can increase acidity in the water. Ocean acidification especially harms shell-building creatures like clams and corals. Although they use less than one percent of the ocean floor, coral reefs provide essential nutrients and habitat for more than one-quarter of all sea life. Corals also protect coastlines from severe storms and are major fixtures in tourism and fishing industries. Sadly, scientists estimate that about 50% of all coral reefs have died in only the past three decades. 

Beyond coral reefs, mangrove forests protect our coastlines and planet, acting as natural barriers against sea level rise, provide ecosystems for thousands of species, and remove excess carbon from the atmosphere. Take Kiribati for example. The small island country sits only six feet above sea level, meaning that it could be destroyed as a result of sea level rise by 2100. Just this year, the World Bank announced a $20 million investment for Kiribati climate change resilience in the form of stronger sea wall infrastructure and the planting of mangrove forests! This investment is a strong starting point, but much more needs to be done to save this small collection of islands.

The immensity of the ocean makes it difficult to observe and measure immediate effects of climate change. But one thing we can see in seas and along coasts is pollution — and there is much much more that we cannot see located far from shore, under the surface, broken down into microparticles and nanoparticles. Every year, our oceans are polluted with more than 13 million additional tons of plastic, including massive amounts of waste from the fishing industry. By 2040, the total amount of plastic in the ocean is expected to reach 600 million tons. 

Many organizations are working to protect our oceans. Understanding this problem and the impacts of pollution is our partner 5 Gyres’ mission and an essential part of finding sustainable solutions for the future. Action must be taken by everyday people like us, as well as governments and industry on a massive scale.  

Protecting the ocean, tackling the climate crisis, and fueling the movement for a more just, equitable planet will take us all. Our partner, Only One, provides a platform for stories, solutions and community action to recraft the future. Groups around the world are working to minimize threats to diverse ocean habitats. Many nations are creating marine protected areas to conserve specific locations by restricting human activity and monitoring local marine life. 

The good news is that individuals can make pretty powerful waves (we couldn’t resist!) of change. One critical way that you can help to protect the ocean is by interacting with your government; speak with representatives, vote when able, and organize to promote messages of conservation. Another is by avoiding products that contain excess plastic packaging, plastic-derived ingredients or microplastics, as well as chemicals that are toxic to corals and marine life; choose sustainable, safe reef safe ones instead.

You can also adjust your diet to eat more sustainably, save sea life, and intake less toxins from seafood. Eating a plant-based, vegan or vegetarian diet lessens negative impact on the oceans in many ways, including by not supporting the highly-polluting industrial fishing industry, which threatens ocean health, species and sustainable fishing communities alike. If you do choose to consume seafood, eat less and seek out more sustainable options, brands that use sustainable catch methods, and options that are not overfished or under regulated. Keep learning about ocean conservation, taking meaningful action and sharing your knowledge! The ocean needs all of us to protect it and life on Earth.

Each Greener Winner Will Receive:

• $50 gift card to Nomadic State of Mind, a company that designs superb quality, affordably priced, rope art sandals and using scraps to create handbags, water bottle carriers, rugs and more. They are rooted in fair trade, ethical practices and their philosophy – Do it right.
• Shaving soap from our partner Dr. Bronner’s, a B Corp committed to socially and environmentally responsible practices using the purest organic and fair trade ingredients. No synthetic preservatives, no foaming agents for your body, hair, face, mouth & teeth and food, dishes, laundry, cleaning and pets (18 in 1). Dr. Bronner’s is the best for humans, our homes, and shared Earth.
• Razor made of recycled plastic from Preserve. Preserve is a B Corp that makes products out of recycled plastic partly from their takeback program called Gimme 5, which collects #5 plastics to create new products. The POPi line (Preserve Ocean Plastic Initiative) is a line of products made specifically from recycled ocean plastic recovered through the clean up efforts of their partners.
• Foldable reusable bag from Baggu which is made of recycled ripstop nylon, machine washable, and holds up to 50lbs!

Each Greenest winner will receive:

Each Greener Winner Will Receive:

• $50 gift card to Nomadic State of Mind, a company that designs superb quality, affordably priced, rope art sandals and using scraps to create handbags, water bottle carriers, rugs and more. They are rooted in fair trade, ethical practices and their philosophy – Do it right.
• Shaving soap from our partner Dr. Bronner’s, a B Corp committed to socially and environmentally responsible practices using the purest organic and fair trade ingredients. No synthetic preservatives, no foaming agents for your body, hair, face, mouth & teeth and food, dishes, laundry, cleaning and pets (18 in 1). Dr. Bronner’s is the best for humans, our homes, and shared Earth.
• Razor made of recycled plastic from Preserve. Preserve is a B Corp that makes products out of recycled plastic partly from their takeback program called Gimme 5, which collects #5 plastics to create new products. The POPi line (Preserve Ocean Plastic Initiative) is a line of products made specifically from recycled ocean plastic recovered through the clean up efforts of their partners.
• Foldable reusable bag from Baggu which is made of recycled ripstop nylon, machine washable, and holds up to 50lbs!

Each Greenest winner will receive: