Did You Know?

• Plastic is the most common element found in the ocean, and since it doesn’t break down easily, it’s very harmful to the environment there.  Also, marine animals think it’s food, and then it harms them as well!
• Over 1 Million seabirds are killed by ocean pollution each year.
• There is an island of garbage that is TWICE the size of Texas inside the Pacific Ocean.  The number of floating plastic pieces outnumbers total marine life six to one in the immediate area.
• Ocean pollution is also made up of other substances like radioactive waste, industrial metals and acids, and sewage.
• Thousands of tons of garbage waste are dumped into the ocean on a daily basis.

Are you disgusted yet?  It’s hard to believe that we could read through these stats and then turn around and throw another plastic water bottle away!  The reality is that decades of “easy” choices in waste management have gotten our oceans in a lot of trouble.

10 Things YOU Can Do To Help Our Oceans

1. Recycle.  If you have the opportunity to recycle an item, do it!  The more we can cycle materials and use them again and again, the less these materials end up in our oceans.
2. Use less.  Use a reusable water bottle or reusable containers when you can.  The less we use disposable items, the less items will need to be recycled or thrown away.
3. Pick up trash on the beach.  When you’re near water, you have the opportunity to help the immediate marine environment.  Pick up your trash (or others’ trash too) and dispose of it properly.
4. Be an ocean-friendly pet owner!  Be mindful of where Fido does his business.
5. Vote responsibly.  Be mindful of your local elected officials and where they stand on the environment and make sure it aligns with your beliefs.
6. Reduce energy use.  Everything we do has an effect on our oceans.  Reducing your carbon footprint as a whole is a simple way to help our oceans and climate change.
7. Use less fertilizer.  Excess fertilizer eventually ends up in the ocean and can create dead zones in the water where oxygen is low.  This results in marine life dying because they can’t live without oxygen in the water.
8. Dispose properly.  Most communities have opportunities to dispose of hazardous waste properly, so take advantage of these programs!  Motor oil and other hazardous chemicals can be disposed of in a safe way, so don’t just dump these in the trash because it’s the ‘easy’ thing to do.
9. Shop responsibly.  Support businesses (Like OceanBox) who use sustainable practices in the packaging materials like boxes made from post-consumer waste, and recycled materials.
10. Share with a friend.  Talk about these things with your family and friends.  The more we talk about these things, the more awareness we can bring to simple ways to make a difference.

Yes, the ocean needs our help, but we CAN make a difference.  Every little choice you make throughout the day can have an impact on the oceans.  At OceanBox, we are big believers in this too, which is why we source sustainable fish, and sustainable packaging for our products!