SPECIAL FEATURES:
Email
10 surprising ways to restore our oceans (and our seafood)
Maria Rodale provides a list of things you can do whether you live near or far from the sea.
Fri, Apr 15 2011 at 11:04 AM
Related Topics:
FREEDIVING WITH MANATEES: "Martin Stepánek has a unique perspective on our changing oceans." -from "Oceana" (Photo: "Oceana"/Rodale)
In a previous post, I wrote about "Oceana," Ted Danson’s amazing book. He’s got a lot of great save-the-ocean tips in there for what you can do to keep our oceans clean, and help to protect the magical life beneath its surface. But I thought of 10 more ways that might surprise you, and which anyone can do even if you live far, far away from any ocean or sea.1: Go fishing! And eat your local fish. Catch it yourself if you can. Or buy it (or trade for it) with a local fisherman. But before you do that, make sure your local water is clean (good luck with that). At least you’ll be getting personally acquainted with your local fish and what they need to thrive.
2: Take Wholemega fish capsules instead of eating fish. I have heard personally from Tom Newmark, chairman of the Board of New Chapter vitamins, how sustainably and carefully the company collects its fish oil from wild-caught Alaskan salmon. I trust their fish oil. So can you.
3: Avoid plastics at all costs. OK. Plastic is made from petroleum. Oil harvesting is a major source of ocean pollution (and wastes oil on things we don’t need). Then we throw it out and it ends up in the ocean again. How stupid is that?! One more reason to be as plastic free as you can.
4: Only use sunscreen when absolutely necessary. There are lots of studies showing that the chemicals in sunscreen are not only bad for us, but they also kill coral reefs. If we don’t stop killing them, coral reefs may be destroyed in our lifetime. By only using small amounts of sunscreen, only when absolutely necessary, you keep chemicals out of the water, and you don’t contribute to the plastic-bottle pollution either.
5: Buy fish-free pet food. Lots of good fish that would otherwise feed whales and dolphins — as well as wasted fish from inefficient harvesting — go toward making pet food. If you see “fish meal” on the label, don’t buy it!
6: Enjoy Fishless Fridays! A lot of people I know eat fish on Fridays — it’s a holdover from when the Catholic Church said that you shouldn’t eat meat on Fridays. As a result, all across the country there are fish fries on Friday nights. Take a cue from Meatless Mondays (which I support), and try Fishless Fridays, which means you go veggie instead.
7: Take your water sports off the grid. If you love being out on the water, do it oil free — sail, row, swim, surf! All of those are healthy, wonderful ways to enjoy the water without spoiling the water, the fish, or people’s hearing.
8: Drive a hybrid, ride a bike, walk, or even better, ride a horse to wherever you are going. Again, oil is the major ocean polluter. And we’re running out of it. And the price of gas is only going to keep going up and up. Find alternative means of transportation, and you’ll be saving money, saving gas, and keeping the oceans cleaner.
9: Read "Oceana." You won’t regret it.
10: Demand organic! (And buy organic.) Agricultural toxic chemical runoff is, in addition to oil pollution, one of the biggest contributors to the destruction of the oceans. The only way to stop chemical companies from selling chemicals is for YOU to stop buying chemically grown food.
See beautiful images from "Oceana" on Rodale.com, as well as more great ways to help our oceans.
Check this out: Interactive Map of Eutrophication & Hypoxia
You might also like:
Sign in with one of these accounts to add your comment.
EDITORS' PICKS
Advertisement
TODAY'S MOST POPULAR ON
- Student science experiment finds plants won't grow near Wi-Fi router
- World's oldest beehive discovered in ancient church
- U.S. solider and stray cat save each other in Afghanistan
- 10 false facts most people think are true
- 13 natural remedies for the ant invasion
- 9 habits that may do more harm than good
- Tornado survivor finds dog during live TV interview
- Why we turn to dogs when disaster strikes
- Archaeologists unearth 5,000-year-old 'third-gender' caveman
- Jon Stewart explains the ‘Monsanto Protection Act’
NEWSLETTER
Advertisement
There are biodegradable sunscreens (such as Kiss My Face And Burnout) which have a minimal impact on coral reefs. Tons of non-biodegradable sunscreens are released over coral reefs every year, and coral reefs only make up 0.2% of the ocean. Coral reefs' greater threats include land-based pollution, global warming & rising sea temperatures, and ocean acidification.
Although this article has good intentions, it definitely wasn't written by someone well educated in humans and their impact on the environment, and some of these points won't actually help the ocean or the earth.
The kind of sunblock that's available only protects people from sunburns, not melanoma. Suggesting people avoid them won't majorly impact their risks. :)
Ever since I bought one of those long sleeve rashguard shirts in Hawaii I am never going back to slathering with sunscreen before swimming. these allow me to stay in the water so much longer with no sun damage to shoulders and chest. I wear a honkin big hat for my face...something water ready. not a perfect solution...but perfect wasn't on the menu last I checked.
Actually, most commercially available sunblocks are broad spectrum, that means they protect against cancer and burns.
I agree it is absolutely necessary to wear sunscreen especially on a sunny day at the beach which is when it's likely you'd be in the sea, there are chemical free more natural alternatives out there which I and many others do use so instead of telling people not to wear sunscreen instead promote the use of chemical free, organic natural sunscreens.