http://www.boatinternational.com | June 2017 http://www.boatinternational.com | June 2017Devotion to the ocean
To celebrate World Oceans Day on 8 June, activist and
philanthropist Sir Richard Branson suggests ten things
everyone can do to help care for the oceansFOR MORE ON
WORLD OCEANS DAY
boatinternational.com/
# worldoceansdayBOAT LIFE
1 “Encourage businesses to turn ‘blue’ ...the ocean is everybody’s business so encourage your workplace to actively become more ocean friendly”
Reduce your carbon impact Limit the
damage to coral reefs and marine life caused
by ocean acidification from increased carbon
dioxide emissions by reducing your carbon
footprint. Use public or cleaner transport,
adopt energy-saving options at home, eat
locally produced organic food and cut down
on meat and dairy. When you fly, offset your
carbon impact by investing in the protection
of seagrass beds, which are highly effective
in capturing carbon. oceanfdn.org2
Get to know your seafood To help conserve
fish stocks so they can continue feeding
us in the future, download a sustainable
seafood guide for your country and ask
your fishmonger questions. Discover which
seafoods are commonly mislabelled and find
out how your supermarket ranks in seafood
buying. Where possible, support your local
fishermen. panda.org; usa.oceana.org3
Reduce the plastic soup Use fewer plastic
products, recycle whenever possible,
and say no to single-use plastics, such as
plastic bottles, bags and straws, to help reduce
the amount of plastic in the ocean. Support
efforts to “ban the bead” and avoid products
with microbeads in them. Check out the
National Resources Defense Council’s 10 ways
to reduce your plastic use and move towards
a plastic-free future by taking the #OneLess
pledge. nrdc.org; zsl.org4
Take care of the beach Tidy up after
yourself and others, and join a global
movement to keep beaches, waterways and
the ocean rubbish-free. oceanconservancy.org5
Encourage businesses to turn “blue”
The ocean is everybody’s business
so encourage your workplace/company
to become more ocean friendly.
virgin.net; oceanunite.org6
Look out for ecologically responsible
products Support efforts by companies
that are already doing good for the seas, such
as by making stylish and sustainable outdoor
furniture, sunglasses and any other products
from recycled ocean plastic.7
Get active politically Demand that your
government prioritises the conservation
of marine life nationally by protecting at
least 30 per cent of the ocean as marine
reserves by 2030. Request that it also does this
internationally by supporting a strong new
UN agreement – the Paris Agreement for
the Ocean – in 2017 to protect marine life on
the high seas, which makes up nearly two-
thirds of our oceans. highseasalliance.org8
Learn all you can about the ocean
and support ocean literacy. Join the
conversation and sign up to Ocean Unite’s
monthly newsletter, The Navigator, to keep
your finger on the pulse. Spread the word
about the importance of ocean protection
and ask your local education authority to
ensure that learning about the seas is part
of the curriculum. oceanunite.org9
Be a responsible ocean-user If, like me,
you love watersports, treat the ocean with
respect – never throw anything overboard and
be aware of marine life in the waters around
you, such as delicate corals. Also know that
your choice of skin protection can have an
impact on the ocean. Choose a suncream
that does not contain oxybenzone, which is a
UV-filtering chemical found in thousands of
brands. It can be fatal to baby corals and, in
high concentrations, harmful to people.10
Support organisations that are working
to protect the ocean Help efforts by
making a regular donation, or offering your
time to work as a volunteer. You can even
protect the seas and look cool by getting your
hands on one of Ocean Unite’s special-edition
T-shirts and tote bags, signed by yours truly,
with proceeds going towards efforts to protect
the ocean. oceanunite.teemill.co.ukPHOTOGRAPH: NEALE HAYNESSAVE
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