Earth

How to celebrate World Oceans Day 2019

Blonde man underwater wearing big goggles and scuba equipment.
All of humanity is intimately connected to Earth’s oceans. Image via @WorldOceansDay on Instagram.

World Oceans Day is June 8, 2019. It’s a time to celebrate the oceans and take steps to protect ocean health. The World Oceans Day 2019 website recommends three ways to participate in the day.

Browse event ideas and/or download resources. More promotional materials here (posters available in 17+ languages!). Find resources specific to plastic pollution here.

Register your event and activities at the World Oceans Day website.

Show your support on social media. Download social media assets including cover photos, social media tiles and more. Check out World Oceans Day gifs and stickers through Giphy. Follow @WorldOceansDay on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and make sure to tag #WorldOceansDay!

Also, many zoos and aquariums are hosting special events for World Oceans Day. Check out a global map of World Oceans Day events for 2019 here.

Why celebrate Earth’s oceans at all? Whether you live near a coast, or not, we are all intimately connected with the oceans. Here are some of the connections:

Oceans cover 71% of Earth’s surface, and they hold 97% of our planet’s water.

The oceans help feed us and provide most of the oxygen that we breathe.

Oceans also play a key role in regulating the weather and climate. Water evaporating from the oceans falls inland as rain, which we then use to drink and grow crops.

A variety of life-saving medicinal compounds including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer drugs have been discovered in the oceans.

The oceans provide us with abundant opportunities for recreation and inspiration.

Half-naked man with snorkel, standing in ocean water up to his chest, with arms upraised.
For 2019’s World Oceans Day, organizers are asking that you take a photo of yourself or a group of people with your arms in the air – crop the photo so your hands touch the upper corners of the photo frame – share your photo on social media and use the hashtag #TogetherWeCan. Image via World Oceans Day 2019.
A pink poster asking, 'How will you celebrate our ocean?'
Via @WorldOceansDay on Instagram.

Threats to the oceans include pollution, overfishing, invasive species, and rising ocean acidity due to the extensive use of fossil fuels. And we’ve all heard of the threat to the ocean via plastic waste. The problems are daunting, but there are simple steps that you can to take to help protect the ocean.

For example, always recycle and use reusable water bottles and grocery bags to help reduce plastic pollution. You can reduce your carbon footprint by turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use and purchasing energy efficient products in the future. Making sustainable seafood choices is one of the most important things you can to do protect marine life, and there are now sustainable seafood guides available for many countries around the world.

Canada first proposed the concept for World Oceans Day in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. In December 2008, a United Nations resolution designated June 8 of each year as World Oceans Day.

A twilight beach scene, with scattered clouds, and a tiny crescent moon.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Along with everything else they provide, Earth’s oceans also provide an opportunity for inspiration and meditation. Here’s view of the waning crescent moon on June 2, 2019, over Nambucca Heads, New South Wales, Australia, just before sunrise. Photo by Carol Schulz.

Bottom line: World Oceans Day is June 8, 2019. It is an annual event that is designed to encourage people to celebrate the oceans and take steps to protect ocean health.

Visit the World Oceans Day website

Posted 
June 5, 2019
 in 
Earth

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