Do you like to explore different places in your free time? When you reflect on your favourite family holiday memories, how often does the ocean play a part? Whether it’s snuggling up in a cottage with an ocean view, sailing over the waves, or simply soaking up the sun, the ocean is often at the heart of happy family time. So, make the ocean one of the destinations that you visit.
Why? This is why! There are some pretty amazing facts about the ocean.
- We have only explored about 5% of the world’s oceans. There’s a lot more to be discovered!
- The sea could be described as the planet’s mega museum. There are more artefacts and remnants of history in the ocean than in all of the world’s museums combined!
- About 70% of the oxygen we breathe is produced by the oceans.
- The sea is home to the world’s largest living structure – the Great Barrier Reef. Measuring around 2,600km, it can even be seen from the moon!
The responsibility of saving the planet can feel like another weight on our usually overflowing to-do lists! We might all have the best environmental intentions, and you are surely aware of the importance of preserving the marine environment. By remembering that the smallest of actions can have huge impact, you can take tangible steps to protect the environment, such as:
- Reduce your plastic consumption.
- Dispose of chemicals properly.
- Choose environmentally-friendly detergents and household cleaners—or make your own!
- Do background research on beach-holiday retreats. Before you stay in a hotel on the coast, you may ask staff what happens to their sewage and swimming pool water, and if they source their restaurant fish from sustainable sources.
- Buying local and organic food.
- Plant your yard with native species.
- Keep your beach visit clean.
- Don’t buy coral products, including jewelry, house decorations, and accessories for your saltwater fish tank.
- Participate in activities that clean and restore oceans.
Wise use and continuous preservation of the marine environment starts from gaining awareness of the need to participate in the protection and conservation of marine life. This awareness must be instilled from an early age by parents and teachers. It is necessary, therefore, to develop a passion for the sea among the children. Children are usually eager to learn about the natural world and find out what lives in the ocean. Through field-trip activities and holidays, children may be amazed at the beauty of the marine ecosystem.
To generate awareness of, interest in and passion for the sea, you can develop children’s practical knowledge about marine life and its conservation, with activities such as: snorkelling in coral-reef areas, releasing baby sea turtles into the ocean, mangrove planting, and bird watching.
Children will gain knowledge of marine organisms (corals, mangrove trees, reef fish, etc.), marine ecosystems (coral reef, mangrove area, etc.), and marine protected organisms (sea turtles, marine birds, etc.). Children will show an appreciation of the marine ecosystem, especially through activities such as snorkelling where they can directly and closely observe the coral reef ecosystem. Children’s awareness level and knowledge of the marine environment and how to conserve it will increase. From here, they also may express their strong determination to protect marine environment.
Just keep in mind how precious and delicate the ocean is — and how desperately we need to protect it. “It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.” – Chaos Theory
Source: https://news.mongabay.com/2009/06/10-ways-you-can-help-protect-oceans/; http://tcdc2.undp.org/GSSDAcademy/SIE/Docs/Vol16/17.pdf; https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/general-geography/ocean-facts/#!/register
