As a Bay Area native, one of the things I have always loved about living here is the California coastline. I have spent plenty of time marveling at the magnificent span of the ocean, and I imagine that countless other Bay Area residents share my sentiments.
By Mallory Johnson
Published: June, 2012
As a Bay Area native, one of the things I have always loved about living here is the California coastline. I have spent plenty of time marveling at the magnificent span of the ocean, and I imagine that countless other Bay Area residents share my sentiments.
Over 70 percent of the earth is covered by the ocean, which is a vital part of our ecosystem, providing essential sources of food, water and energy and creating half of our oxygen. If we don’t sustain a healthy ocean, we will have a very hard time remaining healthy ourselves. Unfortunately, the ocean that we are all so fond of is rapidly deteriorating, largely due to pollution and marine debris.
In honor of the upcoming World Oceans Day on June 8, we should all be taking a closer look at our oceans and how we can better care for them. Ninety percent of marine debris found in the ocean is plastic, a material that it so durable that it never goes away, making it especially harmful to marine life. Plastics are even more toxic after they get bombarded by the sun’s UV radiation. This toxicity threatens everything that relies on the ocean as a food and water source, including us.
"It’s our responsibility to care for the ocean and the amazing animals that inhabit it that either ingest or get entangled in the plastic that ends up there," said Ashley Elliott, an environmental educator at Aquarium of the Bay. "The ocean takes care of us, and we need to take care of it in return. Negative impacts on the ocean can be directly attributed to humans, as we are the only species capable of causing this kind of destruction."
How can we stop contributing to the declining health of the ocean? One of the biggest impacts we can make as individuals is to use less plastic.
Reduce, reuse and recycle. Educate yourself on what products can be recycled, reduce your use of items that are not recyclable, and reuse products as much as possible.
Here are a few more ideas to consider:
• Purchase products made from recycled materials with little or no packaging.
• Keep storm drains clean to keep trash from being swept into the watershed and then flowing into the ocean.
• Keep cigarette butts, which are especially harmful due to their plastic filters and other toxins, off streets and beaches.
• Properly dispose of all trash, making sure that it goes into a receptacle every time.
• Show your support for AB298, an initiative that continues the fight to ban plastic carryout bags in California.
On June 8, 9 and 10, Aquarium of the Bay will be bringing awareness to plastic pollution and other forms of marine debris for World Oceans Day. Aquarium visitors will encounter informational booths and interactive displays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on those days, and visitors will be able to join Aquarium of the Bay naturalists in a guided plankton tow, where they will scoop plankton out of the water and put it under a microscope to study the effects of plastics on the food chain.
On Sunday, June 10 from 9 a.m. to noon, the public is invited to join Aquarium of the Bay and America’s Cup Healthy Ocean Project at Aquatic Park as we clean up the beach and surrounding areas to keep trash off of the streets and out of the ocean. Visit www.aquariumofthebay.org for more information.
I know what you’re thinking—you’ve already heard all of this before. However, I am going to ask you to think about the last time you drank your coffee out of a disposable cup. For many people, I’m guessing it was as recent as this morning. Many mornings, I shamefully drink my coffee out of a disposable cup instead of a reusable one myself. If we already know all of this information, then why aren’t we trying harder to change our ways?
We all forget our reusable grocery bags once in a while, and that’s okay, but it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t put in an honest effort to try harder to remember them next time. Tonight, I’m putting my reusable mug next to the front door. If tripping over it on my way out is what it takes to do my part, it’s a sacrifice I’m happy to make.
Mallory Johnson is the Public Relations Coordinator for Aquarium of the Bay, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, restoring and inspiring the conservation of San Francisco Bay and its watershed.
