Have you ever stopped and thought about how amazing oceans are? No? Well, if you have never before stood mesmerised before the great watery body of one of the world’s many seas, then now is your chance…
June 8th is World Oceans Day and water-lovers across the globe are preparing to honour the wonders of the blue planet for a number of reasons. Coordinated by The Ocean Project and The World Ocean Network since 2002, World Oceans Day (note the plural) aims to celebrate the fact that – aside from providing us pesky humans with ample snorkelling and surfing opportunities – oceans are great because:
- They generate most of the oxygen we breathe
- They provide us with a lot of our food
- They regulate our climate
- They clean our drinking water
- They are a source of many potential medicines
The day aims to help protect Oceans for future generations by raising awareness of these issues at Oceans Day events across the globe. In the UK, fans of the seven seas have a wide selection of events to choose from, from moonlight cycle rides in Kew Gardens to coastal foraging in Cornwall. You can also organise your own event to be publicised via www.worldoceansdays.org.
Now you may be wondering why the plural form ‘Oceans’ has been selected for the name of the commemorative day. On this point, The Ocean Project interestingly notes the following: “The Ocean Project recognizes that there is one world ocean that connects us all. (One need only look at an image from space to see that our planet should have been named “Ocean” rather than “Earth.”)
“Through 2008, we promoted “World Ocean Day” but added the “s” in 2009 after the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution officially recognizing June 8th as World Oceans Day each year. We hope that the UN will eventually embrace the singular “Ocean” but in the meantime, we are following the UN-designated use of World Oceans Day to show solidarity for the conservation of this important resource that connects us all.”
Whether you agree or not, the idea that as inhabitants of this one planet we are connected by certain issues is an important one. As many of our returned volunteers will tell you, wherever you are in the world, and whatever language barriers or cultural differences you might face, there are certain things that are common to us all. And, in fact, far from amplifying our differences, travelling and volunteering abroad enhances our understanding of foreign cultures and helps to promote tolerance within our own societies. These lessons in tolerance and global citizenship are certainly something that many of us could learn from.
Get involved
5 ways you can get involved with protecting the ocean:
- 1 do something to help the Surfers Against Sewage Protect Our Waves campaign: sign the petition, become a guardian, buy a T shirt
- 2 hassle your Council to provide better information about bathing water quality – especially when combined sewer overflows are used
- 3 take part in the SAS Barefoot Beach Cleans this summer, and take home a bit of plastic rubbish the next time you visit the beach.
- 4 get your Council to follow the example of Cornwall County Council in recognising the role of surfing
- 5 buy your fish from a sustainable source to help reduce overfishing.
