Earth Day and the ocean

Although it's April Fools' Day, the following post is a serious one. This year is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and The Nature Conservancy wants to remind everyone that the earth includes the ocean. As Sylvia Earle is fond of saying, based on size this is really Planet Ocean. If we ruin the oceans, we ruin ourselves. Here are some tips from TNC about what you can do:

1. Use Reusable Bags http://earthday.nature.org/reuse/

a. Hundreds of thousands of marine animals die every year from ingesting plastic bags http://bit.ly/cCww8r

2. Eat Sustainably http://earthday.nature.org/sustain/

a. You eat fish even when you don’t: 36% of world's fisheries catch is used to feed farm animals http://bit.ly/asiJjO

3. Green Your Gardening http://earthday.nature.org/garden/

a. Plant native species – they require less fertilizer, which can seep into oceans! http://bit.ly/aSwOhb

4. Adopt A Coral Reef http://adopt.nature.org/coralreef/bahamas/

a. 70% of all Earth’s coral reefs will be destroyed by 2050, act now! http://bit.ly/bs7Sp4

5. See Oceans, Save Oceans http://nature.org/disney

a. See OCEANS (4/22-4/28) & a portion of ticket sales benefits Conservancy’s work on coral reefs http://bit.ly/cYENDQ

You can also follow their Twitter to learn more.

I'd also like to add that if you're in the U.S., you should contact your representative and senator and let them know that you support strong national and international policies to reduce ocean pollution, end overfishing, end subsidies for fishing (sustainable or not), and create marine protected areas. Personal action is great, but until we dismantle the systems that make it profitable to abuse our oceans it'll be difficult to make any progress. You should also let President Obama know that you absolutely oppose the plan to allow for a resumption in commercial whaling. Go here to tell him to tell the US IWC Commissioner to stand up for the whales at the June IWC meeting!