Our Oceans: Life & Livelihoods

June 8 was World Oceans Day and this year the United Nations chose the theme "Life and Livelihoods," which highlighted how much our economy relies on our oceans. What are the biggest issues impacting our oceans and what legislation exists to protect them? Below, learn more about the impact of noise, oil spills, and plastic pollution on our oceans.

We make noise.
Did you know that noise pollution is one of the greatest threats to ocean health? Aurore Morin, an expert on ocean noise with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), is working on increasing public awareness, which could possibly increase the likelihood of legislation. Ocean noise pollution stems from seismic surveys, shipping, oil exploration, and military sonar. Many marine animals rely on sound. The noise threatens ocean life because it changes animals' behaviors, driving them from their habitats and reducing their ability to communicate, find food, and locate mates. At their worst, powerful noises can lead to physical injuries and even deaths.

We spill oil.
We typically only hear about the most dangerous oil spills, but accidents are more common than most people suspect. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), thousands of oil spills occur in the U.S. every year. Most of those are small spills, like ship refueling incidents, but they can still threaten the environment. Large oil spills that make the news are generally considered environmental disasters. These occur when oil tankers sink, pipelines burst, and drilling operations go awry. Right now, there's a cargo ship off the coast of Sri Lanka that is sinking. In late May it caught on fire, alarming environmentalists as it is located in a delicate ecosystem. The Ocean Conservancy says the ship contains "thousands of containers of toxic chemicals, oil and plastic pellets." As of today's CBS report from Sri Lanka, the ship is now likely leaking oil.

We leave plastics.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that "at least 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year." Plastic is the most common form of litter in the ocean and makes up 80% of all marine debris. The biggest problem with plastic is that it doesn't decompose and poses a hazard to marine life for an estimated 400 years. Plastics that do break up into tiny pieces, but still don't completely decompose, are known as microplastics. Unfortunately, microplastics are harmful because animals ingest them unknowingly. The Ocean Cleanup has designed an innovative system to recover large swaths of floating debris, but to be the most effective we have to stop stockpiling trash in the ocean.

Join the Surfrider Foundation: The Surfrider Foundation’s volunteer network conducts beach cleanups throughout the West, East, Gulf, Great Lakes, Hawaiian and Puerto Rican Coasts. Their National Beach Cleanup program and local chapters (along with clubs for students!) are a fun and easy way to volunteer with friends, colleagues, and family to protect our oceans.

Support the BLUE GLOBE Act: This bipartisan bill, introduced by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), would direct federal ocean-focused interagency committees to improve domestic and international coordination and enhance data management by giving NOAA Cooperative Institutes a stronger focus on technology.

When possible, avoid single-use plastics: The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) offers tips for avoiding single-use plastics, such as buying reusable bags for grocery trips and storing food in reusable containers. While individual choices matter, large corporations need to know that their consumers want better options for the environment. You can let them know by backing local initiatives to reduce plastic waste and patronizing companies that offer recyclable and renewable packaging.