Ten Things You Can Do to Help Save the Ocean

1. Learn to eat only sustainable seafood.

For example, Alaskan Salmon, Tilapia and farmed Mussels or Oysters are tasty sustainable choices! For a complete list of sustainable seafood choices in your region go to www.seafoodwatch.org.

2. Give a sustainable seafood card to your favorite restaurant.

70% of all seafood consumed in the US is in restaurants. You may not know it, but seafood on restaurant menus is often endangered or imperiled. Ask your favorite restaurant to serve only sustainable seafood. Let them know you care about our oceans.

3. Eat organic and locally grown food.

Run-off from today’s conventional agricultural practices is one of the major contributors of toxic endocrine disrupting hormones contaminating the ocean and its inhabitants. Look for organically grown food in your grocery store and try to buy produce in season.

4. Use phosphorus free soap.

Higher than normal phosphate levels encourage excessive algae growth that can harm water quality and destroy precious habitat for fish and other animals.

5. Don’t put anything toxic down your drain!

Most common household cleaners, toiletries, and soaps are made from highly toxic substances. Pouring them down the drain often releases them to waterways that lead directly to the ocean. Replace these products with eco-friendly, non-toxic brands. Vinegar and baking soda are safe alternatives for cleaning products.

6. Conserve electric power.

Electric power generation produces more pollution than any other single industry in the U.S. resulting in acid rain, urban smog and global climate change, all of which adversely affect the ocean. Use energy efficient, compact florescent lights wherever possible. Set your clothes washer to the warm or cold setting, not hot. Turn down your water heater thermostat. Thermostats are often set to 140 degrees F when 120 is usually adequate.

7. Dramatically reduce the amount of plastic you use.

The ocean is awash with non-biodegradable plastic debris, some so finely-ground up that it is digested by microscopic plankton, the very base of the ocean’s food chain. Use reusable shopping bags and biodegradable plastic products. Buy products that are in reusable or recyclable containers. Use mugs, glassware and tableware that is not made from paper or plastic.

8. Participate in a Beach Clean Up.

By participating in a beach clean up you help prevent plastics and other marine debris from injuring marine life. Take a garbage bag with you the next time you go to the beach - go “trash collecting” instead of shell collecting.

9. Start a compost pile instead of using fertilizer.

Make your lawn and garden healthy for children, pets and the planet. 70 million pounds of toxic pesticides are applied annually in the US and much of it quickly ends up in your local waterways when heavy rains wash it away.

10. Support Ocean Conservation Organizations.

Less than 1/2 of 1% of all of the resources applied to non profit environmental organizations in the U.S. goes to marine conservation. Help us change that! Find a committed, non-profit organization working to protect and restore healthy marine environments and get involved.

Are we loving our beaches to death? Turns out, we are.