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We love living on the water’s edge. One of the things that makes our property so special, and so beautiful, is its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. That being said, I wanted to write a post about day-to-day things that you can do to help protect our ocean.
The only problem is: I’m not an expert. I’m not an environmentalist, and I have never studied ocean sciences. So I went to look for some sources. I found some that I think are pretty reliable, and I’m going to quote these sources and then elaborate on how to apply these great tips, to our everyday lives in Nova Scotia!
Here goes…
Treat the Beach with Respect
Perhaps the most obvious sounding tip: just keep the beach clean. In National Geographic’s online article Ten Things You Can Do to Save the Ocean, they mention this simple task. We are lucky to have so many fantastic beaches in our province. During your time spent at the beach, make sure that you’re not doing anything harmful to our ocean. This includes always, always picking up after yourself before you leave the beach, and ensuring that everyone with you does this as well. Try your hardest to leave all natural elements of the beach in the exact state you found them, this includes underwater.
Because there are so many private beaches and hidden gems in Nova Scotia, chances are sometimes you’ll be at a beach that isn’t part of a provincial park, and isn’t monitored by anyone. Even if there aren’t any garbage cans, and even if you’re in the middle of nowhere, be sure to leave nothing behind. It’s the right thing to do.
Observe Your Community
What can you do in your community, to help save the ocean? This is a question that sounds way more complicated than it actually is. Just look around. What are other people doing? Are there organizations dedicated to this cause? Which local businesses are making efforts to be environmentally friendly? Ask around.
In David Helvarg’s book 50 Ways to Save the Ocean, he points out that one really big (really easy) way to help is to find out which business owners care about the ocean, and are doing something about it, and then simply tell your friends and others in the community. You have the power! Swap information and make it known that your community cares about their ocean. Hopefully, then, businesses who aren’t doing anything, will start to pay attention.
Eat Sustainably
The sustainable seafood movement has really gained momentum in recent years. People simply want to know where their food is coming from, how it got to their table, and if that process had any negative environmental impacts along the way. I’ve noticed at some major grocery store chains there is now signage in the seafood section, easily identifying which items were farmed or fished sustainably. Also, I’ve been in restaurants that offer this information on their menus. If they don’t – just ask. This is another one that takes minimal effort, really just asking, observing, and remembering.
I found some information on David Suzuki’s website about sustainable seafood, and why it is important in saving our oceans. Among many reasons, and much information, it states that sustainable fish or other seafood “Are captured in ways that maintain natural functional relationships among species in the ecosystem, conserve the diversity and productivity of the surrounding ecosystem, and do not result in irreversible ecosystem state changes.” Pretty serious stuff. What you put on your plate could have dire consequences on what lives deep, deep down in the ocean, which in turn affects our entire planet.
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BYO Bottles and Bags
Reducing plastics is a major, major factor in saving our oceans. All websites and sources I looked at stressed the serious impact that plastics are having on the health of our oceans. The National Geographic article says “Plastics that end up as ocean debris contribute to habitat destruction and entangle and kill tens of thousands of marine animals each year.” That’s not cool. They also offer tips that most of us are already familiar with, or doing, like carrying a reusable water bottle, using green bags when we shop, making sure we use reusable plastic containers for food storage, and recycling properly, of course!
Doesn’t sound like too much work, does it? I didn’t think so. If you’re interested in learning more and taking even further steps, I would recommend finding an organization dedicated to saving the oceans, and getting information from them. There are organized beach cleanups you can volunteer for, donations you can make, and events you can attend that all help.
Take a minute and look around, the next time you’re on the shore in Nova Scotia. Breathtaking, isn’t it? Let’s keep it that way.
Additional Resource:
50 Ways to Save the Ocean (Inner Ocean Action Guide) David Helvarg, 2006: New World Library
