Oceans - RESOURCES
Protecting Our Oceans
Oceans are the lifeblood of the planet. They produce one half of the world’s oxygen. They absorb a quarter of the carbon emitted into the atmosphere. From fish, they provide one sixth of the protein humans eat.
We haven’t treated them well. A garbage truck of plastic enters the oceans every minute, contributing to those floating massive junk yards. Some ocean locations are like underwater deserts because they’re overfished and poorly managed.
We must be better stewards of the oceans, protecting and preserving them the way we protect and preserve national parks.
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”—Jacques Yves Cousteau
“There’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.”—Sarah Kay
“If the ocean can calm itself, so can you. We are both salt water mixed with air.”—Nayyirah Waheed
“Be alone with the sea for it is there you will find answers to questions you didn’t realize exist.”—Khang Kijarro Nguyen
“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”—Rachel Carson
“For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.”
Force For Good recommends these organizations working to help protect and preserve Earth’s oceans.
The Ocean Cleanup uses exciting new technology that super excites the techies in Force For Good. They aim to remove 90 % of floating ocean plastic, which requires global initiative. With the help and support of individuals, corporations and governments all over the world, they aim to realize the mission and work towards a future where plastic no longer pollutes our oceans.
Oceanic Global inspires us to care deeply for the ocean and provides solutions to protect it. This international NGO sheds light on humanity’s essential relationship to the ocean and empowers individuals, communities, and industries to create positive change. They create educational experiences, consultations on sustainable operations, and engage local communities to generate measurable impact for our collective wellbeing.
Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center was created to empower local communities to champion ocean conservation in ways that are most meaningful to them.
Ocean Futures Society has a mission to explore our global ocean, inspiring and educating people throughout the world to act responsibly for its protection, documenting the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the ocean's vital importance to the survival of all life on the planet.
ThisFish Inc. is a leader in seafood traceability and production software that improves business efficiency and increases trust and accuracy in supply chain data. Their mission is to improve the social, environmental and financial sustainability of the seafood industry. CEO Enno Tamm: “We can track where fish come from. 25% of imported seafood is illegal or unregulated. Fish processors can change that fast. Digital data makes it easy to choose sustainable fish.”
Here’s One Green Planet’s list of “Ten Amazing Organizations Bravely Fighting for Marine Conservation.”
Oceana works to protect the oceans. Our oceans and marine life face threats from plastic pollution to climate change to overfishing.
The Inland Ocean Coalition’s approach is unique in that they give inland communities a voice in protecting our oceans by empowering them to become ocean champions in their communities and connecting them with their legislative leaders. This unique niche allows IOC to work with their chapters and supporters around the United States to convey to legislative leaders that we all have a stake in ocean protection, even if we live inland.
“From outer space Earth looks like an awesome blue marble. That’s because most of Earth’s surface—more than 70 percent—is covered by oceans.”
Conservation International has worked since 1987 to spotlight and secure the critical benefits that nature provides to humanity. Combining fieldwork with innovations in science, policy and finance, They’ve helped protect more than 2.3 million square miles of land and sea across more than 70 countries. They have offices in more than two dozen countries and a worldwide network of thousands of partners.
Project Zero is supported by renowned scientists, business leaders, culture makers, campaigners and ocean experts who are all working to awaken the fight to protect and restore the ocean.
Clean Ocean Action’s mission is to improve the degraded water quality of the marine waters off the NJ/NY coast. They use research, education, and citizen action to unite and empower people to protect the ocean.
Ocean Conservancy educates and empowers citizens to take action on behalf of the ocean. From the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico to the halls of Congress, they bring people together to find solutions for our water planet. Informed by science, their work guides policy and engages people in protecting the ocean and its wildlife for future generations
Ocean Pledge creates ocean-inspired projects geared toward turning awareness into action, to shift the paradigms in perceptions and behaviors that have contributed to a throw-away culture.
The National Ocean Service provides data, tools, and services that support coastal economies and their contribution to the national economy.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California, San Diego works to understand and protect the planet and find solutions to our most pressing environmental challenges.
Urban Ocean Lab cultivates rigorous, creative, equitable, and practical climate and ocean policy, for the future of coastal cities.
The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches, for all people, through a powerful activist network.
“I really don’t know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea (…) And it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea – whether it is to sail or to watch it – we are going back from whence we came.”
The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a network of underwater parks encompassing more than 600,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The network includes a system of 14 national marine sanctuaries and Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments.
The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. Founded at its grassroots in the United States in 1951, The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than a million members and the dedicated efforts of diverse staff and more than 400 scientists, they impact conservation in 72 countries and territories: 38 by direct conservation impact and 34 through partners.
From a David Lang TED Talk, Reef Check empowers people to save our reefs and oceans.
Rutgers Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences explores critical processes on this ocean planet.
“An estimated 50-80% of all life on earth is found under the ocean surface”
Greenpeace efforts help protect the oceans.
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is the world’s independent leader in ocean discovery, exploration, and education, working to understand and sustain one of humanity’s most precious common resources.
Ocean’s Visions connects oceanographic and academic research institutions, marine resource managers, conservation organizations, investors, entrepreneurs, and governments to collaborate on the development, testing, and deployment of scalable and equitable solutions in the ocean-climate nexus.