Want to Help?

Help keep the water clean and clear like this!

The oceans are very big. They span over 70% of the globe, and they have been around for millions of years. They're pretty strong and they have done very well at enduring hardships like regular changes in the weather. The problem is that people came along and we haven't done such a good job of taking care of the oceans. People are polluting the oceans with trash and oil and sewage and plastic and there's just so many people in the world that it's starting to have an effect on the oceans. The reefs are being damaged by all the pollution and the reefs are where a lot of the fish live and where they get their food. If all the reefs die, then we will lose a lot of the fish. Sometimes big ships accidentally lose oil into the water or big oil platforms leak like what happened in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. It will be a very long time before the Gulf of Mexico gets back to what it was before that happened. People are also putting a lot more plastic in the water than ever before which is upsetting the balance in the ocean.

So what can you do to help? You might not think that one kid like you can make a difference, but you can. 

• You can get your school to do some projects to make adults think about the problem. Sometimes adults get very busy with other things and they forget about things like the ocean. You can remind them that it's important. Have your class write to your senator or to the President of the United States.
• You can encourage your family to take reusable shopping bags to the grocery store so you don't use plastic bags.
• Ask your parents to buy organic food if they can afford it. Organic food isn't grown with chemicals that can damage the oceans.
• Ask your parents to try to avoid buying fish at the grocery store that is over-fished. You can see the list here: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/seafood/red-list-of-species/
• You can buy a reusable water bottle or a thermos so you don't throw away lots of soda and water bottles.
• You can make sure that you buy everything in recyclable containers and then be sure to get them into the recycling instead of the trash.
• You can participate in programs like one.plastic.hour. that is a community program helping to pick up plastic on our beaches and in our parks and neighborhoods.
• Your class can adopt an ocean buoy from NOAA that you can track online to see how it travels in the ocean currents.

Is any of this plastic from your table or book bag or car?

One.Plastic.Hour - a Facebook page that challenges you to pick up plastic for just one hour. Make a park date with friends or decide to pick up plastic on your street.

Interesting Plastic Recycling Facts - This is a site that has all kinds of interesting facts about plastic recycling

NOAA adopt a drifter program -A program to help NOAA study the ocean currents and sea temperatures. Your class in school can raise enough money to deploy a buoy for NOAA and then you can track the buoy as it travels the ocean.