World Oceans Week: Raise Awareness, Educate, and Take Action!
By Willow Beck, Project and Admin Coordinator, Sea Smart
WHAT IS WORLD OCEANS WEEK?
World Oceans Day started in 1992 to raise awareness of the important role the oceans have in interconnecting life on Earth. In 2008, the UN passed a resolution to officially designate the day for the international community to come together to protect the oceans. Since then, the movement has expanded to an entire weeklong event! This year, World Oceans Week is June 8-14. Oceans Week raises awareness, educates, and encourages action - every person can do a little more to help our oceans.
Everyone in the world lives in a watershed with waterways that eventually lead to the ocean. This means we can all take action to preserve, conserve, and protect the oceans. We need oceans - they are the lungs of our planet, generating 80% of our oxygen! The oceans need us - right now, they are being treated as the world’s largest landfill despite not being on land! As the oceans warm up, the animals that live in them are threatened by ocean acidification and decreased oxygen levels. Together, we can build a more sustainable future by reducing plastic consumption, buying sustainable seafood, and supporting clean energy.
CELEBRATE WORLD OCEANS WEEK
Sea Smart has a full week of ocean awareness planned, check out our social media channels for more information. Join us in the following fun and engaging events:
Citizen Science Webinar on Wednesday, June 10th at 4 PM - we’ve teamed up with WILD Outside to spread the word on how everyone can contribute to science!
Instagram Live with Surfrider on Wednesday, June 10th at 4 PM
Oceans Week Trivia event on Kahoot! Test your ocean knowledge on June 12 at 2 PM
Keep an eye on our Instagram account all week long for a chance to enter and win some great prizes from our friends at Goldilocks Wraps, Glass Sipper, and Fjallraven!
Help educate kids about the ocean by sponsoring a student to attend our Ocean Defender Online courses or send an entire class to one of our Virtual Sea School workshops via our World Oceans Week fundraiser!
Like many, we are saddened by the effects that COVID-19 is having on our community. Will you help us keep students engaged and learning about the ocean?
$20 will sponsor a student to join our Ocean Defender Online Course for free!
