The ocean is full of beauty, mystery, and power. But it’s also highly vulnerable and fragile. Ocean pollution not only hurts marine life, but it also poses a risk to all the life on earth that the oceans support.

Every day, one Canadian uses about 250 litres of water. You can probably think of many ways you use water, including drinking, bathing, and cleaning, but do you know where this water comes from?

This December, check out these fun and simple ways to connect with family, craft, and make lovely gifts, all while making a positive impact on the environment! By switching from purchasing harmful plastic decorations and unsustainable gifts, to using natural materials to create environmentally-aware crafts, you will be doing your part to give back to nature this holiday season! Check out these five family-friendly crafts to help you celebrate a green Christmas.

We’re always on the lookout for ways to reduce the amount of waste we create, and love finding ways to recycle items we’ve previously re-used or thrown out. Here’s a short list of ‘unexpected items' you can recycle and where to send them!

Do you know what’s lurking in the water? Beyond the coral reefs and bright coloured waters of our oceans, spooky creatures live in the shadows. Dive in and check out some of our favourite sea creatures that celebrate Halloween all year round!

The pandemic has had both positive and negative effects on our environment. On one hand, fewer employees commuting to work reduced emissions created by traffic, but the use of disposable masks and gloves increased the amount of litter found in parks and city streets.

September 30th is the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation: a day to recognize the lasting trauma of residential schools and anti-indigenous systems across our country. As settlers on unceded land, we can support our Indigenous neighbours by learning about these systems and structures in our history and in our present, and support current initiatives in reconciliation.

The end of summer is rapidly approaching and that means back to school is nearly here! Kids are trying to pack in as much play time as they can before they have to be back in the class, teachers are busy preparing for a new class of students, while caregivers are probably counting down the minutes until school starts!

Sometimes it can be hard to see what is right under our noses. We go to the shore and play in the sand and the ocean, but how often do we really take the time to sit and just look and explore what is right there around us?

The destruction of marine life and habitats is real, and it is a global issue. Thus, I watched Seaspiracy, the latest controversial documentary produced by Kip Andersen and directed by Ali Tabrizi, with a sense of anticipation at seeing some of today’s biggest ocean issues highlighted to a massive Netflix audience.

The sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) is a large invertebrate species that can be found from the coastline of Alaska, down to Baja California, Mexico, including along the coastline of British Columbia and right here in Vancouver too! It can have anywhere from 16 to 24 arms, and can grow up to one metre in diameter, making it one of the largest sea stars in the northeast Pacific Ocean. And – by sea star standards – it can move fast, covering as much as 1 metre per minute.

Our wonderful volunteers here at Sea Smart are truly the backbone of all the amazing work we do! With their help, we have been able to continue to spread awareness of ocean conservation and reach so many passionate students. As this week is National Volunteer Week, we wanted to take the time to recognize some of the amazing work our volunteers have done for us in the past months.

Leaders in Conservation is series by Sea Smart that has conversations with leaders in the field of conservation from across Canada. Today, we feature Sea Smart founder and Executive Director, Elaine Leung.

Today is World Wetlands Day, a day dedicated to raising global awareness about the vital role wetlands play for people and for our planet. We in Canada are no stranger to wetlands, as Canada is home to 25% of the world’s wetlands. That’s more than any other country (1)! Wetlands around the world are declining rapidly, which could leave devasting results for all of us. Take a look at why wetlands are important, what is being done to protect them and how Sea Smart is working to support our global water sources.

Did you know that 2021 marks the first year in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development? According to the United Nations, oceans cover three-quarters of the earth's surface and 97% of the earth's water. Unfortunately, "roughly 80 percent of marine and coastal pollution originates on land- including agricultural run-off, pesticides, and plastic pollution".

Whether it's a seal or a sea lion, these animals are fun, boisterous marine mammals that have captured the love and affection of people all around the world! Both are pinnipeds, which is a term to describe semi-aquatic mammals. Pinniped means, “fin-footed” in Latin. So even though the animals are similar, they have some large differences! The question is, can you spot them? Here are 5 different ways that will help you tell the difference between seals and sea lions?

2021 is the start of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development! The United Nations says that this decade is a “once in a lifetime opportunity to create a new foundation, across the science-policy interface, to strengthen the management of our oceans and coasts for the benefit of humanity”! What this means, is the world is coming together to deliver ocean science and management, to create solutions for our oceans.

The New Year is a great time to reset and try setting some ocean-friendly goals for you and your loved ones. We know this year is a little different because we're still combatting COVID19, so we're bringing you a curated list of tips and goals to help you live a more ocean-friendly life in 2022.

Christmas is the time of giving! Whether you’re shopping for a loved one or looking for a way to give to the greater good, why not consider a way that gives back to the ocean? Sea Smart has put together a list of ways you can help the ocean this Holiday sea-son.

We know the holiday season is going to look a little different this year, so we’ve compiled a list of eco-friendly tips to make sure that whether you celebrate virtually or in person, it’ll be a green Christmas!