Today, join us in celebrating the - yes, we admit - unofficial holiday, World Ocean Day.
World Ocean Day began on 8 June 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, it is not an officially recognized secular holiday by the United Nations as of yet.
World Ocean Day is an opportunity every year to honor the oceans and products they provide, such as seafood, as well as marine life itself for aquariums and pets. The oceans also provide sea-lanes for international trade. Global pollution and over-consumption of fish have resulted in drastically dwindling population of the majority of species.
The Ocean Project, working in partnership with the World Ocean Network, is working to build much greater awareness of the crucial role of the ocean in our lives and the important ways people can help. World Ocean Day provides an opportunity to get directly involved in protecting our future – beach cleanups, educational programs, art contests, film festivals, sustainable seafood events, and other planned activities help to raise consciousness of how our lives depend on the ocean. These two organizations are collecting signatures to a petition to be presented to the United Nations asking them to designate June 8th as World Ocean Day.
Dive Photo Guide has a cool list of just a few benefits the world's ocean provides in its tribute to World Ocean Day.
The world's ocean:
- Generates most of the oxygen we breathe
- Helps feed us
- Regulates our climate
- Cleans the water we drink
- Offers us a pharmacopoeia of potential medicines
- Provides limitless inspiration
So to celebrate, do yourself, your dive buddies, and the ocean a favor and sign this petition to make World Ocean Day official!
No comments:
Post a Comment