By Julianna Flamm
It’s no secret that the oceans are in danger. Every day, billions of fish are hauled up from the depths, tens of thousands of tons of plastic are dumped into the seas, and corals bleach as temperatures rise increasingly each year. Huge, heavy cages called trawl nets are dragged along the ocean floor, uprooting corals that have been there for centuries and destroying everything in their paths. Even many of the supposedly humane ways of catching fish are harmful. Farming fish in a net in the ocean spreads diseases through their tightly packed area and into the surrounding environment. Medicines to treat those diseases pollute the previously clean ocean water. Yet still, people are encouraged to eat more fish.
What many articles and news sites fail to mention about this topic, however, is what we can actually do about it. Whether it’s by combating climate change, donating to helpful organizations, or even just changing the sunscreen you buy, you can save fish every day. In fact, many organizations already exist and are tirelessly working to save the oceans, fish, and reefs. With a few small adjustments, you can help too. There are so many easy ways to help the oceans. No matter who you are, you can make a difference for the underwater world.
Helping the Climate
One of the main problems happening in the ocean right now is coral bleaching. Coral bleaching is caused by rising temperatures in the oceans. When the water is too warm, corals expel the necessary algae from their tissues. It is this algae that gives the coral color, so when it is expelled, the coral appears as the white color of its internal skeleton which is revealed. As more and more corals bleach, entire reefs are starting to die out. This, however, is a solvable problem.
The best way to solve a problem is to stop the root cause. The root cause of coral bleaching is climate change. Luckily, a bill was recently passed called the Inflation Reduction Act. Homeowners can take advantage of this bill in many different ways. For example, you can get paid to get an electric vehicle, or to use a heat pump as an air conditioner and a heater. You can find how much you will get paid for these things by going to rewiringamerica.org. These are all easy ways to help stop climate change, while helping yourself as well.
Sustainable Seafood
One of the best and easiest ways to help save the oceans in your every-day life is by buying sustainable fish. These are fish that come from sources that do not destroy fish populations through overfishing or bycatch. Additionally, sustainable fish are fish whose populations are stable. Buying sustainable fish and seafood from humane sources not only gets you fish in a more environmentally friendly way, but also supports organizations catching fish in those ways. So, what fish are sustainable?
There are many guides for buying fish, such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sustainable seafood guide, which can be found on their seafood watch website. This guide focuses on types of fish with stable populations. The list covers all the fish available at stores and categorizes them into “Best Choice”, “Certified”, “Good Alternative”, and “Avoid”. Using these guides can allow you to easily buy fish that you are sure is a part of a healthy and thriving ecosystem. This change can save fish populations in your every-day life.
Other Ways To Help
In addition to eating sustainable fish or combating global warming, there are even more ways you can help to stop oceans and coral reefs from dying. Recycling, using reusable plastic, and making sure you don’t litter can help stop pollution from ending up in the sea. Using non-toxic sunscreen can help stop toxins from killing corals. If you are more involved, donating money to sea related organizations can also help to spread awareness in saving the oceans. You can also help stop climate change on a larger level by reaching out to local officials. Even though the Inflation Reduction Act has been passed on a national level, there are still things states can do to combat global warming. For example, outlawing the mining of cryptocurrency in states can save a huge amount of energy. Reaching out to local officials can allow you to advocate for stopping global warming as well as for helping the oceans.
Taking action is not really that hard. Sometimes, you just need to know how to take action. These are some easy ways to do just that. Whether it’s by helping the climate, eating sustainable seafood, or even just changing your sunscreen, you can make a difference in the world of fish and corals.
