Sea conservation -- help save our seas!

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Once it was thought that the Earth had seven great seas. Now we know there is but one World Ocean and, without it, life would not exist on our planet. All life came from the sea; we came from the sea. Our bodies are mostly water, so we are all connected by the sea. We are all affected by the sea , just as we, in turn, affect the sea. The seas are connected to every form of life here on earth. We must protect the ocean and all of its adjoining ecosystems.

Sea resources:

• Materials harvested from the sea are used in everyday household products such as medicine, toothpaste, cosmetics, and fertilizers.
• Fish from the seas are the largest source of wild or domestic protein in the world.
• Coral has been used to replace bone grafts since its structure is close to that of human bone.
• Over 90% of trade among the world's countries is carried by sea.
• Half the communication lines in the world are via underwater cables.

Pollution of the seas:

• The largest amount of oil entering the seas from human activity is from industrial waste and automobiles. Once there, oil has a huge impact on sea ecosystems.
• There are no federal requirements for notifying beach goers when water-quality standards are violated. It is completely up to local officials to test the water and determine whether the level of contamination is safe enough to keep the beaches open.
• New household cleaning, gardening, and automotive products are created each year. Most of these will seep into the groundwater as a pollutant after improper disposal.
• The mostly frequent item found in beach cleanups is plastic pieces, followed by plastic foam, plastic utensils, pieces of glass, and cigarette butts.
• The most common forms of damage to coral reefs are causing by tourists taking samples, by commercial harvesting for sale to tourists, and by cruise ships carelessly dropping anchor on reefs.
• Fertilizer runoff in the seas causes oxygen depletion. This creates "dead zones" in the seas.

Absolutely, yes! Anything we can do to reduce water usage is helpful. Beyond water conservation, we also need to start creating and practicing ways of water purification through natural means such as reclamation marshes. An acre of land used to recreate a closed water purification environment can produce water that is at least as pure as a modern mountain stream.

Green daily choices:

• Spend a day at a local beach learning all you can about the local marine environment.
• Leave the beach cleaner than it was when you arrived.
• If you fish, practice catch and release fishing if you don't need them for dinner. Take photos, not fish.
• Avoid patronizing restaurants that serve non-sustainable seafood such as Chilean sea bass. Carry a card with you listing sustainable choices.

Go green at home:

• Install a water-saving toilet.
• Take shorter showers.
• Install low-flow faucets and shower heads.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
• Run only full dishwasher and laundry loads.
• Collect rainwater in barrels to water your garden.
• Choose native plants instead of a "traditional" grass lawn. They're adapted for your local climate.
• Avoid chemical fertilizers in garden; they pollute groundwater.