This coming June 8th we celebrate World Oceans Day. This day is a great opportunity to reflect upon the importance of these marvelous bodies of water and the effect our everyday activities have on ocean health. I would like to give you some information about the importance of our oceans.
There is a lot of talk about the importance of forests and its production of the oxygen we breath. But, in reality, more than 50% of the oxygen that we breath is thanks to millions of marine organisms, collectively called phytoplankton. Phytoplankton photosynthesizes, a process which produces organic substances (sugars) made of sunlight and carbon dioxide. One of the by-products of photosynthesis is oxygen. The oxygen produced is released into the ocean and into the atmosphere. For this reason we can be sure that the oceans are the real lungs of the planet.
Oceans have another important function, which is more important every day due to carbon dioxide emissions and climate change. It is estimated that the oceans absorb 25% of the carbon dioxide produced annually due to human activity. Therefore the oceans help to diminish the effect of this greenhouse gas on the climate of our planet.
Despite the capacity of the oceans to reduce the greenhouse effect, climate change is increasingly affecting different marine ecosystems. The 0.1 °C increase in the average temperature of the oceans over the last century may seem small, but considering the large size of the oceans it is impossible not to think that it is an alarming increase. This increase in the average temperature is evident if we analyze the signs that nature is giving us: bleaching of the coral reefs, increase in sea level, increase in the intensity of meteorological phenomena due to their capacity to absorb heat and the resulting effect on ocean currents and their influence on the different climates of the planet, among others.
As if all the above were not enough, overfishing is responsible for the decrease of approximately 10% of the planet’s fish population and not only threatens the planet’s well-being and balance and the global economy. In addition, every year the oceans receive 8 million tons of plastic, which contaminate the ocean waters and destroy the ecosystems and living beings that inhabit them.
Still, not all is lost. Every day more people decide to adopt more environmentally responsible lifestyles, participate in beach clean-up campaigns, reject single-use plastic and be agents of change through education. Next Monday, June 8th, visit our beaches within the established schedule and appreciate this wonderful natural resource while reflecting on the importance of conserving and protecting it. Remember to bring a bag to pick up trash and do your part to have cleaner and healthier oceans every day.
While it is true that every day we should be aware of the importance of the oceans, celebrating a day like this at a global level serves for us all to reflect on the sustainable management of the oceans and the importance of conserving them; they are home to thousands of species, many still unidentified, are a source of food and medicine and responsible for the dynamic balance of our planet.
