This guest post comes courtesy of Andrew Dilevics of Divein.com and reminds us of the worldwide problem of ocean pollution and how changes to our everyday lifestyle can indeed make an impact:

The ocean is one of the largest and most diverse ecosystems on the planet. It provides over 70% of the oxygen we breathe and covers 72% of the world’s surface. Without the ocean we would not be here today, it’s that simple.

However, everyday our oceans are being destroyed at an alarming rate. Every year, more than 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans, which is causing untold devastation. Not only is pollution affecting marine life and habitats, it is also affecting man.

There are a number of ways in which we can help lower the amount of pollution entering our oceans and bring them back from the brink of disaster. Reducing your carbon footprint is a good start; you can do this by reducing the amount of energy you use in your household. Turn off the lights when you are not in the room and leave your car at home and ride a bike to work.

Avoid buying plastics; plastics are one of the biggest factors in the pollution of our oceans and once you have finished with your plastic products, their end destination is usually the ocean. Use reusable bags when going to the supermarket and reusable water bottles. If you have to buy plastic products then make sure you recycle them.

Help to take care of the beach. If you enjoy swimming, surfing or just relaxing on the sand, make sure that you clean up after yourself. If you see others littering try to encourage them to protect our oceans and its wildlife.

If you would like to learn more about the oceans and how pollution can affect mankind, then take a look at the fascinating infographic below, created by the team at divein.com…

 

How ocean pollution affects humans – Graphic by the team at DIVE.in