Sea and Ocean Conservation

I have recently been approached by a few people wanting to guest post on my blog. One guy was even offering to pay me. He assured me he had been to Belize before and could provide pictures. However, he skirted my question if the pictures were his own, and his lack of answers on topics or who would be getting promoted in links was reason enough for me to politely decline Thomas’s $80 (USD) per article offer. 

When Nicky wrote to me from Parasail Destin in Florida with no cash incentive to publish their info-graphic, she got a fast yes. Ocean conservation info-graphic is something I feel strongly about, especially since the lack of clean groundwater in some areas of Ambergris Caye has been on my mind lately, as you know from the last section of my article on catamaran camping jellyfish picture and sunset from a very cool new rooftop bar.  If you happened to catch it, you know we are at a critical environmental moment, if not please click through and read. 

If we do not do better to protect our natural environments, in the case of the island, the Caribbean Sea, Belize Barrier Reef, marine life are all top reasons to do better at protecting our environment. For us to improperly place garbage and improper infrastructure is a huge threat, the metals and waste are leeching back into the ground and into our water system, having a strong negative effect on our environment. Thankfully the San Pedro Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association is stepping in to help fight unregulated garbage and is about to do a major clean up starting with the west side of the airstrip. 

The following collage was made this morning from a series of pictures I took in 2012 of our airstrip area. In case you are wondering, I have been taking monstrous garbage pictures in about five different areas on Ambergris Caye since 2007 – sad but true.

This is not a new issue. I remember 2 years later in 2016, I was minding my own business walking to get a breakfast burrito when someone stopped me near the airport. A San Pedrito resident by the name of Arn rerouted me to go see the current state of things over there, and the pictures I took were much the same as above. I wish I had taken pics of the big yellow backhoe that was spreading it around 🙁 I remember going home falling into bed and crying because it was so upsetting to me that people were allowing garbage to take over our island in the most extreme disastrous way. How could anyone possibly feel good about dumping garbage and using it for landfill when it is not a safe practice for anyone? It is killing our environment and doing damage to the people as well. Imagine this is the kind of view you get to pass on your way home after a hard day’s work and half of every plane landing or taking off sees it too. Not very uplifting. Plus, it is extremely bad for everyone’s health and well being – people, animals, and the environment. 

Onto Nicky’s tips on how everyone can help make a difference. It takes a lot of grains of sand to fill a bucket, if we all do little bits we can make a big impact.

Several Tips To Help People Do Their Part To Keep The World’s Oceans Clean:

The ocean is a very important part of society. The ocean provides people with freshwater, natural food sources, and job opportunities. However, many people have shown their appreciation for the ocean by damaging it. There is tons of pollution in the environment, which negatively impacts the ocean. To help do your part in making sure that the ocean stays in good shape, here are several tips to help you save the ocean. 

Avoid Drinking Bottled Water – Millions of people drink bottled water every day and then throw the bottle away. The majority of plastic, such as plastic water bottles end up heading into the ocean. It can take hundreds of years for plastic bottles to degrade, so large amounts of plastic bottles going into the ocean can cause severe damage. Instead of buying plastic bottles, consider purchasing stainless steel bottles instead. 

Don’t Throw Cigarettes On The Ground – Cigarettes can damage the ocean. Every year, millions of cigarette butts are littered throughout the world. Unfortunately, these cigarette butts often find themselves in the ocean. The butts contain chemical ingredients that can kill fish.

Avoid Using Plastic Cups And Straws – Plastic is detrimental to marine life. Thousands of sea turtles have died from ingesting plastic litter. Plastic cups and straws are harmful to the environment when they aren’t properly disposed of. 

Help Clean Up Near Your Water – The next time that you head to the beach, keep an eye out. You’ll likely see some type of ocean pollution. Pieces of plastic are often washed into the shore. If you can, try to clean up some of the debris. That should help ensure that the environment will be a little less polluted.

Watch Your Carbon Footprint – The ocean absorbs a large percentage of human carbon dioxide emissions. This causes ocean acidification, which can damage marine life. You can prevent acid from going into the ocean by reducing your carbon dioxide emissions. A few ways that you can reduce your carbon footprint is through riding your bike instead of your vehicle and using more green energy sources like wind.

Pay Attention To Labels – Micro-plastic particles from your clothes often enter the ocean. The marine life that digests the particles may be impacted. While you are shopping, avoid products that include polyethylene and polypropylene. 

Watch Your Seafood Choices – Many fish populations are being depleted due to loss of habitat. You can help out by purchasing seafood that is healthy and sustainable.

Support Some Organizations – There are many different wildlife organizations out there that give assistance to marine wildlife and different ocean habitats. Consider volunteering with a local organization and helping out with their initiatives. 

Watch Your Pets – Avoid flushing cat litter, which contains pathogens that are harmful to marine life. Try to keep your pets on an eco-friendly diet.

Ocean Conservation ingo-graphic below and ocean information above courtesy of Parasail Destin.