A global celebration of the oceans and the efforts to conserve them…
There are hundreds of educational institutions, conservation organizations, and thousands of individuals in dozens of countries around the world joining in celebrating World Oceans Day, an opportunity to celebrate the oceans’ wide array of wonders and resources, and consider ways that each of us can help with ocean conservation.
This year’s theme, “Youth: the Next Wave for Change,” emphasizes the important role that ‘tweens and teens in particular can play, and are playing, in conserving our oceans.
Belugas underwater - ocean life
Recent research has revealed that youth, especially those between the ages of 12 and 17, are especially important to ocean conservation. According to reports from The Ocean Project (theoceanproject.org/resources/opinion.php), youth not only have the highest level of concern about the problems facing the world’s oceans, from oil spills and overfishing to climate change, but also are the most confident in their ability to make a difference, and increasingly looked to by the adults in their families for ways to be part of the solution by ‘going green,’ or perhaps more appropriately, ‘going aquamarine!’
World Oceans Day is held every June 8th, and is coordinated by The Ocean Project (theoceanproject.org) and the World Ocean Network (worldoceannetwork.org). For more information, including a comprehensive list of events locally and globally, please visit the website of World Oceans Day (worldoceansday.org).
