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Peanut butter, every other breath you take, cancer medicine and one in six jobs in the United States.
What’s the connection?
It’s not Kevin Bacon. But if you guessed our oceans: you’re right!
You don’t need to live near the beach to be connected to the ocean. Oceans and coasts affect people’s lives every day, around the world.
The air we breathe. Oceans are a critical player in the basic elements we need to survive. Ocean plants produce half of the world’s oxygen, then these amazing waters absorb nearly one-third of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions. Oceans also regulate our weather and form the clouds that bring us fresh water.
The food on your plate. Besides seafood, oceans are connected to what you eat in many more ways. Ocean ingredients, like algae and kelp, are used in making peanut butter beer, soymilk and frozen foods. Plus, 36 percent of the world’s total fisheries catch each year is ground up into fishmeal and oil to feed farmed fish, chickens and pigs.
The items in your medicine cabinet. You’ll find ocean ingredients flowing out of your medicine cabinet in everything from shampoos and cosmetics to medicines that help fight cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, viruses and other diseases.
Jobs and the economy. One in six jobs in the United States is marine-related and more than $128 billion in GDP annually results from ocean tourism, recreation and living resources. Healthy marine habitats like reefs, barrier islands, mangroves and wetlands help protect coastal communities from the results of hurricanes and storm surges.
A shared resource. While many of us enjoy the spectacular recreational activities that oceans offer, for some people oceans are a lifeline for survival. Keeping oceans healthy keeps people healthy, and we each have a personal responsibility to protect our oceans.
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Originally posted by sandri_90
And the most awesome feeling on the planet free diving
2010 Theme - Oceans of Life
Pick your favorite * Protect your favorite
This year’s theme focuses on our ocean’s great diversity of life and how we can all help in its conservation. Since everyone has a favorite ocean animal, we are interested in connecting their favorite species with what they can do to help conserve our world's ocean. Pick your favorite and protect it - try to pick just one favorite; it’s hard! We can help motivate people to take conservation action: Together, we can make a difference!
The wealth of life in the oceans is so incredibly important for so many reasons:
* Each of us relies on a healthy ocean with a rich diversity of life to provide most of the oxygen we breathe, much of the food we eat, as well as medicines and other essentials that we need to survive
* The ocean provides endless opportunities for inspiration and recreation such as diving, snorkeling, fishing, and boating. How much would you enjoy the ocean without its great diversity of life?
* The greater the diversity of life in the ocean the better job the ocean will do in helping maintain the planet’s normal climate conditions and in adjusting to a changing climate
With this year's theme focusing on "Oceans of Life" here are some related events to know about:
* The Census of Marine Life will celebrate a decade of discovery when they release their 10-year report in October, 2010. This scientific report seeks a much stronger understanding of the marine environment and its diverse life.
* 2010 is the 50th anniversary of a favorite children’s book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss. The Seuss Foundation is working closely with The Ocean Project to help the colorful characters of Dr. Seuss come to life at our Partner sites around the world through “Seussian birthday parties”
* 2010 is also the International Year of Biodiversity, as designated by the United Nations, to try emphasize the value of biodiversity in all of our lives.
There are many ways you can get involved this year and we encourage you to start right now!
How celebrating World Oceans Day can help:
We can help make others more aware of the importance of the ocean in their daily lives by showing them ways to reduce their negative impact on the ocean, by reducing CO2 emissions. By joining with people all over the world in celebrating World Oceans Day, we can make a real difference for our oceans of life!
Ways to take personal action now:
* Forward this information to your friends and family – spreading the word is one of the most important things you can do right now.
* Check out the World Oceans Day action poster for simple things you can do to cut your CO2 emissions and celebrate the ocean.
* Plan a World Oceans Day event or participate in one near you.
* Use the World Oceans Day media and outreach kit to help spread the word about the ocean, its diversity of life, and climate change.
* Let us share your success stories with the world – send us information about how you or your group are helping to make a real difference!
Other ideas for learning and doing more:
* Browse our collection of some of the best aquatic and ocean conservation websites.
* Read an Ocean Book of the Month.
* Subscribe to Blue Planet News to Use, our seasonal e-newsletter.
* Subscribe to the monthly Seas the Day Action Tips: featuring a different conservation theme each month, with inspirational information and tangible ways to help.
* Become a World Oceans Day fan through facebook.
* Get the latest news and tips on twitter.
* Read The Ocean Project blog.