Spark Change for Happy and Healthy Oceans

It’s time for World Ocean Day, maybe one of the most important days of the year. At LastObject, we live and breathe happy oceans – this is why we started in the first place – so let’s talk about why this day is worth taking note of and what you can do, apart from hydrating a little extra. 

Whether you’re a self-proclaimed beach bum, a diving enthusiast, a fisherman, love boat life or simply just can’t get enough of the ocean, it’s safe to say that it has a massive impact on us, and not just to our wonderful beach side vacations, but to our very existence.

We Need Our Vitamin Sea

The air we breathe is relying on the oxygen from the oceans. For every second breath we take, we can thank something below the surface. The oceans also affect our climate, making the earth livable with cooler temperatures.

And that is just scratching the surface.

The development of many medicines (pain killers, antibacterial, and cancer fighting medicines, to name a few ), vaccines, and other discoveries are thanks to sea creatures. Even the food we eat, supplements we take, and skincare we use come from the sea. 

The Oceans Need Us

We need the ocean, but the ocean also needs us. There are many threats to happy and healthy oceans. Overfishing disrupts ecosystems, plastic is everywhere – including inside the bellies of animals such as birds, turtles, and whales – and toxic waters due to pollution is becoming a large-scale issue. 

So how to we even begin to fight the battle for healthy and plastic-free oceans?

Acknowledge Our Own Responsibility

We’re not here to cast any shade, but the first step to make a change is to acknowledge our own role. Everything we do has an effect, even if that effect is not immediately visible to us. When we buy something, it is important to know that the manufacturing process can have a negative impact on wildlife. Try choosing brands that manufacture sustainably and ethically. As a consumer you have the power to make better choices and in that way force businesses to do better for our planet. There are other things you can do such as conserving gas and electricity, picking up litter, and recycling. Every single action matters.

Choose Less Fishy Fish and Seafood

If you’re a die-hard seafood eater, you want to make sure it’s been caught or farmed sustainably. You don’t want to order potentially depleted fish or seafood full of toxins. Fatty fish such as salmon, mackrel, herring, and swordfish are likely to have toxins in their fatty tissues. Mercury and PCBs are two of the most commonly found chemicals in fish. Fish can concentrate these chemicals, and as much as 9 million times more chemicals can be found in their flesh than in the water where they live. Because big fish eat smaller fish, the concentrations levels go up even more. So think twice before you eat fish and seafood, and only choose good sources.

Stop Single Use-ing

Using products like plastic bags, bottles, cotton swabs, and all other single-use items in our daily lives, is unfortunately almost like second nature. How easy it is to grab that ice coffee in a plastic cup to cool off on that warm summer’s day, and how naturally it comes to buy that salad in a big plastic container. Most of the time, we don’t even bat an eyelash at this behavior, because this is what we’ve been taught. And if everyone else does it, it must be okay…? Well, the oceans disagree. You don’t have to be perfect to make a difference. Try breaking your habits in smaller steps, until it feels like the new normal. Soon you will realize just how good it feels to live sustainably. If you want a little help to get started, you can find some reusable products for your beauty and wellness routines here.