It is no secret that our oceans are in peril. The statistics are alarming and the sight of turtles with plastic straws sticking out of their noses is enough to make even the most stone-hearted person weep. But what can we do? Apart from furiously Googling "How to get a job as a beach clean-up volunteer", of course. Well, one small step we can all take is to educate ourselves on the problem and then share that knowledge with others. So, let's start with the basics...

What is Oceancare?

Oceancare is an initiative to stop plastics entering the ocean. It is a group of organisations who are making deliberate steps and actions to prevent waste entering our Oceans.

Oceancare has grown into a global movement, with volunteers organising regular beach clean-ups around the world. But Oceancare is about more than just picking up litter; it's about raising awareness of the problem and finding ways to stop waste going into the ocean in the first place.

How Bad Is The Amount Of Plastic In The Ocean?

VERY bad. It is estimated that there are currently 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic floating in our oceans – and that number is only going to increase if we don't do something about it. This isn't just an aesthetic issue; it's a serious environmental problem. Plastic pollution can kill marine life, spread toxins through the food chain, and impact human health. And it's not just seabirds and turtles that are affected; even animals as far away from the ocean as mountain goats are being found with plastic in their stomachs.

What Can We Do To Help Stop Waste Going Into The Ocean?

There are lots of things we can do to help reduce plastic pollution, both as individuals and as a society. Some simple things we can all do every day include:

• Bring our own reusable bags when we go shopping
• Take our reusable coffee cups with us when we buy coffee
• Refuse straws when presented with them (and if you really can't live without your daily dose of Vitamin S, invest in a reusable metal or glass straw)
• Avoid products with microbeads – these are tiny pieces of plastic that are often used as exfoliants in face scrubs, toothpastes etc. They eventually end up in waterways where they're mistaken for food by marine life
• Educate ourselves and others about plastic pollution – remember, knowledge is power!

If everyone makes even just a few small changes like these, it will make a big difference. Just think – if 5 million people each refuse one plastic bag per week, that's enough to save over 100 million bags from entering landfill EVERY YEAR! Every little bit counts.

Conclusion:

We all have a part to play in saving our oceans from plastic pollution. By making small changes to our everyday lives and educating those around us, we can make a big difference. Let's work together to make Oceancare's vision of "a world where humans live sustainably within Nature's systems" a reality!