Now that life is evolving into a semblance of what it once was, we can begin focusing on other aspects of it again. Such as water. It’s essential for life, and most of it comes from our oceans, which also support all manner of marine life.
But humans do love their plastic. And when sea creatures ingest it, thinking it’s food, they die. This is horrific: even if we’re peace-loving people the rest of the time, we’re killers when our plastic waste decimates ocean dwellers.
This is one time when “oil” is positive: becoming a well-oiled machine for change, that is. Some ways to help reduce ocean trash:
- Choose chemical-free lawn and garden care. So you love a green carpet next to your home, and a garden free of pests? There are non-toxic ways to create both. Decide to eschew lawn and garden chemicals so they don’t leach into groundwater and end up in our oceans.
- Rethink your use of plastic — especially single-use plastic. Refilling one gallon, 3-gallon, or 5-gallon water jugs and pouring what you need for the day into a reusable water bottle is an easy solution that eliminates single-use plastic water bottles. Recycle what you no longer need, and, if you don’t live in an area that has curbside recycling pick-up, drive your recyclables to a local recycling center when you’ve amassed enough.
- Educate others. You don’t have to mount a campaign. Simply speaking to people you meet at the grocery store, in your neighborhood, or as you go about your day in a matter-of-fact way can go a long way towards making others aware of how everyone’s small changes can add up to a huge difference.
- Support ocean organizations. Subscribe to a newsletter, read a blog, or donate a small amount to an organization whose work speaks to you, such as 5 Gyres or Oceana.
Here at Impact Absorbents, we love Earth’s oceans and have created a range of innovative products to help protect them from oil spills. Our FiberDuck Oil Absorbent Split Roll, for instance, is designed to absorb oil while repelling water in either the work environment or on water. It’s perfect for marine spills, as the brilliant white color shows up clearly on water, and these rolls float as they absorb.
Or consider an XSORB Oil Select Bilge Boom, which is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, absorbs four times its weight, and is licensed as an oil spill clean up agent by the California Department of Fish and Game.
There are oceans of ways to preserve our marine life and its environment, helping to return our waterways to the pristine condition they enjoyed many years ago. Whether you prefer fish on a plate or viewed through a glass-bottomed boat, it behooves us all to care for where they live. Because none of us will last very long without clean water.
