You Can Make a Difference

You can make a difference
One of the sad realizations that I have arrived at in our travels is that our oceans really are in peril. I was aware of it. I had read and listened to news reports talking about the state of our oceans. I knew at a cognitive level that the oceans were in trouble but to see it and feel it daily is something quite different. To me, the level of destruction is staggering. I am not going to debate on this platform why it has happened or point fingers. I would like to issue a challenge though. This blog is about every day activities and actions that anyone can easily implement into their routines that will help promote a healthier planet. When you step back and consider the magnitude that our planet is being assaulted from so many different entities, it is easy to get overwhelmed and think that you can’t make a difference but together we can. Each of us whether we live in a cabin in the mountains of Montana, a condo in a skyscraper in New York City, or on a sailboat in the Puget Sound can make one small change in their daily routine and if enough of us contribute in our own small way we CAN make a difference. I am a member of the One-Piece Plan. This is a group whose mission is to pick up at least one piece of garbage from a waterway each day and dispose of it appropriately. Just think…. if every person in the world picked up one piece of garbage each day and recycled or disposed of it how different our world would look. The biggest most tangible offender that I see daily is garbage. We have got to do a better job managing what we throw away. Beyond waste management there are many other actions we can take to be better stewards of the planet. The following is a list of actions any one of us can add to our daily routine. You don’t have to embrace them all. Simply pick one or two items off the list and work them into your day and when that becomes habit then add another one. Together we can make a difference.

1. Stop hauling your groceries home in plastic bags. Get canvas bags and use them. Keep them in your vehicles and carry one in your purse. I know, I know. I was one of those people who had a dozen canvas bags in my car that rarely saw the inside of a store. I packed them around for years and never used them but when I moved to a state that started charging for every bag I used, I learned to reach for the canvas bags before going into the store. It’s not that hard and for an added bonus, you Moms out there who will only make one trip to the house from the car with groceries, you can seriously load those canvas bags up.
2. Stop using straws for your favorite beverages. Straws are devastating to marine life. They are frequently found in the digestive systems of marine animals. They are a problem for sea turtles who have very poor vision. They have been found lodged in their noses causing infection and death. If you are disabled and need to use a straw, by all means use them but if you don’t have a medical diagnosis that requires use of a straw then go without a straw or carry a reusable straw for your personal use. There are stainless steel and bamboo straws out there for purchase.
3. Purchase a set of camping utensils or chop sticks to carry in your purse and or vehicles. When you order take out, decline the plastic utensils and use your own. Billions of plastic utensils are discarded each year, used once or not at all. It is a waste of resources and an unnecessary contributor of garbage.
4. Purchase a mug that holds the amount of your favorite hot drink so that you can have your barista brew up your coffee or tea in your mug instead of a single use cup. Most coffee shops welcome this as long as your mug is clean, and you are not handing them a high school biology experiment each time you stop.
5. Carry a water bottle and fill it at a sink or refill station rather than purchasing water in plastic bottles. As an American, I realize now just how badly we take fresh water for granted and waste so much. Fresh water is very precious and should not be wasted. If you are not going to drink your water when you go to a restaurant, tell your server not to bring water. If you request water, then drink it and don’t let it sit there because you are accustomed to having water served even though you rarely drink it. I was a waitress at one time and am aware of how much water is served and then dumped down the sink. Ask your employer to install refill stations.
6. Reduce plastic consumption. Try to avoid buying items packaged in plastic, look for the same product packaged in glass. Buy items in bulk. You don’t need to put every item in Zip Lock baggies. Masson jars come in all shapes and sizes and are excellent for packing lunches in or organizing your desk.
7. Participate in ocean, waterway, or community clean-up events.
8. Do not purchase exotic, wild caught fish for home aquariums. If you do own an aquarium research your pet store and make sure that the fish, they sell are not wild caught. When you get tired of your fish, DO NOT release them into the wild. For that matter do not release any of your pets into the wild. If you must own a pet, know they are a part of the family and treat them as such. Understand their longevity and commit to that timeframe.
9. Don’t purchase items that exploit marine life such as tortoise shell hair embellishments and coral jewelry or ivory jewelry.
10. Educate yourself on sustainable fish options. When eating out, order only those seafood options that are sustainable. Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Food Watch has helpful documents that you can download and carry with you when you eat out. It is extremely complicated. In some cases, farmed options are excellent choices and in other cases farmed options are very problematic. They have documents depending on where in the country you might be ordering sea food so check out their site and get informed. Make better choices.
11. Reduce energy consumption. Turn up the thermostat 2-3 degrees in the summer and turn down the thermostat 2-3 degrees in the winter. Have your home assessed and make sure that it is as efficient as possible. Update your hot water heater and other appliances.
12. Wear clothing made of natural fibers and not synthetic fibers. Look at the labels of the clothes you want to buy and look for cotton, linen, silk, bamboo, wool and hemp. The synthetic fibers that wear off clothing are finding their way into the waterways and are causing immense problems in the very foundation of the microbiology of the oceans. They are finding microfibers in both fresh and saltwater. The fibers are so small they are making it through water treatment systems and flushing into rivers, lakes and oceans. Synthetic fibers don’t break down and are being ingested by wildlife. When ingested the fibers tend to weave into the digestive systems of the animals. This reduces their appetite, stunts growth, and can kill them.
13. Use biodegradable detergents for cleaning. You can do amazing things with Vinegar, lemons, and baking soda.
14. Create a backyard habitat that provides shelter, water and food for local and migrating birds and insects. If you own cats, put bells on them if you let them outside.
15. Do not purchase soaps and cosmetic products that have microbeads in them.
16. When celebrating or mourning, do not release balloons. Scatter bird seed or wildflower seeds when celebrating. If you are mourning someone and feel like you need to somehow send your thoughts to them consider writing a letter. Once written then burn it to allow your thoughts and prayers to be carried on the wind currents to those that have passed. Sea turtles have poor vision, but a deflated balloon looks to them like a tasty meal. Birds become tangled in the strings attached to the balloons and die. The death toll from released balloons among wildlife is staggering. Please stop releasing balloons.