Celebrating World Oceans Day

Why Oceans Are Important To Us

Did you know: 

• Oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface and contain 97% of the earth’s water
• Oceans produce at least 50% of the planet’s oxygen
• Oceans absorb around 30% carbon dioxide produced by humans, which helps to offset the impacts of global warming
• Oceans are the world’s largest source of protein, with over 2.6 billion people reliant on it for their primary source of protein.
• Oceans impact the livelihood of over 3 billion people globally
• Oceans are home to more than 90% of all living creatures on Earth

Did you also know: 

• 10 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans annually
• There will be more plastics in our oceans than fish (by weight) in 2050
• 1 million marine animals are killed by plastic pollution every year
• There are 5 massive patches of plastic floating in our oceans, the largest known as the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” which covers 20 million square kilometers of water
• There is more microplastic in the ocean than there are stars in the Milky Way. These microplastics are ingested by marine creatures and then eventually consumed by humans. 

Help to reduce the amount of plastics that enter our waterways by avoiding plastic water bottles and other single use plastics such as plastic bags, straws and cutlery.

To learn more about how plastic is affecting marine life and the environment, check out the link below: