WORLD OCEAN DAY - 2022
Did you know that the ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and contains 94% of all the world’s plants and wildlife? However, their ability to sustain life is being threaten, from overfishing, to climate change and pollution. World Ocean Day (8th June) is about coming together to celebrate this habitat and protect its longevity for future generations. The theme for World Ocean Day 2022 is ‘Revitalisation - Collective Action for the Ocean’.
Balance + Glo was born on the Isle of Wight and its natural landscape is at the heart of what we do (from yoga and fitness on the beach, to SUP yoga sessions and excursions, Isle of Wight retreats, and creating recipes showcasing local produce). That’s why we are sharing some simple tips on how you can support World Ocean Day, as well as highlighting some local initiatives on the Isle of Wight.
Top Tips for Supporting World Ocean Day
See below for some simple tips for how you can support World Ocean Day:
Join a local beach clean event or simply take 2 minutes every time you head to the beach to collect litter.
Reduce your use of plastic items, particularly disposable plastic items such as bottles of water, single use plastic bags, disposable cups, plates and cutlery.
Show your support by wearing a ‘Save Our Seas Circular Top’ from the Marine Conservation Society Store, Rapanui. Every product in the store is designed to be sent back to Teemill when worn out so that it can go back into the system and created into a new product, ensuring there is no waste.
Reduce your Carbon Footprint. Did you know that CO2 makes the ocean more acidic which has a detrimental affect on coral reefs and other marine ecosystems? Ways to reduce your carbon footprint include for example: buying local and seasonal food, reducing your food waste, reducing the number of meals you eat out, and reducing the amount of animal products you consume. The WWF has a useful footprint calculator that calculates your footprint and provides practical tips for how you can reduce yours.
What’s happening on the Isle of Wight to Support the Oceans
We wanted to showcase what was happening on the Isle of Wight to protect and restore this habitat:
Solent Seagrass Restoration - Seagrass meadows are important for biodiversity and our fight against climate change as they act as blue carbon store. However, the number of meadows have drastically reduced and are under pressure from increasingly levels of pollution. The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and Boskalis Westminster have partnered to deliver the Solent Seagrass Restoration Project which has involved planting seagrass seed bombs.
The Dipping Society Isle of Wight - A community of sea ‘dippers’ on the Isle of Wight are helping to raise the awareness about the sewage problem the beaches across the island. Find out more and give them a follow @thedippingsociety.
Seabin, UKSA Marina - The Seabin is a floating debris interception device, its location means that the wind and the currents push debris directly into it (an estimated daily average of 1.5kg per day). Since the installation at UKSA Marina, there have been further bins situated in East Cowes Marina, Lymington Harbour with more planned across the Solent.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (who we have the pleasure of providing their employee wellness package), based here on the Isle of Wight, has predicted that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. However, they have a solution, a Circular Economy for Plastic.
We acknowledge that there is an opportunity for us to take a more active role in protecting our unique natural assets here on the island. Therefore if you know of any marine-based projects happening on the Isle of Wight or if you have any ideas on what we can do to help then please get in contact.
