FIVE SMALL STEPS FOR BIG OCEAN IMPACTS: EARTH DAY EDITION
Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22, is a day to celebrate our beautiful planet that makes life possible. It’s also a popular volunteering celebration, with an estimated 1 billion people participating each year. But don’t stop there–protecting our blue planet is an everyday event that takes all of us! Follow along for a few small actions that can make a big difference for our ocean this Earth Month.
Add Your Name to the Team Ocean Roster
Here’s the single easiest action you can take on this list: Join Team Ocean. If you have already signed up, tag in your friends–everyone’s a starter on Team Ocean! Here’s how signing up can make a big splash: By joining our email list, you’ll be the first to know about upcoming Protect Where We Play events, get petitions benefitting protecting endangered species, climate actions and more delivered straight to your inbox.
Plogging for the Planet
Turn your next walk or jog into a trash collection tour! Plogging comes from the Swedish term “plogga”, which is a combination of “jogga” (jog in Swedish) and “plocka up” (picking up litter). The best part? This action can be adapted to ANY of your outdoor activities (walking, running, cycling, etc). All you need is a trash bag and a pair of gloves. While you’re at it, don’t forget to download the Clean Swell® app and log the items you collect to help contribute to our global ocean trash database!
Reducing Waste, One Play at a Time
Think of reducing waste as a game plan for your everyday life. The best way to reduce waste is to make purchases only when necessary. When possible, add local businesses to your roster and support companies that minimize environmental impact. And when you do need to make a purchase, try to avoid single-use plastics. Whether you’re gearing up for a jog or heading to the gym, choosing reusable water bottles can be your MVP move! Single-use plastics make their way into our waterways and then into our ocean, so if you can go above and beyond this Earth Month, your gift of $2 can help Ocean Conservancy remove 1lb of plastic pollution.
Encore! Reuse to Keep the Beat Going
Reusing is like listening to your favorite song and noticing something new–just because you’ve used something doesn’t mean it’s time to toss it out! Reusing items or repurposing materials is an important way of helping the ocean and has economic benefits, too. Examples of reusing could include repurposing candles or takeout containers as storage once you’ve used and cleaned them out, bringing reusable bags to the store or carpooling/using public transportation to your next event (or Earth Day volunteering)!
Recycling is a Key Play for a Greener Game
Recycling is like the player on a team that everyone’s heard of, who’s been out on injury for the season. Rather than trade recycling away, we need to double down their time in the gym to get this system back to where it needs to be. While it’s important for all of us to take a few extra seconds to separate and sort items that can be recycled, getting recycling back in shape first starts with making producers of that stuff pay to improve the recycling system, and make their products recyclable in the first place. Help us by urging your lawmakers to hold plastic producers accountable today with our action alert!
By taking a few extra steps this Earth Day and throughout Earth Month, you’ll be helping to create a cleaner environment for our ocean, all while enjoying your favorite sports and entertainment with a clearer conscience! Whether you’re a sustainability all-star and volunteer for a cause or a recycling rookie looking to make a few changes to your everyday routine, every step matters to protect our beautiful blue planet.
