Sustainability First: World Oceans Day: Tides Are Changing

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Around the world people are celebrating World Oceans Day. The first World Ocean Day was held on June 8th, 1992, and in December 2008, the United Nations General Assembly officially recognized the day.

You might be asking yourself, why does World Oceans Day matter?

In a country surrounded by some of the most beautiful waters in the world, it’s easy to take it for granted. Still, the ocean plays a vital part in our daily lives, and its benefits are dependent on its health.

Our oceans not only provide much of the food we as Bahamians live off of, that our Bahamian fisherman’s livelihoods are dependent on, but it also provides vast job opportunities for those employed in the tourism and eco-tourism industries.

But, even beyond those, in a world where climate change is creating stronger and more frequent storms, it’s possible that the ocean’s most important gift to us, is its capacity as a carbon sink. The ocean captures 25 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions and 90 percent of the excess heat the emissions generate.

The ocean is also sometimes called “the lungs of the planet” as it generates 50 percent of the oxygen we need.

However, it’s not the water itself that does this amazing work, it’s the organisms living inside it.

Coral reefs, and especially namely seagrass, which can process carbon dioxide up to 35 times faster than rainforests.

But, pollution and climate change could kill these vital protectors of our planet.

You can use this world Ocean’s Day to reflect on how you can be more environmentally conscious.