Ocean Emocean - our connection to the sea

My earliest memory of the ocean is flying on an old-school 80’s surf mat with my brother and cousins at Australia’s 90 mile beach - the rhythmic waves rolling in and out, and the foam getting up my nose. I only have to look at this photo (that’s me in the red) to know that the pull of the ocean has never left me. In fact, it’s only gotten stronger.

From our ancestors who navigated the oceans to discover new territories, to the man who goes fishing but never catches a thing, to the woman who just likes to sit and look but is fearful because she can’t swim - humans the world over are drawn to the ocean.

Whether you are fearful of the ocean, or comfortable in its presence, there’s something about the ocean that draws us closer and fascinates us. It’s ability to ‘fix us’ on some level; to refresh, rejuvenate, inspire and relax us. The ocean’s combination of sound and smell and it’s effect on our brain has been dubbed by scientists as ‘Blue Space’. Its power to remove anxiety and stress is truly remarkable. But why are we so captivated? What is the deeper meaning behind our love and admiration for the sea?

Firstly, water is life. Water makes up 72% of the earth’s surface and over 70% of our body. Even as we age, our brain continues to be made up of 80% water. Half of the oxygen we breath is produced by sea plants, and the oceans also help to absorb the carbon emissions we create.

Through the ocean, we are all connected to the creation and evolution of life. The first life forms came from the ocean - single cell micro organisms that evolved into creatures of the deep that went from swimming, to crawling, and then to walking.

As children, we all spent our first nine months in water - our mother’s womb. A place that was our sanctuary before birth. And as adults, we are once again innately drawn to water to be healed and restored when life gets a bit tough

So, as I reflect on why I love the ocean so much, I also imagine an earth without oceans. While the oceans will get on fine without us (hell, they’ll probably be cheering that we’re gone); we simply cannot exist without them. They are our climate regulator, our food supply, our lungs and our therapists. We are connected to each other more deeply than we humans care to realise.

The actions of more than seven billion people are now impacting the health of the oceans like never before. Plastic pollution, carbon pollution, over-fishing and unsustainable tourism is killing the very thing we need most.

We have taken the oceans for granted. Surely it’s now time to give back?

Join us in saving our oceans and take the pledge to:

1. Significantly reduce your carbon footprint and energy use - Change to energy saving light globes, leave the car at home, turn off the heating and use a blanket instead. Little things can make a big difference.
2. Where possible, boycott industries and companies that pollute - e.g. coal, oil and gas, and support renewable energy sources.
3. Eat less meat and seafood - Intensive livestock farming is still the number one cause of CO2 emissions, so eat less meat. Also eat less seafood, especially in areas where local people rely on the ocean for their daily protein as these fisheries are likely to be under considerable strain. When you do eat seafood, choose sustainable species like sardines and definitely say no to all shark and tuna species.
4. Avoid plastic - we don’t need to tell you that all plastic is evil.
5. Don’t buy products or souvenirs which have been made from products from the ocean such as shell or coral ornaments.
6. Clean up your local beach- if you see any pollution or debris on your local beach or any beach for that matter, pick it up, don’t risk it going into the ocean to potentially harm marine life.
7. Support organizations working to protect the ocean - Many are doing great work. Here’s a few of our favorites to get you started: www.bluespherefoundation.org www.sealegacy.org seashepherd.org www.mantatrust.org.
8. Speak up and influence change amongst your friends, family and community - We know you don’t want to sound like a broken record, but this important. Use your knowledge and influence to inspire behavioral change.
9. Practice responsible ocean recreation - Be conscious of the fragile ocean environment. Don’t touch, tease or harass marine animals, don’t throw things overboard and always use marine safe sunscreen.
10. Get educated - The more you understand about what’s threatening our oceans and why they’re important for the survival of the human race, the more likely you’ll want to join us in protecting them.