7 Ways That You Can Help Save Sea Creatures
Sea creatures depend on clean water, healthy habitats, safe boating, and people who care enough to make better daily choices.
Each year, our oceans are subjected to 14 million tons of plastic if not more! This amount of plastic in the oceans can cause an imbalance in the ecosystems and lead to the direct death of sea creatures due to choking on or swallowing something harmful. Plastic isn't the only thing negatively affecting our oceans, though.
Other trash and chemicals all add to the destruction of our oceans as well. In order to stop the destruction of our beautiful oceans and begin saving cute sea creatures, it's up to us to make a change. You can't control anyone else around you, but you can control your own actions.
Be the change you want to see by continuing to read below. In this guide, you'll find several helpful tips and ideas to save sea life one step at a time!
Why Your Choices Matter
Sea turtles, manatees, dolphins, fish, seabirds, coral reefs, and countless other ocean species can be harmed by plastic, pollution, unsafe boating, and damaged habitats. Small daily choices help reduce those risks.
1. Use Reusable Products
When you're constantly using plastic or even paper products, you're contributing to the mass collection of trash and debris in the world. Rather than spending money on one-time-use products, start investing in reusable products. There are many ways you can make the switch.
Instead of buying cases of water or water bottles, invest in a water filtration system for your home or a refillable water jug service. Use reusable cups and purchase a few refillable thermoses for everyone in the home. When you're out and about, use your refillable thermos at water fountains.
You can even purchase refillable mugs and cups from some of your favorite coffee shops to use each time you visit. Using your own straws is also beneficial to sea life and deep sea creatures.
Easy reusable swaps
- Reusable water bottles
- Reusable grocery bags
- Metal, bamboo, or silicone straws
- Reusable coffee cups
- Washable food containers
2. Limit Your Plastic Use
Whenever you have the chance to limit your plastic use, do so. This can go back to using refillable thermoses and metal straws, but there's also so much more to this. When you go into your local grocery store, look closely at how much plastic is being used.
Fruit and vegetables are packaged in plastic. Meats are wrapped in plastic, plastic bags are given to hold various meats, fruits, or veggies, and plastic bags are used at the checkout. Now is the time to stop and think to yourself if all that plastic is necessary.
Refrain from placing fruits or veggies in a plastic bag. Simply place them in your cart or bring a small basket with you to place in the cart to keep them separate from other items. Order meat from the counter and have it wrapped in paper.
Choose paper bags at the register or bring your own reusable bags. Avoid using plastic when visiting restaurants or ordering takeout as well.
Simple Grocery Store Habit
Before choosing a plastic bag, ask whether you need it. Many produce items can go straight into your cart or into a reusable produce bag.
3. Purchase From Businesses Giving Back
Did you know there are many businesses that give back to sea creatures after each purchase? Do some research to determine which companies donate a portion of their profits to charities that help ocean life. These are companies worth shopping at.
At Everything Manatee, portions of profits received are given to various charities that help save manatees. You can purchase women's, men's, and children's clothing items ranging from t-shirts, hoodies, yoga pants, SPF shirts, and pajamas to bibs, beach bags, pillows, blankets, and more!
Each time you make a purchase, you give back to the oceans.
Choosing brands with a conservation mission lets your purchase do more than fill a closet or decorate a home. It helps support a cause you care about.
4. Reduce Your Own Carbon Footprint
Cutting back on your emissions can help maintain proper ocean water temperatures. If the water temperatures rise too high, the effects could be detrimental. To do your part, start thinking of ways you can reduce your own carbon footprint.
You can consider carpooling more often, flying less often, and taking public transportation. If you commute to someplace within walking distance each day, then consider walking or taking a bike. You might also want to conduct some research and avoid giving money to companies that have a large carbon footprint.
Low-effort ways to cut emissions
- Carpool when possible
- Combine errands into fewer trips
- Walk or bike for short distances
- Use public transportation when available
- Support companies with cleaner practices
5. Collect Trash on the Beach
Each time you visit the beach, do be sure to pick up everything. Don't leave a single item behind. While there, you may notice lots of trash or debris in the sand.
Take an enjoyable walk along the beach and collect seashells in a pail. Have a large bucket or bag with you to collect trash in. If this is something you do often, then it might be worth investing in a trash collector stick, which will prevent you from having to bend over.
Removing trash from the beach will prevent it from eventually making its way into the ocean and harming a sea creature.
Make It a Habit
Try picking up five pieces of litter every time you visit the beach, river, lake, or park. It only takes a few minutes, and the impact adds up.
6. Apply Ocean-Safe Sunscreen
Sunscreen is important for preventing skin cancer and sun poisoning. It's ideal to apply sunscreen to your body several minutes before enjoying the water and every 30 minutes or so throughout the day. However, not all sunscreen is safe for ocean life.
Some sunscreen can be harmful to sea creatures, so it's important you take your time to conduct some research first. Find a sunscreen that's ocean safe if you plan to jump in the water.
Look for sunscreen options designed for swimming, snorkeling, boating, and beach days. A better sunscreen choice helps protect both your skin and the marine life around you.
7. Practice Safe Boating
Boating is a great way to soak up the sun and enjoy the ocean life around you. While boating, it's crucial you practice all boating safety measures to protect a deep sea creature and all sea life around you. Before dropping down the anchor, make sure the boat's located over a sandy area and not over a coral reef.
Follow all boating laws and signs, such as no-wake zones, and when fishing, only keep fish you plan to consume and only when you're allowed to by law.
Safe boating is especially important in areas where manatees, sea turtles, dolphins, and other marine animals travel through shallow water.
Safe boating reminders
- Follow posted speed zones
- Respect no-wake areas
- Watch for manatees and other wildlife
- Anchor only in safe sandy areas
- Never toss fishing line or trash overboard
Do Your Part to Protect Sea Creatures
When you do your part to protect sea creatures, you're making a bigger difference than you know. All it takes is one person to make the change before others begin to follow suit. Use all of these great ideas listed above to start becoming the change you want to see.
Then, check out all of our awesome clothing and beach and home items that help save the manatees! For more information on saving the manatees and how to donate, click here.
Help Protect Manatees and Sea Life
Your daily choices matter. Shop with purpose, reduce waste, support conservation, and help protect the sea creatures we all love.
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