Today, on June 8th, 2009, we’are celebrating the first official World Oceans Day themed „one ocean, one climate, one future“. Since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, several countries celebrate this day annualy, but, however, its official designation by the United Nations took until December 5th, 2008. World Oceans Day is an opportunity to honor the world’s oceans and thereby the awareness of oceans as an (or maybe even „the“) essential source of life shall be raised.
Oceans cover approximately 70% of our earth’s surface. They generate most of the oxygen we breath, are essential to food security and power our climate. With the climate change contemporary society has to face unprecedented challenges concerning oceans and their biota.
Consequently many sea dwellers do not only have to face the dangers of overfishing, bycatch oder increasing water pollution, but also the threat of their habitats as a consequence of climate change. For instance, the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) expects Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to be damaged up to 95% until mid-century as an effect of the slow acidification of oceans and the permanently increasing water temperature.
Undeniably, the oceans are not only worthy of protection but also in need of it!
Those who want to contribute their part to the sustainment of the marine diversity of species have the possibility to support a project run by the German association Action Campaign for Endangered Species (ACES)for the protection of ocean turtles in Anamur (Turkey). The beach of Anamur ist one of the major nesting beaches of the so called loggerhead sea turtle. The protection of this beach is very important because for egg deposition turtles usually return to the beach on which they once hatched. Now the destruction of the beach due to road constructions, bright street lamps and increasing coast pollution has to be avoided. Therefore a focussed publicity accompanied by the assignment of game wardens is needed. For the implementation of this project we search for monetary donations as well as donations in kind, like old cell phones or 100 serviceable items to be auctioned on ebay. The revenue of the auction will benefit the turtles again.
But furthermore there are several other possibilties on betterplace.org to support ocean protection. For example you can donate for a project initiated by the foundation OroVerde to create perpetual sources of income for the inhabitants of Batana, Indonesia, which also helps to prevent the destruction of coral reefs around the islands due to man power.
Another alternative is to adopt a sea dweller, as for example the female sperm whale „Pinchy“ that lives near the coast of Dominica. The donations will exclusively be used to finance a protection project for the spern whales of Dominica.