World Oceans Day has been celebrated unofficially since 1992, and officially since December 2008 when the UN formally recognized it. Organized by The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network, this holiday celebrates our oceans which bring us clean air, clean food, and clean water- that is, until April 20. The explosion at BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig has, if you choose to believe the ‘official government estimate’, leaked somewhere between 12,000 and 19,000 barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico each day. And scientists fear we will be living with the effects of this disaster for decades.
According to MSNBC.com, Bill Mott, the director of the Ocean Project said, “it’s terrible disaster and it’s raising awareness around the country and the world about the ocean’s fragility to a large extent.”
If you want to show our oceans a little more love than they have received over the past few months, here are some ideas:
Stop by the Smithsonian Ocean Portal to learn About 5 Simple Things You Can Do For The Ocean.
Visit Change.org for Ten Ways To Honor World Oceans Day.
Find events near you organized by the World Ocean Project.
ALSO: Several groups are gathering for makeshift vigils tonight around the country to celebrate World Oceans Day and mark the 50th Day since the Deepwater Horizon explosion that began this catastrophe. The vigil in Austin will be at 1005 Congress Ave, just a block or so south of the Texas Capitol.
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