Overfishing, pollution, global warming, species extinction: it’s hard to overstate the seriousness and scale of the problems facing our oceans; just as it’s tempting to assume there’s little or nothing we can do about them. (See, for example, this classily written, highly informative, but paralysingly depressing inventory of oceans-related woes by Julia Whitty in a recent Mother Jones.)
But don’t be too quick to curl into the fetal position! There are (at least) 50 things you can do to save the ocean, from being a smart seafood consumer, to keeping your home aquarium ocean friendly, to joining in a coastal cleanup, to supporting local marine education. These suggestions come from an important and recently updated book, “50 Ways to Save the Ocean,” by David Helvarg, president of the Blue Frontier Campaign (www.bluefront.org), with illustrations by cartoonist Jim Toomey. Click on the cover image to go check it out.
(And don’t forget: there’s another way you can do your bit for the oceans—by signing up for Mother Jones‘ Ocean Voyager campaign, a five-part virtual journey—complete with stunning photos and spectacular video footage—to the world’s ocean hotspots.)