Happy World Oceans Day!

Today, on the 8th. Of June we celebrate The  World Oceans Day. A few weeks back the delegation from Akosombo that visited Trondheim attended a Bach-Cleaning event. Not only did they collect The waste, they also learned about the huge threat it causes for the marine life across our common seas. For a period now Eco-Schools Ghana has tried to focus on, and educate about the impact plastic waste in the Oceans has on marine life.
 A lot of people do not realize how much waste, plastic in particular, that is in and around our seas. Plastic Pollution is one of the biggest threats to our oceans today. One of the reasons it posts such a huge threat is that it is extremely difficult to get rid of. Did you for instance know that it takes 450 years for a plastic bottle to decompose? When plastic degrades it is just torn into smaller pieces until you no longer can see it. This is what we call Microplastic and that is what the main focus was directed to on The Beach-Cleaning Day. Marine life often confuse microplastic with food and it is not uncommon for fish and birds to die from hunger caused by their stomach being filled with so much plastic that they no longer can fit food in there. Turtles often confuse plastic bags with jellyfish which in many cases can choke them to death. Not only is the plastic it self harmful but the animals also eat all The chemicals the plastic has soaked up in the ocean. Larger plastic objects can cause animals to get trapped and many drown as a result of not being able to reach the surface for air.

(Photo: Aftenposten.no)

Not only does this affect marine life but it also affects us. It affects you. If The fish we eat has consumed waste and chemicals so will we. It affects the whole food chain.
Although this years theme for the World Ocean Day is "Healthy Ocean, Healthy Planet" and the main focus is Plastic Pollution this is not the only thing threatening the biological diversity in and around our oceans. Climate change and Global Warming also affects life in the ocean.
We at Eco-School Ghana will continue to take action and do what we can to keep our Oceans clean and healthy, and also help sustain the amazing biological diversity in them- and we hope you will do the same!
Happy World Oceans Day!!