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5 resolutions for cleaner oceans

Words by Smiley Team

Climate consciousness is on the rise, with four in 10 British people saying the climate, environment and pollution were a major issue for them in a recent poll – the highest ever score for the topic since the poll’s launch in 1988.

As worries mount about the climate crisis, the Marine Conservation Society offers us these five resolutions to help channel those concerns into positive action by cleaning up our oceans in 2022.

ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES FOR CLEANER WATERS

Plastic pollution is a particular concern, with 62% of people saying they were very or extremely concerned about plastic pollution in a UK survey by Charity Awareness Monitor. If you’re one such person, join the Marine Conservation Society’s beach cleaning programme to help tackle the problem. It operates year-round, with beach cleans available to join as a volunteer, or organise for friends, family or colleagues.

Join a beach clean via the Marine Conservation Society’s volunteering page.

GO ‘CLIMATARIAN’

Another impactful way to improve your impact on the planet is by adopting a more sustainable diet. While buying seafood, as well as meat or dairy products, consider how it was caught or farmed and where. To help you, The Good Fish Guide lists the most sustainable seafood options; choose seafood rated green on the Guide to minimise your impact on the marine environment and help protect blue carbon stores.

Download The Good Fish Guide from the charity’s website.

VOLUNTEER AS A CITIZEN SCIENTIST

Get stuck in with data gathering for scientists and drive forward their research to help protect the ocean. Everyone can become a citizen scientist, and the Marine Conservation Society offers various projects you can join, including their Big Seaweed Search, Wildlife sightings and Beach cleaning.

Discover more ways to help on the charity’s volunteering page.

JOIN A COMMUNITY OF OCEAN OPTIMISTS

Become a member of the Marine Conservation Society to support the charity’s campaigns and improve ocean health. With the help of volunteers lobbying policymakers and gathering data, plastic bags on UK beaches have decreased by  55% since charges were introduced in 2011.

Learn more about becoming a Marine Conservation Society member on the charity’s website.

DIVE (OR SNORKEL) IN

Even better, become an amateur marine biologist through the Marine Conservation Society’s Seasearch programme. Volunteer divers and snorkellers can explore UK and Irish seas learning about marine life while collecting vital information about underwater ecosystems, and monitoring ocean health. The programme offers training to anyone from beginners to experts in biological recording (Seasearch is not a dive school)

To get involved with Seasearch, visit www.seasearch.org.uk.

For more ways to support the Marine Conservation Society in other ways, visit mcsuk.org.

This article aligns with the following UN SDGs

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