World Oceans Day is being observed today to highlight the need and necessity to protect oceans from further deterioration.
This year’s theme will focus on the life and livelihood that the ocean sustains. The theme for World Oceans Day 2021 is ‘The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods’.
Here are some facts about the ocean you need to know on the ‘World Oceans Day’:
1) At least half of Earth’s oxygen comes from the ocean.
2) Before compasses, Vikings navigated the ocean using birds, whales, celestial bodies, chants, and rhymes.
3) An estimated 50-80% of all life on earth is found under the ocean surface and the oceans contain 99% of the living space on the planet.
On this day, it should also be noted that marine or ocean pollution is a combination of chemicals and trash, most of which comes from land sources or human activity which is blown into the ocean. This pollution results in damage to the environment, to the health of all organisms, and to economic structures worldwide.
Plastic is one of the most common causes of ocean pollution, but it’s not the only thing harming our seas. There are several steps taken by humans that had increased ocean pollution. Here are 5 ocean pollution facts you need to know on ‘World Oceans Day’:
1) Ocean pollutions kill more than 1 million sea birds each year.
2) Approximately 4 billion pounds of trash per year enter the ocean.
3) China is the biggest contributor to plastic pollution in the ocean.
4) The waste in the ocean takes a long to decompose.
5) The garbage dumped in the ocean is a threat to humans.
