6-Pact For The Ocean

The Center for Coastal Studies encourages YOU to make a 6-PACT FOR THE OCEAN.

Feeling helpless about all the plastic in the ocean? Wondering what one person can possibly do to make a difference? Make a pact with yourself to try these six easy ways for you to make a positive impact:

1. Beach Clean-up: Go to the beach with a pick-up bag to collect plastic trash. Recruit friends and make it an adventure! Then make it a practice and do it year-round for all waterways near you. Removing the trash before it can be swept out to sea is one of the best ways of preventing marine debris.

2. Engage & Volunteer Your Time: Become a member at the Center for Coastal Studies, volunteer for a cause, communicate with legislators, and advocate to protect your ocean. Join legions of others around the world by showing that you care and making your voice heard.

3. Lose the Waste: Go on a plastic diet – skip the straw, use a reusable water bottle & identify other ways to reduce consumption of single-use plastics. Marine animals are often harmed or killed by plastic pollution — each year, at least 8 million tons of plastic leak into the ocean – the equivalent of dumping one garbage truck every minute. Every time you say, “no thanks, I brought my own!”, you reduce the overall presence of and reliance on single-use plastic.

4. Release Bubbles Not Balloons: Hundreds of thousands of marine animals, turtles and sea birds die every year from ingesting or becoming entangled in marine debris, including indigestible plastic. Prevent fly-away balloons, plastic bags, wrappers and other lightweight plastic from landing in the ocean where they can be mistaken for food. Lend your support to groups like the Center for Coastal Studies who work to remove lost fishing gear from the ocean.

5. Donate or Buy: Your financial contribution to the Center for Coastal Studies, or purchase from our online store, directly supports efforts to protect the ocean and its precious inhabitants. Invest in our research on the impacts of microplastics in zooplankton and our work to remove and dispose of potentially deadly lost, abandoned or derelict fishing gear. 

6. Investigate: Learn more about the challenges facing our oceans and what you can do to help. Attend Center for Coastal Studies lectures and presentations, and talk to our staff and scientists about issues that interest you. The opportunity to increase your positive impact grows with every question!

For more information, visit our Marine Debris and Plastics section.