50 Ways to Save the Ocean

 

Warpworld is not a book (or series) with a message. Let me be clear about that. No message. None. Zero. Zip. Josh and I did not sit down with an agenda when we wrote the first book. Heck, we didn’t even sit down with a plot outline. The story demanded to be told and we have spent the ensuing years as its helpless caj.

In his recent review of Warpworld, author Noah JD Chinn captured our vision perfectly when he said…

…the authors are simply laying these cultures out there as things that exist, rather than proxies for someone’s ideals or warnings of where we might end up.

Having said that, the story had to start somewhere and that was with a premise, a couple of main characters, and a lot of world building. When it comes to the world building, this is very much a case of write what you know. It’s no surprise that Josh, who lives in the arid desert environment of west Texas, laid the foundation for Seg’s barren world and I, an ocean-loving tree-hugger who resides in the lush wilderness of western British Columbia, created Ama’s watery world. The two worlds are starkly different. This was a conscious and deliberate choice but its purpose was to create conflict, (a necessary ingredient of fiction), not to set a stage for environmental finger wagging.

Having said that, it’s no secret that protecting the world’s oceans is something I am passionate about. People like Wyland, David Suzuki, Rob Stewart, and many more, inspire me and keep alive my hope for a healthy ocean ecosystem for the generations that come after mine.

So, there’s no message in my fiction, but there is love. If you also love the ocean and would like to do something about it, here are 50 ideas for you.

1. Visit the Beach!

2. Don’t buy anything made from coral

3. If you eat seafood, make sure it’s sustainable

4. Support businesses that are ocean-friendly

5. Pet owners, read the label on your pet’s food – consider sustainability when choosing a brand

6. Reduce Toxic Household Pollutants

7. If you go snorkeling in the sun, put on a t-shirt and shorts instead of gooping on sunscreen

8. Support organizations that protect the ocean

Even ocean predators need love!

9. Keep your carbon footprint small to reduce the effects of climate change on the ocean

10. Support Marine Education in schools

11. Recycle and help keep waste out of the water

12. Restore a stream, river or watershed

13. Go whale watching with a responsible guide

14. Don’t buy any product made from shark fins or cartilage

15. Dispose of chemicals properly, including prescription drugs

16. Divers – take only pictures, leave only bubbles

17. Join in a local fish count

18. Volunteer for a beach clean up

19. Don’t waste water

20. When boating, watch where you drop your anchor and try to use permanent anchoring buoys

21. Boycott any place that keeps marine mammals in captivity

22. Watch a documentary about the ocean and its inhabitants – Blue Planet is a wonderful start

23. Boaters, go slow around Manatees

24. Anglers, adhere to local limits and consider catch and release fishing

25. Join a marine mammal rescue center

26. Choose environmentally friendly detergents and cleaners

27. Volunteer at a marine sanctuary

28. Plant native species in your yard and reduce the amount of grass, to help keep fertilizer from seeping into the ocean

29. Don’t release non-native species into the wild

30. Don’t buy Sea Turtle products

31. Do your homework before you travel – choose beach resorts that are environmentally responsible

32. Anglers, dispose of fishing line responsibly

33. Tread carefully when exploring tide pools

34. Take your kids to play in the water – surfing, sailing, swimming

35. Use less plastic

36. Aquarium owners, only buy fish that have been collected in an environmentally responsible manner

37. Don’t touch coral when you dive or snorkel

38. Don’t feed wild marine animals

39. Learn your local maritime history

40. Report dumping or other illegal activities

41. Never chase or harass marine wildlife

42. If you see trash on the beach, pick it up

43. Use cloth or re-usable grocery bags to keep plastic bags out of the water

44. Learn about tides, navigation, and ocean currents

45. When watching ocean wildlife, keep a respectful distance

46. Keep oil off your shore

47. Cut the rings of plastic six-pack holders. Aquatic life and birds can become entangled in them.

48. Maintain your boats, cars, and other heavy equipment to reduce oil leaks

49. Be a blue boater

50. Celebrate the ocean and spread the word!

“Blood for water.”

~Kristene