Our oceans today are suffering from a large variety of destruction caused by human beings which if not stopped will continue to have terrible consequences. There are many issues which are increasingly impairing and devastating our oceans and productive marine habitats like ocean acidification, destructive fishing, land-based sedimentation, massive pollution, marine recreation, poor agricultural practices, coastal development and land reclamation. Destructive fishing includes the use of bottom trawls, dynamite, indiscriminate netting and long lines which criss-cross the oceans accidentally catching and killing sharks, whales, turtles and many other endangered marine life.

Land use practices such as mining and burning fuel continue to add to ocean acidification. Every day, oceans absorb about a third of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from human activities. When fossil fuel is burned about 50% goes into atmosphere, about 20% is taken up by trees and about 30% is absorbed by the ocean making the water dangerously acidic. The more acidic the ocean gets the more potentially lethal it becomes making it harder for aquatic ecosystems and animals to survive.

The Colorado Ocean Coalition is fighting back!

The mission of the Colorado Ocean Coalition is to create, unite and empower a Colorado coalition with shared values, goals and actions to promote healthy oceans through education and community engagement.

Join the 3^rd annual Making WAVES in Boulder, Colorado on September 20^th to the 22^nd where you´ll have the chance to enjoy insightful presentations on ocean advocacy and more from an exciting list of attendees. This multifaceted symposium and celebration highlights ocean issues, solutions and is a change making event for engagement and national action.

“Why care about oceans when you live more than a thousand miles from the coasts?” The Colorado Ocean Coalition believes that you don’t have to be near the ocean to care about it. Our complex global economy and the interconnectedness of ecological systems mean that the actions we take in the mountains impact the health of the sea. These actions include eating seafood, using plastics, driving cars and sharing environmental ethics with our family and friends. We live on an ocean planet and the choices we make in the middle of the country have direct ties to the seas.

A large component of COCO is to help people understand ocean issues and provide opportunities for people to help with the solutions.  They do this in fun and exciting ways, and their annual event, Making WAVES brings in cutting-edge researchers, world-renowned speakers, award-winning filmmakers and ocean advocates from across the country. The Colorado Ocean Coalition strongly believes that you don’t have to see the ocean to protect it!

http://coloradoocean.org/

Photo Credit: Picture used from Google Images, The Colorado Ocean Coalition collection.

Artwork Credit: Illustration from children´s book “Fins and Tales” by Jessica Shilling www.jessicashilling.com