Hey there Sunshine! Welcome back to Save Our Happy Place, your weekly pop of environmental and climate action. Each week we explore an area of our world and the climate movement to help answer that burning question, “What can I do to help the climate crisis?“. This World Oceans Month we welcome Kevin Travis, Science Officer at California Ocean Science Trust, to guide us through protecting our oceans and utilizing them to fight climate change.

Be sure to check out last week’s edition where we cover personal measures you can take. This week we’re looking at the larger issues facing our oceans and the systemic solutions needed to solve them. Be sure to take our four climate actions to help Save Our Seas!

Seas Saving Solutions

Know them, Love Them, Demand Then

The ocean is a critical regulator of Earth’s climate and plays a massive role in mitigating climate change impacts. Despite its ability to regulate climate, the ocean is still falling victim to climate change and human-generated pollution, thus causing more climate change issues. On a happy note, tons of solutions exist and are in the works. They just need continued support from activists like you. Be sure, to take our 4 quick actions this week to help Save Our Seas through government regulations.

As a quick recap from last week, here is a bulleted list of the relationships between our oceans, climate change, and the ongoing human contribution creating these problems.

How Climate Change is Negatively Impacting Our Oceans:

• Warming water temperatures

• Ocean acidification (decreasing pH)

• Rising sea levels

• Increasing deoxygenation (hypoxia)

• Loss of biodiversity

• Species migration

• Negative impacts on fisheries

• Increasing intensity and frequency of storms (e.g. hurricanes)

• Coastal flooding and erosion

• Harmful algal blooms

How Humans are Contributing Directly to Marine Climate Issues:

• Marine pollution (e.g. debris or chemicals)

• Marine microplastics

• Overfishing or other harmful fishing practices

What are the most effective/realistic solutions?

Thankfully, the global climate movement has started to realize and tap into the power of the ocean as a solution to climate change. Marine renewables have recently gained momentum as a promising energy source in our fight to transition away from fossil fuels. Most prominently, major investments into renewable offshore wind energy have skyrocketed in the last few years, especially in the US under the Biden Administration. Although there are still global issues, commercial fisheries have improved greatly by incorporating new practices to reduce bycatch (unwanted catch), avoid whale entanglements, and sustainably harvest their catch. Marine aquaculture is seen as a promising pathway for sustainable seafood with many co-benefits, such as habitat for species and carbon sequestration potential. Restoration of coastal ecosystems (also known as “living shorelines”, such as wetlands or mangroves) provides nature-based coastal protection against climate change impacts while restoring habitat and increasing biodiversity. Lastly, marine conservation areas (also known as marine protected areas) can serve as import refuges for threatened or endangered species.  

Four Actions to Save Our Seas

Support for  H.R. 3764 - Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act of 2021

• What? Call your federal representatives to voice support for  H.R. 3764.

• Why? This bill aims to reduce carbon emissions and protect oceans, coastal habitats, marine mammals, and fish populations from climate change and other threats.

• How? Look up who represents you, here. Call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to get connected. (Est. 5 min)

Learn More

Support Biden’s 30x30 executive order to conserve 30% of oceans (and land) by 2030

• What? Call your representatives to voice your support for 30x30.

• Why? This 30x30 report outlines a process to identify and protect America’s natural heritage, and help our ocean.

• How? Look up who represents you, here. Call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to get connected. (Est. 5 min)

Learn More

Tell the Biden Interior Department: No New Offshore Drilling Lease Sales

• What? Tell the Biden White House and Interior Department NOT to include any new lease sales in their forthcoming five-year offshore drilling plan.

• Why? Leasing our ocean to oil and gas companies will only shackle us to the climate-destroying fossil fuels at a time when we need to be rapidly transitioning to 100% clean energy to save our planet.

• How? Click link to send message. (Est. 1 min)

Send Your Message

#DEFENDTHEDEEP: Stop Deep Seabed Mining

• What? Sign the official letter to the United Nations and International Seabed Authority (ISA) representatives calling for a 10-year moratorium to stop deep-seabed mining.

• Why? The ISA has granted 30 exploration licenses for contractors to explore mineral wealth beyond national jurisdiction in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. These licenses could result in irreversible ecosystem loss.

• How? Click link to sign the letter. (Est. 1 min)

Sign the Letter

Some Rays of Sunshine

The Headlines We’re Happy to See

• Through NOAA the Biden administration advanced the nomination of the Chumash National Marine Sanctuary off of the coast of California. - Read More

• Germany and US formed an energy partnership that includes agreements on off-shore wind and hydrogen. - Read More

• Biden-Harris Administration Proposes First-Ever California Offshore Wind Lease Sale. - Read More

• Massachusetts advances two major offshore wind projects. - Read More

• Denmark is launching a huge trio of 15-MW offshore wind turbines. - Read More