Unless you’ve been living on another planet for the past few years, you can’t help but be concerned about the reports of how humans have allowed the levels of pollution within our oceans to escalate out of control.
Evidence of plastics from human activity is everywhere in the natural ocean environment!
Plastic pollution is having a deadly effect on wildlife; fish, mammals, sea birds, sea turtles & marine habitats.
- 1 in 3 fish caught for human consumption now contains plastic
- It is estimated that 8 million pieces of plastic are entering the oceans every single day
- Plastic in our seas comes from land based sources
- 51 trillion microscopic pieces of plastic in our seas
- Plastic can take up to 450 years to decompose in the sea
The only source of plastic is from human activity ... plastic is not a 'natural' resource. Plastic only exists because of human attitudes to 'an easy life' . Plastic starts out in the communities we live in where humans do not consider the consequences of their way of living. Attitudes need to change ... and people need to consider and adopt a more conservationist approach to life on planet Earth - our home.
It's not just about plastic! This website aims to take you on a journey to learn about Planet Earth and the Oceans.
What are the problems?
To most people the oceans are invisible - if something is thrown into the ocean - you can't see it - so human thinking says 'it's gone' - but the ocean depths are now full of human waste products - from plastic bottles to disposable nappies (diapers). It takes 450 years for a disposable nappy to degrade. It's turning the ocean into a plastic soup.
However, polllution of the ocean is not just about plastic, but also about dumping of sewage and high sound pollution.
Overfishing of our oceans by supertrawlers is also a real danger to life in the oceans - and we could be the last generation to eat fish.
Whatever our age, we all need to learn that the ocean is critical to the health of all life on Earth. Without the contribution of ocean-dwelling microscopic creatures called plankton - the very oxygen we breathe would not be available to us!
Oxygen is made by photosynthesis - with Rain forests, and other plants making 20% of our Earth's oxygen. Plankton and seagrass - found in the oceans - make 80%. So it is vital we keep the oceans healthy.
For millions of years Oceans have been absorbing the gas carbon dioxide from natural sources, such as volcanoes. But our oceans have been overloaded with carbon dioxide released by humans burning fossil fuels in the last hundred and fifty years.
Oceans are now so full of carbon dioxide the seas are turning acid (carbonic acid) and microscropic creatures such as plankton are in danger of extinction. Think about what will that mean for the oxygen content of our atmosphere? There could be mass extinctions, including the human race.
By learning that the ocean environment is an incredibly beautiful ecosystem - full of amazing creatures - then new generations will hopefully have more respect for a world that most people do not have the opportunity to see for themselves.
Oceans are vast and their influence on all life on Earth is jaw-dropping - let's turn the tide and start to fully understand how important Oceans are to every living thing on our Planet.
What's the solution?
Ensure that our children learn to appreciate the importance of their Planet and its Oceans.
Teachers educate the children...
Children share their knowledge with adults....
Now is the time for everyone to learn about the importance of Oceans for all life on Earth.
Help to change a complete generation’s view of the world!
Each Footprint to The Future package includes:
- Eight fully resourced enquiry-based learning activities
- Introductory PowerPoint for each activity
- Sixty downloadable information sheets give children facts at their fingertips
- A comprehensive film guide identifies ocean creatures
- Six original films take children into the underwater world
- ‘Ambassador for the Oceans’ certificate
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2 x posters
- A USB in the box, contains teaching resources for teachers to use immediately on their whiteboards.
- Teachers notes
- The book 'World Beneath the Waves - a Guide to Understanding the Oceans.'
“We clearly and unequivocally declare that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency. To secure a sustainable future, we must change how we live; how our society functions and how we interact with natural ecosystems.”
Prof. William Ripple – Professor of Ecology
“No water – no life – no blue – no green!
Far and away, the greatest threat to our planet, the oceans, and thus to ourselves, is ignorance. But we can do something about that.’
Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, Oceanographer.
”The role of the oceans is critical to supporting all life on Earth.
Education about our planet and its oceans is at the heart of our response.
Enjoy the learning – share your knowledge”
The Footprint to the Future Team
