By Jody Sackett, Borough of Rumson, NJ – Environmental Commission
Summertime draws us to the oceans like seagulls to beach picnics. And no wonder. Few things are more priceless than our oceans, which cover over 70% of the earth’s surface. Summer is the perfect time to learn more about this precious resource and the dozens of ways to celebrate all things marine.
- Oceans are Restorative. Who hasn’t felt the stress melt away watching a beach sunset or languidly floating in the sea? It’s not your imagination. Our brains are hardwired to react positively to water so we remain focused but relaxed – an unusual meditative state of mindfulness that mentally calms us. Just staring at the ocean changes our brain wave frequencies, soothing us; and the sound of waves crashing on the beach de-stimulates our minds, tranquility slowing our parasympathetic nervous system. The physical touch of warm sand on the soles of our feet is comforting. Even the scent of the seas, containing oxygen atoms with negative ions, reduces anxiety and depression. Oceans also provide essential minerals like magnesium, which helps with healing and stress reduction.
- Oceans are Powerful. Natural gas and petroleum deposits are found offshore and deep under the sea floor. But the ocean also provides renewable energy sources like wind, wave, salinity gradient, thermal, and tidal energy. Using global “conveyor belt” currents, oceans distribute the powerful solar radiation that unevenly reaches the earth, regulating worldwide climate. And since the seas absorb over a quarter of the carbon dioxide emitted, they are a potent carbon sink that moderates global warming.
- Life in the Oceans. Besides being the original source of life on Earth, oceans are the world’s largest ecosystem, teeming with plants, animals, and microorganisms. Marine biodiversity is critical because it enables nature to be resilient and adaptable to environmental changes. Coral reefs are the most diverse marine ecosystems, but even our own Jersey Shore has quirky marine creatures like hermaphroditic slipper snails, which routinely change from male to female for reproduction.
- Oceans are Vital. The ocean generates over half of the world’s oxygen, so next time you breathe air, thank phytoplankton and seagrasses. Many crucial minerals come from the sea, such as calcium, potassium, and even heavy metals like copper, zinc, and gold. The seven seas are also the original super-highway for trade and travel, having connected cultures for centuries.
- Are the Oceans Threatened? Yes. Climate change impacts our oceans; absorbing this carbon dioxide makes oceans more acidic, and the increasing atmospheric radiation trapped by greenhouse gases heats up the seas. This devastates marine life, affecting resource availability, living conditions, and biodiversity. Accelerating land development contributes to pollution and habitat loss. Excessive use of plastic translates into suffocating amounts of long-lasting plastic trash and microplastics in our oceans, affecting marine life and habitats for centuries to come. Local conditions also affect the oceans; stormwater washes lawn fertilizer into neighborhood storm drains, contributing unmitigated nutrients to nearby waterways and causing algal blooms that can result in fish kills. Everyday household chemicals like pesticides, litter, pet waste, plastics, and even oil and gas from parking lots also wash into our waterways, degrading critical water quality. Discover what watershed your home is in, and what local waterways your stormwater drains into, at: https://www.epa.gov/waterdata/surf-your-watershed.
- Can I Help? Yes! To reduce pollutants and nutrients, avoid the use of household fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, and always pick up pet waste. Cultivate NJ native plants which evolved to thrive in our local climate; their roots stabilize soils, and they are hardy so don’t need extra fertilizer, pest control, or irrigation. Prevent stormwater runoff by installing Green Infrastructure like rain gardens around your home or local parks to capture rainfall where it lands instead of washing off into drains. To eliminate toxic litter and plastics, go plogging when you walk and adopt this Swedish custom of picking up a few bits of trash along the way to clean up the environment. Reduce your use of plastics right from the start, especially single-use ones like disposable water bottles and takeout containers. These plastics will float around in our waterways and oceans for centuries before they decompose. Reconsider buying foil balloons, especially with long ribbons; mylar is made from a metallic-coated plastic that doesn’t biodegrade even when eaten by marine life; and when balloons sink into rivers and seas, the polypropylene ribbons can entangle aquatic animals for years. Help curb climate change by limiting your energy usage and carbon footprint to slow down emissions; even just turning off lights or using less hot water helps.
- Dozens of Creative Ways to Celebrate Our Oceans: There are so many ways to celebrate! Share your new marine knowledge with friends and family. Go on an Eco-Tour or whale watching. Dance to songs about the ocean. Enjoy fresh seafood, preferably caught at the Jersey shore. Sing Sea Shanty songs. Practice meditation or yoga on the beach at sunset. Create art to raise joyful awareness of the wonders of our seas. Use iNaturalist to identify pretty shells you collect at the beach, and learn about the animals that made them. Watch fun ocean-based movies like Finding Nemo while eating goldfish crackers. Picnic on the beach. Walk along a riverside or beach to breathe in the fresh scent of water. Tackle saltwater fishing. Participate in beach cleanups. Play tic-tac-toe with seashells on a board drawn in the sand. Listen to whale call recordings. Dip your toes into the Atlantic Ocean. View YouTube videos by NOAA about sea life. Build a sandcastle and decorate it with sea glass. Welcome the moon rising over the ocean. Encourage others to protect our marine life. We are blessed to be surrounded by so much beautiful water – let’s cherish it
Jody Sackett has been an environmentalist all her life. She graduated from Allegheny College in Pennsylvania with a BS in Aquatic Environments, and has a Master of Science degree in Environmental Sciences from the Ohio University. While working full-time for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, she attended law school and earned a Juris Doctor degree; she is licensed to practice law in Ohio and NJ. She has worked in municipal and state governments, as well as an Environmental Attorney for the local law firm of Giordano, Halleran, & Ciesla. Changing gears to promote marine science and environmental education, she now works for the NJ Sea Grant Consortium as an educator and program administrator as well as serving on the Borough of Rumson – Environmental Commission. Jody has lived in Rumson for over 28 years with her husband Ray, and they have two children, Ethan and Julianne.