World Ocean Day was first proposed in 1992 by the Government of Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. This day recognizes the importance of the world's oceans to generate most of the oxygen we breath, to help feed us, to regulate our climate, to clean the water we drink, to offer potential medicines, and to provide limitless inspiration.
In December of 2008, a United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution officially recognizing June 8th as World Oceans Day each year.
World Oceans Day provides an important boost to those organizations and individuals who have been deeply committed to ocean conservation. Being designated officially by the UN is just one step in helping improve the health of the world's oceans.
One major threat to the health of our oceans is plastic waste. Plastic waste kills both directly and indirectly, adding tons of harmful chemicals to the oceans. Its fouling can spread harmful algae, as well as serve as a transport media for pollutants. Plastic bags left adrift have been known to cause harm and death to the creatures living in the oceans. Other plastics can deform and even suffocate creatures like turtles or seals.
Seen above: the damage done to a turtle's shell from growing around a small piece of plastic.
A nineteen-year old Aerospace Engineering student may have found the answer. In 2012, Boyan Slat came up with the concept of an Ocean Cleanup Array combining long booms which float on the surface of the ocean, with anchored processing platforms capable of collecting and separating plastic trash for removal and recycling. The arrays could potentially remove 7 250 000 tons of plastic waste from the oceans.
It is an amazing accomplishment if successful, but the world needs to come together and prevent the build-up of plastic waste in the ocean. Take the time to appreciate the world we live in.
Today we celebrate World Oceans Day - and all the souls that live within them!
Today is also Day 2 of Banana Split Days, International Young Eagles Day, National Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, Upsy Daisy Day, and Worldwide Knit in Public Day!
Here are some interesting things that happened on this day in history:
- Italy was invaded by Attila the Hun in 452.
- Laki Volcano in southern Iceland began an 8-month eruption in 1783.
- Washing machine was patented by Noah Cushing of Quebec in 1824.
- Members of the Family Compact raided the offices of William Lyon Mackenzie's newspaper, the Colonial Advocate, at York in 1826.
- The Supreme Court of British Columbia was established in 1859.
- Herman Hollerith received a patent for his punch card calculator in 1887.
- Sherlock Holmes began his adventure, "Boscombe Valley Mystery" in 1889.
- Sherlock Holmes began his "Adventure of 6 Napoleons" in 1900.
- Aboriginal leader Ralph Steinhauer, first aboriginal person to serve as Lieutenant-Governor, was born in Morley, Alberta in 1905.
- Carl Laemmle incorporated Universal Pictures in 1912.
- Walt Disney graduated from Benton High School in 1917.
- Writer Louise Maheux-Forcier, who wrote one of Québec's first poetic novels, was born in Montréal in 1929.
- 1st parking meters were invented in 1936.
- Bing Cosby recorded "Silent Night" in 1942.
- The American Heart Association became the 1st agency to campaign against cigarettes in 1963.
- The Rolling Stones released "Jumpin' Jack Flash" in 1968. The following year, Mick Taylor replaced Brian Jones as guitarist.
- "Trading Places," "Ghostbusters," and "Gremlins," premiered in 1983.
- Homosexuality was declared "legal" in the state of New South Wales, Australia in 1984.
- Mass murderer Joe Rifkind received a sentence of 27 years in 1994.
Stay tuned for our next, "On This Day in History"!
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