How To Help The Ocean In A Land-Locked State?

Hi Friend! Today we are talking about how those of us who live in a land-locked state can still make a difference for the ocean and the environment.

Many times when you live in a land-locked state other parts of the country seem far off and don’t pertain to us. When we hear of hurricanes happening in other parts of the country or the world we are usually sad at the destruction but then we move on to our next tasks. Out of sight out of mind. What we may not realize is that what happens somewhere else may very well affect us in a different way. We may not be aware that similarly, our actions here have an effect in other areas. The good thing is there is a way we can make a difference to help our ocean as well as communities in other parts of the world.

Water Usage

The first I want to mention is water usage. We use water for everything for drinking, cleaning, our yards, cooking food, etc. The list could go on and on. If you live in a privileged country where you don’t have to worry about where that water came from our waste may be higher. I have family that lives in Central America and water scarcity there is real and serious. There are times when they may not have running water for weeks at a time and have to scramble to find it somewhere else. This breaks my heart and makes me realize that in the US at least, we consume so much water and many times waste it when it could be used for other places where people really need it. So simple ways we can help is to be aware of how much water you are using. Try to reduce water usage by turning off the water while you are washing dishes. Make sure to fix any leaks. According to the EPA, the average American family can waste up to 9,400 gallons of water annually on household leaks alone! In the summer when you want to water your yard make sure to water at night where it won’t evaporate.

Agriculture

The next tip I have will pertain to those who own farms or work with agriculture. It is important to be aware of what ingredients are in your agricultural care. Many times there may be harmful ingredients or chemicals in the care we use to tend to land and this could harm the ocean and communities. When these ingredients/chemicals are used and it rains that can seep into possible drinking water contaminating it and affecting potable water for communities. This can also go down sewage pipes and runoff into bodies of water like rivers that ultimately flow into the ocean. Once in the ocean could harm ecosystems and kill marine life, limiting food for those who need it. Switching to alternatives could help with this.

Cattle Burps

The last tip includes cattle. We know that an increase in greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, and methane, are warming our planet including our oceans. Reducing these greenhouses gases is important. Well did you know what cows burp methane? I know kind of crazy right? You may be thinking so a couple of cow burps what’s that going to do? When you take a second to consider that there are 93.8 million cattle in the US according to Statista, that is a lot of burps. Is there anything we can do about this? Well, one company is doing just that! They are called Symborisa. They are using red seaweed in cattle feed that helps reduce those methane burps that they produce. It seems to be healthy for the cattle and the planet! If you know of someone who has cattle please share this with them!

Well, I hope this was an enlightening blog I hope you’ll consider sharing it with a friend!