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Save our ocean, protect our future!

It would have been the second UN Ocean Conference taking place in Lisbon this month; coming at a critical time as the world is strengthening its efforts to mobilise, create and drive solutions to realise the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. With World Environment Day on 5th June and World Oceans Day on 8th June, there is no better month for people around the world to unite and support the environment, oceans and the significance of the world’s nature.

Healthy oceans ensure a healthy planet and healthy people. Keeping our environment and oceans clean is critical. According to Earth day, they estimate that 40% of waste will end up in uncontrolled dump sites, causing excessive waste to overflow directly into oceans. At this rate, by 2025, dumpsites and landfills will contribute to 8-10% of global greenhouse emissions and 2050, there will be more marine plastic than fish in the sea.

What can we do? Shopping locally, consuming seasonal produce, and cutting out pre-packaged foods and single-use plastics from our lives are all vital to reducing our environmental footprint.

Here are some other tips that The Salty Vida supports to help preserve the planet.

Take part in a beach clean up

A beach cleanup is a great step toward helping marine life. Normally held in the cooler months, it is a volunteer activity for individuals to get together to help make our beaches a cleaner and safer place for everyone. Regular cleanups are often held by surfing schools and groups, such as the Aldeia da Praia and João Macedo SurfAcadamia at Praia Grande, Sintra. Taking part in beach clean up is a wonderful way to meet new people if you have just arrived to the area and helps improve the coastal and ocean.

Cut down on plastic

The mass production of plastic has increased so quickly that it has created 8.3 billion metric tons and 91% of that is not recycled, mostly ending up in oceans and landfills. Plastic can take up to 1000 years to degrade, creating a huge problem for the planet. The world recycles less than 9% of plastic it creates - every single piece of plastic or silicone ever made still exists on the planet today.

The world recycles less than 9% of plastic it creates - every single piece of plastic or silicone ever made still exists on the planet today.

We can make a few simple lifestyle changes to help reduce plastic:

Stop using plastic straws. If a straw is a must, purchase a reusable stainless steel or bamboo straw.

Always use a reusable bag when you go shopping; cloth totes, market totes or the chic wicker baskets made famous by Jane Birkin (made in Portugal!) are great alternatives. Just member that a single plastic bag can take 1,000 years to degrade.

Store food in reusable containers, glass Tupperware or cloth bags and always choose fresh fruits and veggies. Opting to buy bulk goods is a great way to cut back on unwanted cardboard, tin and plastic packages.

Carry a reusable bottle for your drinks on the go.

Switch to a bamboo toothbrush. Not only does a bamboo toothbrush eliminate unnecessary waste but it also ensures the same quality of cleaning that a plastic brush offers.

Conserve water

With a fast-growing population and only 0.5% of the earth’s water suitable for drinking, it is fundamental to conserve and preserve water as much as possible. Preserving water might not seem an obvious choice in a country such as Portugal where water does not appear to be in short supply but by making some simple changes and using less water you are reducing energy by not cleaning waste water (or ‘grey water’ as it’s called) unnecessarily.

There are simple steps that can be taken in the home and garden to preserve water (and save money!)

In the home: Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth (this alone can save 6 litres of water per minute), take a shorter shower (showers can use anything between 6 and 45 litres of water per minute), installing water-saving shower heads, fix dripping taps and use full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher.

In the garden: water with a watering can rather than a hose, mulching your plants with bark chippings, heavy compost or straw and watering in the early morning and late afternoon will reduce evaporation and also save water.

Give composting a try

There are heaps of reasons to compost; it saves resources, improves soil, saves money and is excellent for the environment making natural fertilisers and free of nasty chemicals. Composting at home is a great source of recycling too, keeping as much as 30% of waste from going into the rubbish bin. This has a knock-on effect for reducing the consumption of plastic bin bags.

Adopting some simple lifestyle changes in our daily routines we are helping to create a sustainable and safer planet for future generations and a brighter future for all.