Monthly Actions for 2023 to Protect the Ocean You Love

December 29, 2022

The new year is approaching and you are probably starting to think about your new year’s resolutions. But instead of one resolution for the year, how about a small resolution for each month of 2023? We have put together a calendar of monthly actions for 2023 for you to follow and help protect the ocean. These are all small challenges or changes that you can try which will make a huge difference to the planet. Why not encourage your friends and family to follow these actions too, and work together to keep them up for the whole year?

Happy new year! Shall we get started?

JANUARY - Get inspired

We think an easy way to kick off the year in a more sustainable way is to get in the right mindset. A good way to do this is to inspire yourself with knowledge and ocean content. There are many podcasts, movies, documentaries, and blogs that you can watch, read, and listen to to inspire the right attitude for helping the ocean throughout 2023. So get cozy and snuggle up and soak in that inspiration.

Check out our 9 Inspiring Ocean Documentaries (divessi.com) to get you started.

FEBRUARY - Become more energy efficient

International Polar Bear Day is on February 27th and we think that our lovely bear buddies would appreciate us making our homes more energy efficient. Using energy in the home pumps carbon emissions out into the world. This contributes to global warming, which is melting the ice and making life difficult for polar bears and many other animals. A few things you can do to reduce your energy consumption are:

  • Avoid having a refrigerator that is bigger than what you need
  • Turn off lights when not in the room
  • Only run dishwashers and washing machines when you have a full load
  • Install solar panels
  • Use appliances in eco mode if they have it
  • Dry clothes outside instead of in a tumble dryer
  • Switch to energy-saving light bulbs
  • Shower for less time and in cooler water
  • Only use heating or air conditioning if absolutely necessary
  • Unplug devices when not in use

MARCH - Recycle and reuse

Global Recycling Day is on March 18th, use this month to try to recycle and reuse as much as you can. Check the packaging when you buy groceries to make sure that it is recyclable. Try to reuse jars, boxes, bags, wrapping, etc to reduce the amount of new items you need to buy. Try to keep this habit up all month and continue throughout the rest of the year as much as you can.

Here are some more tips for divers: 10 Top Tips for Sustainable Diving (divessi.com)

APRIL- Clean up your local area

World Aquatic Animal day is on April 3rd and a great way to pay homage to our ocean friends is by cleaning up local areas. If you live near the coast, head to the beach with some friends and family to pick up as much trash as you can. If you do not live near a beach, you can do the same in nearby parks, forests, or any natural area that deserves to be kept beautiful. Do this as often as you can throughout the month and try to make it a habit to stick to regularly throughout the year. If you really want to make a difference, organize an event that other people in the community can join. You will meet like-minded people passionate about conservation and keeping your area clean.

MAY - Do your bit to care for ocean wildlife

World Turtle Day is 23rd May, and a turtle-y awesome way to help turtles is to do what you can to help them out, along with other marine species. Did you know that80% of trash in oceans comes from land-based sources? This is damaging to marine species and their habitat. There are a few ways to help those that live in the ocean:

  • Cut up six pack rings
  • Do not leave any trash at the beach
  • Do not leave fishing equipment at the beach or in the sea
  • Reduce single use plastics that often make their way to the ocean
  • Switch to reusable straws, cutlery, cups, bags etc
  • Never release balloons into the sky
  • Reduce the amount of fish you eat / get your fish from sustainable sources

Another way is also to use reef-friendly sunscreen. Read on to find out our Top 11 Reef-Safe Sunscreens (divessi.com).

JUNE - Spend more time in the garden

People are growing their own fruit and vegetables more and more. Growing your own food reduces fuel emissions because you will be making less trips to the supermarket, it also means you know exactly what has gone into/onto your food, aka no nasty pesticides or herbicides that often get sprayed on supermarket produce. These chemicals contribute to climate change.

JULY - Quit single-use plastic

8 million tonnes of plastic find their way to the ocean each year. This figure needs to be reduced. Quitting single-use plastics is a small thing you can do that will make a huge difference. Things like:

  • Plastic bags
  • Plastic straws
  • Plastic bottles
  • Plastic plates and cutlery

You can also reduce your plastic use by visiting refill stores for your basics such as pasta, rice, flour, soap, shampoo, laundry detergents. You simple take your own reusable jars/bottles to fill up.

Here are some more ideas: 10 Easy Ways to go Plastic Free (divessi.com)

AUGUST - Conserve water

80% of the world’s wastewater is released back into the environment, this can pollute and harm habitats. Wasted water at home is alsowater that could be used for environmental purposes such as protecting endangered species. Conserve water by:

  • Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth
  • Only running the dishwasher or washing machine when you have a full load
  • Cutting your showers short
  • Reduce the amount you water your garden plants and grass if possible

SEPTEMBER - Shop smarter

A study found that the livestock industry contributes around 60% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Cutting down on your meat consumption is a good way of helping the environment. Not all seafood is sustainable either, if you cannot cut out fish completely, try to research which fish populations are healthy and managed in order to choose the most sustainable seafood. Try to shop in bulk and plan your meals ahead of time to reduce your trips and fuel emissions to the supermarket.

OCTOBER - Cut down on household pollution

Many laundry detergents contain phosphates, which find their way to lakes and seas. These phosphates encourage algae growth which can suffocate aquatic life. Always check the label to make sure you are buying a phosphate-free powder. Ditch nasty chemicals found in cleaning products too by switching to natural options such as baking soda and vinegar.

NOVEMBER - Walk to work

Highway vehicles release about 1.4 billion tons of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere each year, this affects our oceans and those who live in it, as well as us. Carpooling, cycling, running/walking, or using public transport to get to work are all great ways to reduce greenhouse gasses.

DECEMBER - Reduce waste that cannot be recycled

As the holidays approach, consider how much waste you are creating. Things like Christmas cards, wrapping paper, and extra party food packaging soon adds up to a lot of waste. Try to reuse last year’s decorations or create new ones with recycled materials. Your challenge to take into the new year is to count all your non-recyclable items waste for the month of December, and try to halve it in January, try to halve it again for February and so on until you are creating the bare minimum amount of waste.

And for Christmas shopping, you can find some sustainable ideas here: 7 Eco-friendly Gifts for Divers (divessi.com)

We wish you a happy and sustainable New year!