Coral reefs, like this on in the Red Sea, are just one part of oceans that are being threatened.

Oceans cover 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and contain 97 percent of its water. They are vital to our existence and yet they are being severely threatened by a variety of factors: from warming due to climate change, to pollution, to overfishing. Thankfully there are organizations working to conserve, protect and restore our planet’s oceans.

The Ocean Conservancy is one such organization. Operating under the slogan, “Start a Sea Change,” they “believe it’s time to look beneath the surface to see where the health of our planet really begins. It’s time to recognize the source that sustains us day today with the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe…to discover that all living things are connected to the ocean.” There are a variety of topics related to our oceans: including climate change, beaches, sustainable fishing, etc. on the site.

Check out this short video to learn more about the Ocean Conservancy:

Another international organization is Oceana, which has campaigns on a wide variety of ocean-related topics, from climate and energy to promoting sustainable fishing.  They have a Living Blue section with useful posts like “10 Things You Can Do to Save the Oceans,” a Sustainable Seafood Guide and even Sustainable Seafood Recipes.  There is a list of Green Heroes and other helpful information.

Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau, the grandchildren of the famous ocean explorer and conservationist Jacques-Eve Cousteau, has an organization called Earth Echo International, whose primary mission is “empower youth to take action that restores and protects our water planet.” They go on to explain, “It is the next 50 years in which we can embrace the new promise of a just, healthy, ad abundant water planet. In order to achieve this, a whole new generation must take action to protect and restore our water planet.” http://www.earthecho.org/ Interested in joining in their programs and challenges? How about the Water Planet Challenge, Students Reporting Environmental Action through Media, or Protect Wild Dolphins? For information on all of these, click here.

The Ocean Conservancy says, “It’s time to understand that going green starts with living blue,” meaning environmentalism is integrally tied to the protection of our oceans and waterways. Do you agree? And do you participate in any water conservation programs in your area?