welcome

We [humans] cannot be healthy, without healthy oceans." Says the movie Oceans by Disney. Who Are We? will tell you how to help stop the pollution of oceans. From tips to stories by fellow Neopians, you'll be able to find a easy way to help.

updates

April 1, 2011 Happy Aprils Fools Day! If you haven't noticed, there is a new picture below the updates. Yesterday, over Spring Break, we went snorkeling. In was in some Coral Reefs and I decided to upload some pictures of animals that I saw here so y'all can see what we need to protect. If you haven't, please read yesterdays update at Mignon Ink.

January 16, 2011 First of all, Go Packers!!! (: New banner and I have added more ways you can help save the Coral Reefs. Project Coral will be starting soon!

January 8, 2011 One submitted fact.

December 26, 2010 One gift button. ♥

December 17, 2010 Much, much more facts today! It's now winter break so I'll be working on both sites.

December 16, 2010 I've added a bunch more today. A new banner and many new tips on how to help stop pollution. Opened! You may list me. I do not accept affiliates and I will not link back to listers, sorry.
+ Listed at Soroptimist
+ Listed at Elle's Help Guide

December 15, 2010 I've started to really edit the site. It took me awhile to get the top banner how I like it.

Did you Know?

40% of America's rivers are too polluted for fishing, swimming, or aquatic life.

46% of America's lakes are too polluted for fishing, swimming, or aquatic life.

About 25% of beaches in the US are under advisories or are closed at least one time because of water pollution.

50-80% of all life on earth is found under the ocean surface.

The oceans contain 99% of the living space on the planet. Less than 10% of that space has been explored by humans. 85% of the area and 90% of the volume constitute the dark, cold environment we call the deep sea.

The average depth of the ocean is 3,795 m. The average height of the land is 840 m.

The top ten feet of the ocean hold as much heat as the entire atmosphere.

Challenger Deep, the lowest point on Earth, is 11,034 m deep. If you could take Mt. Everest and place it at the bottom of the trench there would still be over a mile of ocean above it.

The Dead Sea is the Earth's lowest land point with an elevation of 396 m below sea level.

The Pacific Ocean occupies a third of the Earth's surface.

Antarctica has as much ice as the Atlantic Ocean has water.

Every year, three times the amount of garbage dumped into the ocean is the total weight of fish caught.

Soap from washing your car at home pollutes. Soap and dirt from washing your car can flow through our storm drains and ditches and end up in our streams untreated.

Pet waste pollutes water.

3 % of the earth's water can be used as drinking water.

It takes about 1 gallon of water to process a quarter pound of hamburger.

It takes 2,072 gallons of water to make four new tires.

A person can only live without water for approximately one week.

ocean animals facts

Penguins "fly" underwater at up to 25 miles per hour.

A group of jelly fish is called a smack.

Killer Whales (Orcas') are considered a member of the Dolphin family because of it's teeth. Therefore it's the largest dolphin.

Orca is the real name for killer whales.

Dolphins, whales, and porpoises swallow food whole.

Female dolphin, whale or porpoise are called cows. Males are called bulls. Babies are called calfs. A group of dolphins are called a pod.

A dolphins' head is called a melon.

A blue whales' tongue weighs as much as an elephant.

Dolphins used to be land mammals.

The squeaks and whistles a dolphin makes comes out of their blowholes.

Manatees are vegetarian, marine mammals and are distant relatives of elephants.

Feeding wild marine animals can harm them and it's against the law.

It's illegal to give water to manatees out of a hose.

Humpback whales were killed extensively (large amounts at once) from the late 1800's through the first part of the 20th century.

coral reef facts

They're dying at an alarming rate worldwide.

An estimated two-thirds of all coral reefs are at risk today.

25% of coral reefs have disappeared.

The Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, North-East Australia is the largest Coral Reef in the world. It's almost 350,000 square kilometers and made of 3,000 smaller reefs.

They're the largest living structure on Earth.

Most coral reefs are located in the Pacific ocean.

Coral reefs protect the shorelines.

If there was no such thing as a Coral Reef, Florida (maybe parts) would be under water.

Coral reefs are also used for treating cancer.

They are home to 25% of all marine fish species.

If the rate of destruction continues, 70% of all coral reefs will be destroyed by 2050.

Coral Reefs protect the land from Tropical Storms.

Submitted Facts:

Chewy
Certain types of dolphins create bubbles when hinting to gather fish in one area so its easier to capture them.

pollution starts at home

Learn about the Ocean
Learning about the ocean is the number one thing that you can do to help prevent ocean pollution. Learn about the threats that harm the animals and environment.

Stop Eating Seafood
About 10% of of the big fish that once lived in the ocean remain today. We have eaten too many and to fast. If you want to eat seafood, don't eat the unsustainably-caught fish (the fish that doesn't have time to keep it's population balanced).

Flushing Money
In your home, install water-saving toilets. Not only do you save money, you save water! Hence the name.

Save Rain
If you can, save the rain water and later use it to water your plants.

Maintain Your Vehicle
You can see the chemicals [motor oil, transmission fluid, and antifreeze] leaking from cars almost anywhere. These are washed directly to a water source. Have your vehicle regularly serviced and immediately repair any leaks you notice if possible.

Down the Drain
Don't throw paints, oils or other litter down the drain (sink, toilet, etc.).

Wash Your Car On the Lawn
Most detergents and other car washing ingredients contain chemicals that when washed into the street and enters the storm drain system, can harm sea life once it reaches the ocean. The water runs over streets and washes pollutants into the storm drains. Use environmentally-friendly soap or take your car to a commercial car wash that recycles its water.

Catch and Release
If you like to fish, do not catch fish and take them home. Catch them, and then release them back into the wild.

Quick Rinse
Take a quick shower. Limit your time to about 3 minutes. (Tip: Shampoo & Conditioner 2 in 1 could lower time.)

Clean Up
No matter where it is, garbage often finds a way to the ocean.If you see a piece of trash, pick it up if most of it is clean. You can also organize clean up's through your community or school.

Pet Waste
Pet waste contains harmful bacteria and other pollutants. It doesn't really go away. The rain washes it away to a water source, and it just sits there. You could be swimming in pet waste...

Protect Coral Reefs

Leave No Trace
While diving or snorkeling, don't touch the reefs with fins, equipment, and hands. A single touch can kill live corals.

Control Plastic
If possible, don't use plastic grocery bags. If you have any plastic rings from drink cans, cut the rings so they do not get caught on animals.

Watch the Anchor
Watch where you drop the boats' anchor. If the anchor falls on a coral reef, It'll be crushed and die.

Use Less Paper
When trees are cut down to make paper, the dirt, fertilizers, and sewage is carried to the ocean. They will cover the Coral Reefs, killing them.

Project Coral

What is Project Coral?
Project Coral is a week long activity where Coral Reef awareness is promoted. This is not anything you have to join. There will be something new every day (e.g. Crossword, graphic, or mystery picture). This event takes place from January 16 - January 22.

January 16, 2011

ACROSS
2. What can Coral Reefs help treat?
5. If you use less of this, that will protect Coral Reefs?
7. What will crush Coral Reefs?
8. What should you not leave while snorkeling or diving?
9. What do Coral reefs protect?
10. If there were no Coral Reefs, what state would be under water?
11. What is harmful to the marine life in and the Coral Reefs?

DOWN
1. Over 25% of Coral Reefs have what?
3. Where is the biggest Coral Reef located?
4. What is the biggest Coral Reef?
5. In what ocean are the most Coral Reefs located?
6. What do Coral Reefs protect the land from?

Credits

site credits

Layout template by Apartment Nine. Background by Foomanshu. Bullets by Pirouette. Inspiration from Disney's Oceans. Some coding/ideas from Save the Earth, full rights to Rebecca for this. Images found on Google. Full rights to their rightful owners. Button tutorial (for 2nd button) by DAR. Pixel userlookup and mail me resources from El Pix. Like/dislike images from Soroptimist. Textures by swimchick.

Information Credits

grinningplanet, marinebio, cityofbremerton, njawwa, lacitysan, marinebio, greenpeace, wikihow, seawifs, whale-images, marinemammalconservancy, whalecenter, pcrf, aboutcoralreefs, buzzle, nature, coralreefinstitute, ehow, ezinearticles, stanford, suite101 (Full credits to all creators)