Businesses Have a Role to Play to Support Ocean’s Health
By Sylvie Guillon - 3 min read
The ocean covers over 70% of the Earth's surface and plays a crucial role in regulating our climate by absorbing our CO2 emission. Celebrating World Ocean Day on June 8th is the perfect time to highlight the importance of protecting our oceans in the fight against climate change.
This post explores the negative impacts that business activities can have on the oceans and outlines steps to safeguard these vital resources.
Negative impact of businesses on oceans
Many businesses operate in industries that produce waste and pollutants that can easily find their way into our oceans through runoff, improper disposal, and other means. Whether it is chemicals from cleaning products, oils and grease from machinery, or plastic waste from packaging, the actions of businesses can have a detrimental impact on the health of our oceans.
Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and loss of biodiversity are just a few of the many consequences of our oceans facing unprecedented levels of pollution and the degradation of the marine ecosystem.
Ocean acidification: Oceans absorb 30% of our CO2 emission. As the level of CO2 in the atmosphere is rising and deforestation is increasing, the ocean’s absorption of carbon dioxide is also growing. This leads to ocean acidification, which is threatening marine life and ecosystems like oysters and corals that make hard shells and skeletons.
Ocean eutrophication: Industrial processes often produce wastewater containing harmful chemicals, heavy metals, and nutrients that can enter the ocean. This can lead to eutrophication, where nutrient overloads cause excessive algae growth, depleting oxygen in the water and creating dead zones where marine life cannot survive. Some algae can be harmful for humans as well.
Plastic pollution: Businesses contribute to plastic pollution through the production and improper disposal of plastic products and packaging. Only 9% of plastic is being recycled on average. The rest ends up in landfills and in the ocean. 8M metric tons of plastic goes into the ocean every year. Plastics break down into microplastics, which are ingested by marine animals, entering the food chain and causing harm to wildlife and potentially human health.
So how can businesses react and reduce these negative impacts
Reduce their Green House Gas (GHG) emissions
Businesses can implement energy-efficient practices and commit to using renewable energy sources in order to significantly reduce their impact. This is also often a great way to reduce the cost of their operations. As ESG reporting regulations are being developed, many companies are starting to look into their data and collaborate with their suppliers to reach net zero target together.
Use less plastic and develop a reuse and recycle process
Adopting sustainable packaging systematically to offer different alternatives to customers is a really great place to start. And for the plastic that can’t be replaced for now, ensuring that a recycling and take-back process is defined in detail, made easy for customers and clearly communicated to them.
Manage wastewater responsibly
Water recycling and sustainable wastewater management solutions can be implemented in production facilities. Some of the water can then be reused at the same facility. For the rest, the water is cleaned before hitting local waterways and the ocean. Implementing Internet of Things (IoT) sensors can help monitor the process by tracking the pressure, temperature and chemical levels.
Support and invest in ocean conservation initiatives
By partnering with organizations dedicated to protecting our oceans, businesses can help fund research, clean-up efforts, and conservation projects that aim to preserve our marine ecosystems for future generations.
Some companies are actively working to clean up and protect our oceans from pollution. Two notable examples include The Ocean Cleanup and The Great Bubble Barrier, both of which have developed innovative technologies to address the issue of ocean pollution by harnessing the power of technology and innovation. The Ocean Cleanup aims to clean up significant amounts of plastic pollution from our oceans, thereby mitigating the harmful impact on marine life and ecosystems. The Great Bubble Barrier, on the other hand, is a social enterprise that has developed a unique bubble curtain technology to prevent plastic waste from flowing downstream in rivers and entering the ocean.
On this World Ocean Day, let us all take a moment to reflect on the impact of our actions on the health of our oceans. Businesses have the power to make a big difference in protecting our seas and marine life. By taking steps to reduce water pollution and support ocean conservation efforts, we can all contribute to a cleaner and healthier planet for generations to come.
Climate action - World ocean day - plastic pollution - waste water management