On World Ocean Day, people around our blue planet celebrate and honor the ocean, which connects us all. Get together with your family, friends, colleagues, community, and — together with millions of others around our blue planet – we will create a better future.
This year’s action focus centers on the global campaign to protect 30% of our blue planet by the year 2030 (30×30). A healthy ocean is a critical part of the solution to the climate crisis.
No matter where you are located or what business you’re in, by supporting 30×30, we can protect our planet’s life support systems– specifically the interconnected issues of ocean, climate, and biodiversity.
As a diver, you’re in a unique position. More than anyone else, you experience the beauty of the world underwater as well as above ground. For World Ocean Day we encourage you to share your perspective as a diver who is invested in a healthy ocean – with other divers and your land-based community! Whether your dive location is a local bay, a shipwreck, coral reef, or some other interesting under-the-sea location, get your local dive shop, club, or organization together for an underwater expedition! For extensive guidance on planning an event, activity, or celebration (virtual or in person) check out the 2021 Event Planning Toolkit. For quick inspiration, see the ideas below.
Sign the petition to support 30×30:
- Sign as an individual or for your dive shop/organization here
- Share the link with your community to get individual signatures as well!
Share the wonder of the ocean through virtual diving:
Let your dive experiences captivate the world and inspire a new generation of divers to explore and care for our ocean.
- Host a photo exhibition or contest
- Consider placing an emphasis on photos showing the beautiful biodiversity within a marine protected area or people taking action for the ocean
- Host a live event or share footage of previous dive sessions on social media or online
Organize a cleanup event – onshore or underwater:
Some of the most popular World Ocean Day diving events include cleanups of reefs, beaches, and harbors. These events can be individually organized or with larger diving organizations and invite the greater community. Take your cleanup to the next level and incorporate outreach about marine protected areas and 30×30.
- Collect underwater trash and debris such as fishing nets and plastic waste
- Remove invasive species
- Participate in a coral restoration program
- Bike, carpool or use public transportation to your event to prevent fossil fuel pollution that is threatening coral reefs and our ocean
Educate and engage the community and youth:
Encourage children and adults of all ages to get involved in your celebration even if they aren’t divers! Humans connect emotionally with animals and places when they see them up close. Consider catering part of your event to inspire young divers as well. Provide youth with exposure to the coast and ocean and how to care for it.
- Offer snorkeling tours
- Teach safe diving procedures
- Host an ocean-related film screening to raise awareness
- Connect with a local dive shop to organize community outreach around World Ocean Day
Collect local conservation data with a reef survey:
Connect with local organizations that help protect the ocean, and if there is anything you can do to help them. Partnering with a local organization for a big World Ocean Day survey could make a huge difference for the future of your favorite diving spot.
Here are bonus tips you can implement while diving and in your personal life to contribute to a healthier ocean:
- Leave nature the same or better!
- Keep sites beautiful and healthy for future divers
- Observe and enjoy without touching wild animals or plants
- Improve your buoyancy
- Protect coral reefs
- Reduce fossil fuel energy use to protect the ocean, a healthy climate and a healthy ocean are closely connected!
Recognizing that every community has been facing the pandemic, we recommend following local health and safety guidelines when planning your event, activity, or celebration. Once you’ve finished planning don’t forget to join the hundreds of other organizations around the world and register it on the global event map! Share your celebration with the world and tag @WorldOceanDay so we can repost and amplify your message!
