The oceans of our planet are quite stunning. Did you know that, according to the USGS,
- The oceans cover 71% of the planet?
- The ocean regulates the climate of the earth?
- The ocean floor is moving?
These are just a few reasons to celebrate the oceans of the earth with World Ocean Day.
World Ocean Day
World Ocean Day is dedicated to celebrating the oceans of the world that we all share. Celebrated annually on the 8th of June, this one day is set as a foundation to inspire action throughout the entire year. The idea for this celebration was first proposed in 1992. Now over thirty years later, it has grown into a movement involving thousands of organizations and businesses across 140 countries.
This year, World Ocean Day will promote the 2023 Conservation Action Focus. This initiative aims to protect at least 30% of the blue planet by 2030. This “Protect 30×30” conservation is critical to creating a healthy ocean with abundant wildlife that can stabilize the climate.
Do you want to make a difference? Check out the events page on the website for World Ocean Day. You can look for events, post events, sign petitions and more. If you are hosting an event, the take action page can help you with resources such as posters and social media images.
Do you have pre-university students you want to inspire? Consider sharing the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council with them. This council helps develop World Ocean Day as a unique opportunity to raise the profile of our shared ocean. They connect and unite youth and others around our blue planet and focus collective action on creating a healthy ocean and a stable climate in June and throughout the year. They currently have members as young as 16 years old.
How Engineers Can Help Our Oceans
Ocean Engineers bring a variety of backgrounds together and connect them all to the ocean. Some might study autonomous underwater vehicles that produce sound signals. Others might invent devices that track and protect endangered fish.
Why is engineering critical for our planet? In this TryEngineering Volunteer Spotlight, Engineering Hari Vishnu explains that there is still so much unknown about the ocean worldwide for humanity to explore. He feels strongly that helping students understand just how connected our daily lives are to the oceans can help them understand the impact a career in ocean engineering can have.
Would you like to inspire students to consider this discipline? This TryEngineering student guide is packed with resources on Ocean Engineering including webinars, articles, activities and more. Also, Telescoping Periscope is a TryEngineering Lesson Plan that can help students better understand what devices are needed and used in ocean engineering. Additionally, this TryEngineering Career Pathway on Oceanic Engineering can give students a glimpse into what working in this discipline might be like.