Restoring the Oceans

8^th JUNE is the world Oceans Day.

Oceans cover about 70% of the earth.  It helps in sustain life and maintaining climate.

Hindu pantheon refers to the god of oceans as Varuna he is associated with justice and truth. Varuna belongs of the oldest literature of Hinduism the Rigveda (hymn 7.86) The Tamil literature has Kadalon, while Greeks and Romans have Poseidon and Uranus.

There are minor differences between oceans and seas.

Oceans	Seas
Large bodies of water that constitute major part of the hydrosphere.	A division of the ocean or large body of salt water partially enclosed by land.
There are 5 oceans	There are numerous seas in the world
Oceans are very deep	Not as deep as the oceans.
Oceans effect climates	Seas have no bearing on the climate.

The proactive ways in which we can restore the ocean. Since the theme of 2022 Restoring the Ocean.

• Looking for plastic free alternatives. Roughly 17.6 billion pounds of plastics leaks into the marine environment from the land every year.
• We need to reduce our carbon footprint. The increase in carbon dioxide turns the ocean acidic resulting in loss of coral reefs, we can reduce the carbon usage by
  • Riding a bike or using public transport instead of driving.
  • Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
  • Use a sweater in winter instead of turning up the thermostat.
• Avoid ocean harming products like cosmetics contain shark squalene, single souvenir shells of conchs, nautiluses and animals, coral and sea turtle jewellery.
• Single use products like cans and straws that end up in the sea.

We need to elect our representatives with care those who can support sustainable and eco-friendly ocean policies. This is our responsibility. It is also our responsibility to see that the elected individuals carry their promise through.

Exploring the oceans, not soaking your feet on the waves, or partying on the beach, but look at the sea animals in their habitat.

With increased sea tourism, the trash that is left behind or blown away is also greater. Maintaining beach hygiene and the animals on the sand is equally important. Conversation of coastline into marina’s result in loss of mangroves and nesting habitat of many birds and amphibians.

The biggest threat to the ocean is from the oil spills, they are catastrophic to marine life.  The oil drilling, and noises of the commercial ships make it hard for the marine life to feed, reproduce and interact. Their symbiotic Eco balance gets disturbed.

For individuals who love the ocean there are ample career options that can be explored.

• Physical Oceanographer– studies the correlation between various physical attributes of an ocean such as temperature, density, transmission of light, sound and studies the effect of environment on these and the vice versa. The physical oceanographer is also involved with the interaction of ocean water and coast at the boundary.
• Geological oceanographer studies the floor of the ocean, formation of rocks, geological structures like mountains, valleys. The geological oceanographer plots maps so that further study is possible, geologic study of the ocean reveals the way the earth’s crust behaves, the movement of the tectonic plates, and formation of seismic waves
• Biological oceanography is about studying different marine life, their anatomy, including their DNA and RNA study. This gives an insight on the evolution, habitation and their aspects of marine life, as well as interspecies social interaction the physical and environmental factors that affect marine life.
• Chemical oceanography’s the study of chemical components of the ocean. The presence of minerals, pollutants are studied. Various ways of desalination of water, harnessing the chemical components of the ocean for development of human life, without damaging the marine ecosystem is also studied.

Ocean engineering, marine archaeology, fisheries scientists are the better-known ocean-based careers.

think of this the ocean has donated 30% of itself to the terrestrial beings. There really is nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shore line no matter now may times it is sent away.