On Earth Day we cannot miss the opportunity to point out that our planet is mostly ocean. But can you blame us? With almost three quarters of Earth covered in salt water, Earth Day is the perfect time to talk about how protecting our ocean means protecting our whole planet, too.

We at Ocean Conservancy enjoy any opportunity to appreciate the power and beauty of the ocean—and to unite around action to protect it. The ocean belongs to all of us. And for almost 50 years, you’ve been part of our mission to create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it.

In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to share some of the initiatives we are working on—including how you can help.

Here are four ways you can speak up for our ocean this Earth Day:

1. Take climate action now. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report shows there’s no time to wait to act on climate. We’re already seeing the impacts of climate change on our communities with unprecedented and extreme weather around the country. We know we need to make drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade to stay below warming temperatures of 1.5°C and avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Fortunately, climate change can be tackled from many angles and the ocean offers us solutions. Urge our leaders to act on climate before it’s too late for our ocean and our planet >>
2. Tell Congress to fully fund NOAA. America relies on the team at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to do essential work ranging from the bottom of the ocean all the way up to the reaches of space. Among other things, NOAA is responsible for exploring and protecting the depths of our ocean, managing America’s fisheries and protecting endangered marine mammals and other ocean wildlife. As Congress considers funding for the upcoming budget cycle, we need to ensure that NOAA stays fully funded—especially as climate change continues to wreak havoc on our ocean and coastal communities. Take action today—tell Congress to fully fund NOAA >>
3. Keep plastics out of our national parks. It isn’t hard to understand why we must protect our majestic national parks—plus, the last thing we want to see while exploring these breathtaking sites is plastic pollution that can harm the incredible wildlife we came there to see. We have an opportunity to eliminate a major source of plastic pollution from our national parks: plastic bottles. With an average of 330 million visitors each year, national parks can impact both the incredible places they protect and our ocean by reducing single-use plastics. Take action to keep our national wonders free from plastics >>
4. Support our work with a donation to Ocean Conservancy and get it matched. I know this is easy for me to say, but I can’t emphasize enough how much your support helps us achieve big goals for our ocean. Your donation furthers critical conservation initiatives that address our ocean’s biggest threats, such as climate change, plastic pollution, and habitat and biodiversity loss. On Earth Day, it’s easier than ever to have a big impact for our ocean: We’re thrilled to share that in honor of Earth Day, Ocean Conservancy’s Board of Directors and generous donors will double gifts, up to a total of $100K. Help support our work throughout the world with a donation today >>

On Earth Day, and every day, I am grateful to work along such dedicated colleagues, partners, and ocean supporters. Thank you for taking action for our ocean this Earth Day.