Reducing our footprint to celebrate the oceans

June is a month of celebrations, not just for popular festivals, but also for our planet. On June 5, we celebrated World Environment Day and, three days later, World Oceans Day, recognized by the United Nations since 2008.

They cover 70% of the Earth's surface and, contrary to what we often think, they provide us with as much or more oxygen than forests. A source of food, oxygen, energy and habitat for so many species, many of them still unknown, the oceans are crucial to life on earth. However, they are increasingly threatened, both by the loss of biodiversity and habitats, such as coral reefs, which have been disappearing at a rapid rate, and by pollution. We already know the main villain: the growing population and the consequent overexploitation of resources have been destroying our seas.

Marine litter is also one of the main threats to these ecosystems, but it doesn't come from the sea, it comes from land and from our homes. Even after so many warnings and awareness campaigns, there is still a lot to be done, and the most collected waste is cigarette butts, fishing gear and packaging. Many sanitary items also continue to be disposed of in the wrong place, such as cotton buds which, often mistaken for lollipop sticks, are sometimes found in their hundreds on some of our beaches.

Even with a lot of effort, it's not always easy to collect this waste from the beach. Over time, fragments of plastic are degraded by the sun and other erosive agents, becoming microplastics, pieces smaller than 5 mm. These are much more difficult to collect, as they blend in with the sand and enter food chains, and can even reach us again through the fish we eat. It's estimated that a cigarette butt, depending on the environment, takes 18 months to 10 years to degrade, while a plastic bottle can take up to 500 years. Many years after we are no longer here, our waste will remain on the planet and this is not the mark we believe we want to leave.

The Mares Circulares project, a partnership between LPN and Coca-Cola, has been fighting for a cleaner ocean and a more sustainable economy since 2018. It therefore raises awareness of the problem of marine litter, investing in the promotion of ocean literacy and active citizenship.

Mares Circulares is committed to involving and empowering different groups and entities, such as the school community, companies, local associations, NGOs and local authorities. Through active participation in awareness-raising, monitoring and beach clean-up actions throughout the country, these various agents become more aware of these issues, amplifying the message to the rest of society.

In addition to this awareness-raising component, the project has a scientific character, with all the waste collected being counted for later analysis of the evolution and impact of these clean-ups, as well as biannual monitoring of marine litter on 11 national beaches. Active participation also involves holding two annual competitions, aimed at the school community and the scientific and business community, to discover innovative solutions that promote the circular economy and the reduction of this waste.

World Oceans Day is therefore a date that LPN and Mares Circulares could not fail to mark. It reminds us that the oceans are our home and without them life on Earth would not be possible. It's always worth remembering that small actions count too. Becoming conscious consumers is a sure step towards reducing our footprint: both in the type of products we choose (no microplastics, reusable or in smaller quantities) and in the way we dispose of them (don't flush them down the toilet or recycle them). Step by step, we will make the oceans cleaner and society more responsible and sustainable.