Get ready to celebrate all there is to love about the oceans; get motivated to help protect and restore the marine environment; June 8th is World Oceans Day!

Since June 8, 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, many nations have celebrated World Oceans Day.  Thanks to concerned citizens, such as the young ladies nominated by Oceana as "Ocean Heroes", 2009 is the first year this celebration is to be officially recognized by the United Nations.  On December 5, 2008, the United Nations resolved that from 2009 on, June 8 would officially be designated World Oceans Day.  

The inaugural observance of World Oceans Day by the United Nations in 2009 is highlighting the theme "Our Oceans, Our Responsibility":

"The oceans are essential to food security and the health and survival of all life, power our climate and are a critical part of the biosphere. The official designation of World Oceans Day is an opportunity to raise global awareness of the current challenges faced by the international community in connection with the oceans."

A global day to recognize the importance of our ocean has great potential to mobilize citizens around the world to take action to address the many problems our oceans face.  For example,  since the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, this celebration of our planet has become perhaps the most world's most widely observed secular holiday.  Many people now honor "Earth Day Every Day", meaning that thoughtful practices that protect our natural resources are not reserved for a special occasion, but are integrated into all of our day-to-day activities. 

With energy and action from concerned citizens around the world, World Oceans Day will help to spread good practices that protect the ocean.  Here are some tips to help you make Oceans Day Every Day.  This year, the UN and other organizations are highlighting problems that plague our oceans such as marine litter and ocean acidification.  Many organizations are helping to organize good work, such as the annual International Coastal Cleanup, that can help to address these problems and raise awareness about the need for long-term efforts to protect our oceans.

The Ocean Project has developed a list of events around the Globe to celebrate World Oceans Day.

If you live in the San Francisco/Bay Area, you can join NRDC and many other ocean activists for a whole week of events to celebrate World Oceans Day.

 

Saturday June 6th, 6-9pm

Ocean Celebration & Fundraiser

Periscope Cellars
1410 62nd Street
Emeryville CA  94608
www.coare.org/events/wod

 

Sunday June 7, 10am-12pm

World Oceans Day Beach Cleanup

Judah Street Entrance to Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA

RSVP: http://tinyurl.com/WODoceanbeach

 

Monday June 8, 5:30-10:00 pm

World Oceans Day FREE, no-host Party at Triple Crown

1760 Market Street, San Francisco

(See image below).

 

Monday June 8, 6:30p-9pm

World Oceans Day Film Festival

Montara Lighthouse, Montara, CA

RSVP: http://tinyurl.com/WODmontara

 

Wednesday June 10, 6pm doors open, 7pm Films

World Oceans Day Film Festival

Victoria Theatre, 16th St. & Mission St., San Francisco, CA

RSVP: http://tinyurl.com/oceansdayfilm

Buy tickets: http://www.victoriatheatre.org

 

June 4-11, The California Academy of Sciences is hosting a whole week of activities to celebrate World Oceans Day.  On the evening of Thursday June 11, from 6-10pm, as part of the Academy's Nightlife event series, NRDC will host an interactive booth to provide education about marine protected areas.  These events usually sell out, so get your tickets early!

NRDC's Ocean page offers more information about our Oceans and World Oceans Day.