Taking care with the sea

On my library table is Ann Morrow Lindberg’s exquisite book, “Gift from the Sea,” her compelling meditation on life, love, solitude and contentment. I’ve pulled it from the shelf this year as I do each holiday season, with the reverence, gratitude and love I hold for the waters which nourish my creative soul.

From seaside strolls to frolicking in her deep waters, the sea provides a space for contemplation and renewal. Sweet remembrances of my children’s sand castles, of boating adventures in search of fish, and voyages over water to foreign destinations fill my heart as well as my mind.

The sea affects us -- whether or not we live near her shores, although nearly half of Americans live in coastal-close communities. We are fed by her bounty, and her vast palette of blue cools our planet. She absorbs excess carbon and generates life-giving oxygen. She is reported to hold a genetic diversity greater than any other earth system. She gives without asking, and like most of our planetary resources, we have long taken her for granted.

We have all had the sorrowing experience of seeing our beaches closed for reasons of urban runoff, sewage spills and abject human pollution. In the far north, oil spills have wreaked havoc with shore birds, water mammals and even the fish beneath the surface. These damaging events have all been at the hands of man -- behavioral events over which we have control.

The Pew Ocean Commission’s report, “America’s Living Oceans, Charting a Course for Sea Change,” released in 2003, provides a summation of two and a half years of research and study. What the commission discovered was that there is “a growing crisis in America’s oceans and along our coasts.” They also found that among coastal communities there is “a shared sense of urgency and commitment to reverse the decline of the health in the oceans.”

The report identified nine major threats to our oceans, which include the following:

* Non-point-source pollution -- oil from street and driveway runoffs, released nitrogen and oxygen-depletion of estuaries and bays.

* Point-source pollution -- manure from feedlots and cruise ship waste (sewage, grey water, dirty bilge water, solid waste, toxic cleaning fluids, photo-processing chemicals).

* Invasive species -- nonnative species introduced into habitats.

* Aquaculture -- nitrogen, phosphorus and fecal matter from fish farms.

* Coastal development -- wildlife habitat, degradation of water and disappearing coastal marshes and wetlands.

* Overfishing -- removal of top predators, change to marine ecosystems and extinction of species.

* Habitat alteration -- destruction of sea floor from dragnets and trawl fisheries and by-catch of seabirds, dolphins and turtles.

* Climate change -- rise in mean sea-surface temperatures, destruction of coral reefs, modification of energy flow and cycling of materials within ecosystem.

In the summation of the report, Leon Panetta, who chaired the commission, called for the development of an “ocean ethic” -- extending environmental protection to the seas as both a practical measure and a moral obligation. He asked for Congress and the president to lay out a strategy to develop an ocean policy to guide the nation’s actions. And he also asked for participation, from leaders and citizens alike, to recognize the power of our actions -- and to demand healthy oceans for ourselves and our children.

It starts with us. This holiday season, we can begin our gift-giving with conscious actions toward our oceans.

Here are eight (there are actual hundreds) sea-savvy things you can do to help the ocean.

* Reduce household pollution. The fewer hazardous chemicals you use, the less you will have to swim in. Try nontoxic cleaners and organic gardening methods.

* Reduce runoff. Put trash, pet waste and cigarette butts in the garbage, not in the gutter. Avoid using disposable products.

* Be a smart shopper. Avoid purchasing seafoods -- either in markets or restaurants -- that are endangered.

* Conserve water. Use low-flow showerheads. Take shorter showers. Turn off the water while shaving or brushing your teeth. Check for leaky faucets. Don’t over-water your yard.

* Recycle or dispose of all trash properly. Learn where to dispose of toxic materials such as paint, batteries and florescent light bulbs. Never flush nonbiodegradable products, such as diapers, down the toilet.

* Reduce oil pollution. Fix car leaks. Drive less.

* Be considerate of ocean wildlife. Don’t dispose of fishing lines or nets in the water. Don’t release helium balloons outside. Minimize your use of styrofoam. Cut plastic six-pack rings apart.

* Get involved. Take part in a beach cleanup. Be respectful of tide pools. Report illegal dumping, full catch-basins or storm sewers. Recycle.

Happy holiday season. I’m headed for a walk on the beach!

* Catharine Cooper loves wild places. She can be reached at ccooper@cooperdesign.net.

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