World Oceans Day, a United Nations-recognized celebration of our planet's oceans, falls on June 8 each year. This year's theme is "healthy oceans, healthy planet," spotlighting the oceans' vital role in climate regulation, oxygen production, and wildlife protection. The United Nations has highlighted plastic pollution as a special focus this year.
Over 220 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year and are a vital part of consumer products, found in insulation, packaging, electronics, toys, and more. Unfortunately, after being thrown away, a lot of plastic ends up in the ocean: the United Nations Environment Programme estimates that in every square mile of ocean, there are over 46,000 pieces of floating plastic.
This floating plastic often concentrates in certain areas due to ocean currents, creating large floating clumps of garbage called gyres. One gyre, called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, formed from garbage originating from North America and Japan and is currently about twice the size of Texas.
Check out the World Oceans Day website for more information, and our World Oceans Day calendar item for related Science NetLinks resources.
How will you celebrate World Oceans Day?
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