Our health is intrinsically linked to the ocean. Half oxygen The air we breathe comes from tiny plankton within the ocean, and our actions on land, even when we live removed from shore, affect our waters in some ways – from plastic litter and sewage pollution to the fish we eat. eat
That's why we've launched Vitamin C, an exciting collaboration between The Conversation's environment and Health Desk.
Anna Turns, Senior Environment Editor
Seven years agoMy daughter and I campaigned to stop single-use plastic in our home town on the south coast of Devon.
For two years, we organized beach cleanups and faculty assemblies, persuaded 60 restaurants, hotels and shops to change to reusables, participated in live TV interviews and held a two-day, 22 He led it for miles. Paddle Board Expedition Collecting litter along every creek of the Salcombe Estuary.
I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have bothered to go this far if we didn't have already got a robust sense of connection to this beautiful coastline and a robust must protect it from litter and pollution. But having grown up in landlocked Bedfordshire, I'm interested by where it got here from.
The science of Blue health – The notion that being near or in water is nice for our physical and mental health – is comparatively well established. Water encompasses all the things from decorative water fountains in city centers to rivers, lakes, lochs and streams, all of which eventually flow into the ocean.
Now, this Vitamin C series explores latest research that shows our interactions with the ocean can influence how marine habitats could be preserved—and that our interactions with the ocean The relationship is mutual, regardless of where we live.
Katie Edwards, Commissioning Editor, Health
I grew up in Mexborough, South Yorkshire, a northern post-industrial town with a number of poverty and deprivation. Seaside trips to the beaches of Skegness, Scarborough and Blackpool were annual holiday events – the ocean and its creatures seemed far faraway from on a regular basis life.
So what does blue health mean for those living inland? How can people living in urban environments, lots of whom face pressing social issues of their communities, contribute to ocean health? How do those of us who live miles from the coast develop a relationship with the ocean and experience its advantages?
From sunscreen to the mid-summer wetsuits we wear while swimming, the products we put down our drains and the food we eat, our experts explain how our selections and actions are good for the marine environment. or could also be harmful.
Researchers explain the social science behind the healing power of surf therapy and the way they're measuring blue's health advantages. And scientists have make clear why collaborating in beach cleanups can actually boost your mental health.
Let's dive in.