Bring Your Own Container to Avoid Trash

More than ever, the fate of the ocean is in our hands. To be good stewards and leave a thriving ocean for future generations, we need to make changes big and small wherever we are. To make a positive difference, here are five simple things you can do in 10 minutes or less to help protect the ocean—wherever you are.

The trash we "throw away" doesn't disappear. Plastic bags, disposable food containers, snack wrappers, and other loose garbage can be washed into local waterways and eventually end up in the ocean where it poses a major hazard for marine life. Sea birds, turtles, seals, and other animals can mistake floating plastic for food or become tangled in it and die.

Get involved with the International Coastal Cleanup to do your part to reduce ocean trash, and visit NOAA's marine debris website to learn more about the trash in our ocean.