The ocean is a huge habitat for many marine plants and animals. These ocean resources are particularly very helpful for human to use and consume. Other than those ones, there are also more resources that are often hidden underneath the seafloor. Nevertheless, each one of the ocean resource has been in use for humans for many years. Here are 20 Sustainable Use of Ocean Resources. Find out how humans use the ocean resources as well as preserving them so they they don’t run out quickly.
1. Renewable Energy
The ocean provides us with renewable source of energy. Other than being pollutant free, it is also sustainable. It has a low risk on causing harm on marine creatures and the whole environment. Renewable energy from the temperature or the waves of the ocean water will give many benefit to human lives and protect the ecosystem. Read more about uses of ocean thermal energy conversion
2. Create Clean Water
The water that we drink at homes often comes from the ocean too. Through various stages of water treatment, the ocean water can be used for many things. People are able to use them to carry out their daily activities. Without the ocean water, we would have less water source that we can depend on.
3. Produce Electricity
From the kind of renewable source of energy from the ocean, the ocean waves can produce electricity for people. This will make the dependency on harmful fossil fuels become less and less. As of now, there are many regions all over the world that have been using the ocean water as their power source. You may want to read about characteristics of waves in the ocean
4. Provide Healthy Algae
The ocean has many healthy algae or vegetation. These healthy produce from the ocean can be in the form of seaweed or ocean kelp. Seaweed are very known and famous for their health benefit. They are used in various kinds of dishes for people to consume all over the world. The same thing also applies to kelp. In fact, kelp provide a huge amount of iodine that the body needs.
5. Provide Healthy Fish
Fish is an important source of nutrient for people all around the globe. A huge portion of human beings like to eat fish and some even depends on them. Some types of fish are very high in nutrients that can help people heal from an operation or illnesses. However, there has been some major force for more sustainable fishing in order to prevent overfishing. Read more about Overfishing in the Ocean
6. Ocean Tourism
Ocean tourism is another sustainable use of ocean resources. Through tourism, people can come to a particular ocean ecosystem and learn about it. This way, people will become more aware about how important it is to keep the ocean alive and healthy. It’s a great way to let the ocean have a future for the next years to come. Read more about threats to ocean ecosystems
7. Income for Ocean Restoration
Ocean restoration is an important aspect in the marine ecosystem. It returns a habitat back to its normal state. Thus many marine animals and plants can thrive again. Through tourism based on ocean resources, more income can start to pile up for more ocean restoration. This ensure that the ocean habitat will always be in good condition.
8. Studies for the Environment
Everything that is in the ocean is an important part of the ocean studies. They teach researchers and scientists about the environment in the world. Even those that are not covered in the ocean water. Without all the ocean resources, they cannot have insight on how to keep the ocean healthy and how humans can live sustainably from it.
9. Growth for Small Islands
Small islands around the world can grow from ocean natural resources. They can use those resources for building their small communities because they might not have outside support. What they have may attract tourists to come into their islands and enjoy their natural environment. Thus, the people as well as the marine ecosystem can prosper.
10. Ocean Souvenirs
Many people are still keen on buying natural ocean souvenirs such as sea stones or shells. These ocean resources are safe to collect as they often come in a large amount. But the people who live around the coast can take this opportunity to sell those things. Other than providing income for the people, the souvenirs can also bring awareness to save the ocean as it provides many beautiful things.
11. Cultivating Sponges
There are natural occurring many types of sea sponges that live in the ocean. These sea sponges have many uses for humans. We use them to create arts, for our bodies and to create medicine. The ocean sponge is definitely an important ocean resource. People who harvest the sponges follow the rules as to keep using them sustainably.
12. Studying Marine Creatures
Through the ocean resources, researchers can also have a perfect environment to study marine creatures. They are able to understand their functions and their roles in the ocean ecosystem. This makes us know how the creatures interact with their surrounding environment. They also encourage people to be more sustainable in their harvest for marine animals.
13. Natural Oil and Gas
Deep underneath the seafloor, there are naturally occurring oil and gas. People set up offshore drilling to get these ocean resources. Now we use those oil and gas for various things such as our vehicles. There will come a point in time where these things might end up being finished but the industries are always on the strict law in limiting their extraction.
Other Sustainable Use (14-20)
Besides all those sustainable us of ocean resources mentioned above, we have more that you might want to know about.
- Growth to Small Fish Market: Give income to people.
- Clean Water Circulation: Circulate water like swelling.
- Salt: Ocean provides salt water and rock salt.
- Increase Scientific Knowledge: Important understanding of the world.
- Allergy Medicine: Sea whip in corals.
- Shipping: Transporting cargos.
- Gravel: For making roads.
- Sand: For constructions.
Although sustainable use of ocean resources seem like a good thing , an overuse can cause the resources to become depleted. Humans must always set a certain on how much they can use as not to harm the entire ocean ecosystem.