Who: Nina Gomes, 4 years old, Brazil.
The Magic she is creating: "(I do it) because fish and turtles die." Nina replies. Rocandio reports that Nina swims into the polluted ocean off Rio de Janeiro's Guanabara Bay, with her father, to remove plastic and other pollutants from the ocean that can be deadly to marine animals that might mistakenly consume or get caught in these waste. Unfortunately, the use of plastic is widespread and tons of plastic are discarded into the oceans every year.
What we love: We love that Nina doesn't need to wait for Beach Clean Up day to start making the oceans a more hospitable place for the birds and sea animals. We also love her smile before and after each clean up! Thank you for showing us that it is easy to be generous with your time & how to love widely with your heart!
Facts to know:
- Why do we want to protect our oceans?
- For Clean air: The ocean produces over 50% of the world's oxygen and stores 50x more carbon dioxide than our atmosphere.
- For Sea creatures: The ocean covers 70% of the Earth's surface and is home to millions of sea creatures & vegetation that work in an ecosystem. Some of them are sources of our food, like fish & prawns.
- For Medicine: Did you know that many medicinal products have important ingredients that come from the ocean? These products help to fight cancer, Alzheimer's disease, just to name a few.
- Why are there plastic debris & pollutants in the oceans? The ocean can be called the Earth's last sink - Most of the pollution in the ocean is caused by littering, which means things that were not disposed properly end up in waterways like the drain or beach and end up in the ocean.
- What is it bad to have pollutants in oceans? Once pollutants like plastic ends up in the ocean, they decompose very slowly and breakdown into micro plastics which enter the food chain. Also, marine animals like sea turtles who swim near the surface of the ocean, and seagulls who feed on invertebrates (like jelly fish) that looks like plastic bags can end up caught, injured and die.
What you can do too:
- Pick up litter: Put on reusable gloves & pick litter you see on your walk to & fro the playground. Pack reusable gloves in your bag so you're ever ready to lend a hand.
- Reduce the use of non-biodegradable things: Say "no" to the use of plastics, like straws, plastic bags and disposable bottles. Buy what you need, reuse what you can & recycle properly. Check out this guide here.
- Get others to come along: Organise a family day to make the oceans cleaner, then reward yourselves with a fun picnic!
Everyday Magic, for Tiny People with Big Possibilities.
Source (images & information): Reuters, July 2021, by Sebastian Rocandio. Read more here.
