Water is the symbol of life. Scientists believe that life on earth began in the ocean. Whenever scientists find any trace of cloud on any other planets, they will be very excited because that is the symbol of life!

As human beings on earth, we are very lucky because our planet has an ocean that covers 71% of its surface. Ocean is providing food and helping to adjust our temperature everyday.

Do you know?

Our ocean provides protein for one sixth of our population on earth. Seaweed and sea algae will be one of our main food sources in the future.

Ocean plays a major role in our weather and temperature. During the day, the ocean absorbs heat from the sun, stores it up and releases it out at night. Then human beings can enjoy the mild climate on earth. Without the ocean, the earth will be unbearably hot during the day and freezing cold at night.

The ocean provides 70% of the oxygen we need. The ocean is cleaning up a large portion of the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, too.

If there is no ocean, no river and no water, human beings can no longer survive because all living things need water. The water we drink and use is all related to the ocean. The water we store at home, in the river or in the lake is evaporated by the sun from the ocean to become cloud and rain and then come down to us. We are actually very closely related to the ocean.

However, foolish human beings often harm and do damage to the ocean intentionally or unintentionally. For example:

We keep expanding our urban area, reclaiming land from the sea, building roads and ports, dredging the seabed, cutting down trees, etc. These all create a lot of problem and affect the
ecosystem in the ocean.

The oil spill on the street, the detergents we use at home, the waste from farm animals, the chemical fertilizers, when they flow into the ocean they will pollute the ocean. They will harm the marine organisms and finally will harm us directly or indirectly.

The ozone hole and global warming also affect our ocean. The hole in the ozone layer increases radiation of ultra violet light on our planet. Besides harming human beings, it also kills fish eggs, small fish, plankton and plants near the water surface. Global warming raises the temperature of air and water. This will affect and change the environment in the ocean and near the shore.
Lives in the ocean are closely related to each other. Every organism has its important role. The food chain in the ocean is even more closely dependent on each other. The extinction of any species may cause a serious problem.

As we can all see that the ocean is so closely related to us, we must protect it before we have any irreversible loss. Chinese Conservation Education Trust, The Department of Conservation, The Auckland Regional Council and the Ministry of Fishery together have organized a “Marine Campaign” this summer (from November 03 till April 04). Through different kind of activities, we hoped that we could raise the Chinese awareness and knowledge towards protecting our ocean. The Campaign had tremendous support from the Mainstream and from the Chinese here in Auckland.

Protecting our ocean is a protracted and never ending War because many damage has been done whereas very few protection has been in line. The Chinese Conservation Education Trust is planning to continue the Campaign in the summer of the next two years. Hope that we can get your support again next time. Further more, we hope that those who have participated in our activities and learned the importance of protecting our ocean, can pass the massage to people around you.