It’s World Oceans Day: Here’s What That Means and How You Can Celebrate
Sustainability 101
It’s World Oceans Day: Here’s What That Means and HowYou Can Celebrate
Author: Grove Team
Every June 8th, people around the world come together to honor the ocean — a vast, sometimes mysterious force that sustains life on Earth. But World Oceans Day is more than a celebration. It’s a reminder that as much as the ocean needs us, we need it more.
A brief history of World Oceans Day
World Oceans Day was first proposed by Canada at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The idea was simple but profound: celebrate the globe’s oceans, our connection to them, and raise awareness of the threats they face.¹
In 2008, the United Nations made it an officially recognized international day — and since then, it’s grown into a global movement involving scientists, schools, nonprofits, businesses, corporations, governments, and everyday people.¹
It’s not just about the sea. It’s about what kind of future we want — for our planet, our health, and our communities.
Why the ocean matters to all of us
Even if you’ve never been to the beach, the ocean is part of your everyday life:
The ocean produces more than 50% of the oxygen we breathe.²
It absorbs about 30% of carbon dioxide emissions, helping to stabilize the global climate.²
It supports over 100 million jobs worldwide — from fishing and tourism to shipping and clean energy.³
Sadly, the ocean hasn’t received the same care it’s given us and has been put through the ringer — from overfishing, resource extraction, and the steady stream of pollution that flows from land to sea. Whether it’s plastic waste or chemical runoff, our everyday choices are quietly reshaping marine ecosystems.
The plastic crisis: a snapshot
Every minute, the equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic enters the ocean — that’s about 1,440 truckloads a day.⁴ Despite our best recycling efforts, only about 5% of plastic in the U.S. actually gets recycled, with the rest ending up in incinerators that directly contribute to green house gas emissions and climate change or landfills where it eventually makes its way into the ocean.⁵
Today, researchers estimate that more than 170 trillion plastic particles are floating on the surface of the ocean alone. And these visible fragments are just the beginning — microplastics (small plastic pieces that are less than five millimeters in length and shed from larger plastic pieces) have now been found in our seafood, sea salt, drinking water, and even in human blood.⁶ ⁷
Pollution begins before it reaches the sea
Most ocean pollution starts far from the shoreline.
Litter from parks, roads, and trails can be carried by wind or rain into storm drains and rivers. Ingredients in household cleaning supplies and personal care products — like phosphates, parabens, and microbeads — are rinsed down drains and make their way into aquatic ecosystems, where they can disrupt aquatic environments.⁷
How Grove and 5 Gyres are tackling ocean pollution
At Grove, we believe real change starts upstream — long before plastic reaches the ocean. That’s why we’re proud to partner with The 5 Gyres Institute, a nonprofit that’s been leading the fight against plastic pollution through science, advocacy, and education for over 15 years.⁸
Since 2019, we’ve supported their mission with more than $100,000 in donations, helping fuel research that’s shaped 19 peer-reviewed studies and informed over 220 pieces of legislation. Their work connects the dots between science and storytelling, policy and prevention — and it’s helped shape Grove’s own journey toward a plastic-free future.
As 5 Gyres puts it:
“On World Oceans Day, we unite to celebrate and protect our blue planet. The ocean is where our journey began. Fifteen years ago, we set sail to all five subtropical gyres, where plastic pollution accumulates, to lead groundbreaking research and drive global change. We're all connected by the ocean, and plastic pollution knows no borders. More than 170 trillion plastic particles are floating on the ocean's surface, but that's just the tip of the iceberg, as these pervasive particles make their way into our air, food, and bodies. Today, we've charted a new course, shifting our sails upstream to tackle plastic pollution at its source. This is where we can make the greatest impact — preserving the ocean’s future, safeguarding wildlife, and protecting our own health.”
We’re honored to walk this path with them and work together towards caring for the ocean the same way it cares for us.
How you can celebrate and protect the ocean
You don’t have to live near the coast to make waves for ocean health. Here are some easy, meaningful ways to celebrate World Oceans Day and be part of the solution — wherever you are:
Reduce single-use plastic
Find ways you can reduce your plastic usage in your everyday life, as well as your household — try switching to reusable bags, bottles, and containers, and skip items like plastic wrap, straws, and utensils. In place of those plastic items, incorporate products made from aluminum, paper, or glass which can be either recycled, reused, or compostable.Switch to ocean-conscious products
Look for Certified Compostable products, as well as cleaners and personal care items free of chemical additives like BPA, parabens, PFAs, and phosphates.Check what’s in your wardrobe
Synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, and acrylic shed microplastics every time you wash them, which often end up in our waterways and oceans. Choosing natural fibers — like organic cotton, hemp, or linen — can help reduce microplastic pollution. When it comes to protecting the oceans, dressing with intention is a powerful step.Host or join a cleanup
Organize a litter pickup in your neighborhood, local park, or near a body of water. Even inland, trash travels through storm drains and rivers into the ocean. Take your cleanup a step further by logging the data on trash found in the TrashBlitz app to support policy measures and other solutions.Educate yourself and others
Watch an ocean documentary, read a book about marine conservation, or follow organizations like 5 Gyres to stay informed on the latest news and advocacy efforts.Support ocean advocacy
Donate to nonprofits or advocacy organizations, share their work on social media, or write to your representatives about supporting legislation that reduces plastic waste.Use your voice
Talk to friends and family about why ocean health matters. Post on social media. Start a conversation. You never know who you’ll inspire.
A healthier ocean starts with us
Your everyday decisions are powerful. When you choose a reusable product, reduce your plastic usage, or use items with ocean-friendly ingredients, you’re contributing to a cleaner, healthier planet.
This World Oceans Day, let’s not just reflect on the ocean’s beauty. Let’s protect it — upstream and down.
Sources
1 United Nations. (n.d.). Background on World Oceans Day. Retrieved May 30, 2025, from https://www.un.org/en/observances/oceans-day/background
2 NOAA. (n.d.). Ocean oxygen facts. National Ocean Service. Retrieved May 30, 2025, from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ocean-oxygen.html#:~:text=About%20half%20of%20Earth's%20oxygen,%2C%20temperature%2C%20and%20other%20factors.
3 OECD. (2025, April). Over 100 million jobs depend on the ocean economy—here is where and why. Retrieved May 30, 2025, from https://www.oecd.org/en/blogs/2025/04/over-100-million-jobs-depend-on-the-ocean-economy--here-is-where-and-why.html#:~:text=The%20ocean%20economy%20is%20a,across%20diverse%20industries%20and%20regions.
4 Greenpeace International. (n.d.). Every minute of every day: The equivalent of one truckload of plastic enters the sea. Retrieved May 30, 2025, from https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/15882/every-minute-of-every-day-the-equivalent-of-one-truckload-of-plastic-enters-the-sea/
5 Greenpeace USA. (2022, October). Plastic recycling is a dead-end street. Retrieved May 30, 2025, from https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/new-greenpeace-report-plastic-recycling-is-a-dead-end-street-year-after-year-plastic-recycling-declines-even-as-plastic-waste-increases/
6 Eriksen, M., Lebreton, L., Carson, H. S., Thiel, M., Moore, C. J., Borerro, J. C., ... & Reisser, J. (2023). A growing plastic smog, now estimated to be over 170 trillion plastic particles afloat in the world’s oceans. PLOS ONE. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0281596
7 NOAA. (n.d.). What are microplastics? National Ocean Service. Retrieved May 30, 2025, from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/microplastics.html
8 Grove Collaborative. (2024, July 30). Grove 2024 Ingredient Guide Update. https://www.grove.co/pages/beyond-plastic
9 Grove Collaborative. (2024). Crafted with a cause. Retrieved May 30, 2025, from https://www.grove.co/pages/crafted-with-a-cause
