Save the seas ... from your home (or away)

This World Oceans Day (Friday 8 June) we're sharing our top tips on how you can save the seas without stepping foot on the beach, as well as what you can do when you're on the beach. 

With 80% of litter in our oceans coming from the land, it's what we do away from the beach that is going to have the greatest impact.

1. In the kitchen

Things from our homes like fats, oils or wipes can create massive disgusting 'fatbergs' in our sewers, so 'think before you head to the sink'. Make sure all your leftover cooking fats and oils are cooled then binned, rather than poured down the sink. Wipe out grease left in pans with kitchen roll before washing and use a sink strainer to catch any greasy food scraps.

2. In the bathroom

Keep it simple - follow the 3Ps rule, only let pee, poo and paper go down the toilet, everything else can go in the bin (or better yet, the recycling). Even if the wipes you buy claim to be flushable, please don't flush them - you'd only be feeding the fatbergs.

3. At the shops

The choices you make in your shopping basket can help the seas too. Avoid bathroom or cleaning products with microbeads (little bits of plastic in things like shower gel that go down the sewers to the sea, where they'll remain for years). Avoiding plastic shopping bags, that can end up as marine litter, is another positive step.

4. In the streets

You can help turn the tide on plastic, simply don't drop your litter anywhere, and aim to pick up one piece a day or join an organised litter pick. Every piece we remove from our streets means less litter washing into our seas. 

5. And at the beach

If everyone who visited the beach picked up a few pieces of litter, think about the difference we could make together. See if there is a #2MinuteBeachClean board and spare a couple of minutes to clean up a patch of beach. Or if you live by the sea, you'll find regular volunteering groups and one-off litter picks by joining our #LitterHeroes.

Although dogs are restricted at some beaches, there are miles more that welcome responsible dog owners. When it comes to dog mess bag it and bin it, and enjoy the beach with your four-legged friend.

Leave nothing but footprints behind and enjoy the beach, knowing that you are helping to save the seas ... from home and away.