On Sunday, June 4th, EcoSpark was given the opportunity to promote our organization by connecting with like-minded concert-goers and other non-profits at musician Jack Johnson’s All At Once Summer Tour.

Jack Johnson’s All At Once campaign and this year’s World Ocean’s Day annual theme have a shared focus: plastic pollution in our oceans.

EcoSpark's work and impact spans the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. We are a far distance from any ocean, yet we feel the impact of its health. Despite the space between us and the sea, there are still things we can do to help!

Before we get started, take a look at https://reefcam.tv/ or https://gaiacam.tv/ to see live footage of the ocean and its creatures that you can help protect! See those funny-looking sculptures? They’re called Biorock, a human-made opposition to the declining population of coral reef. Electricity comes from the Biorock and that revs up the limestone aggregation that is essential to the growing of the reef. This is just one of humanity’s attempts at solving our plastic-shaped mistakes. Our future is not hopeless! Scientists and innovators are constantly coming up with different ways to help the sea, as should we. Let’s get started!

Education is key. Jack Johnson has a plethora of helpful resources, from informative videos to guides for plastic-free activists, for people who want to TAKE ACTION. 

Download this free app to discover what fish is “ocean-friendly” at your “favourite restaurants and stores”. 

In Ontario, there are lake clean-ups going on from Port Perry to Sudbury. The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup has been going on nearly fifteen years, with an impressive one million kilos of garbage removed from our shores, helping saving species such as the Northern Leopard Frog.  

If you want to appreciate Ontario’s lakes, consider renting a kayak or a canoe for a day! Toronto has many paddling events such as Paddle the Rouge where EcoSpark will be presenting live bug demos in the Rouge River.

You can also decrease your use of single-use plastics such as plastic straws. You can get sustainable bamboo straws online or if you prefer, reusuable metal straws. You can get packs of reuseable straws that will last you for a lifetime and WON’T end up in the surge of the currents or in the bellies of animals. You can also simply say NO to plastic straws! They are not a necessity. Since plastic doesn’t degrade, they stay around much longer than the time you use them.

Challenge yourself! Go plastic-free for a day, three days or a week! Get your family, friends and community involved. It seems impossible, but people have done it for months or years! 

For more information on Jack Johnson’s All At Once Tour, his plastic-free mission and the other non-profits involved like EcoSpark, visit: http://www.allatonce.org/explore

Thanks for reading! We'd like to finish up with a quote from Jack Johnson himself:

"I’ve been on both sides of it. I’ve been there holding signs and protesting things I don’t believe in, and it’s really important to do that – to stop the things you don’t want to see. But say you stop that thing, then you can wait around for the next thing you don’t like – or you can try to start building the thing you want to see. That’s something I’ve learned in my life is that there are three areas in the world of environmental stewardship.

There are the warriors who need to be out there opposing the irresponsible development. Or if some new bill gets passed that’s ridiculous. You need people trying to tear down the things that are wrong in the world. But you also need the people building up the things that are right. And you also need the weavers. The people who are trying to connect. And I see all three of those areas as being really effective, and people kind of find where they fit in."

-http://www.theinertia.com/music-art/interview-jack-johnson-on-plastics-beyonce-and-why-hed-trade-music-for-surfing/2/

Happy World Ocean's Day!