Recently updated on January 22nd, 2020 at 07:39 pm
At TreadRight, we know the ocean is a big deal. You can’t help but travel the world and notice that the vast majority of it – 71% to be precise – is covered by ocean. You also can’t help but notice that our oceans are absolutely integral to all known life, making it undeniably the most important entity on Earth. The oceans regulate the climate, feed millions, produce oxygen, and are home to a nearly unimaginable array of wildlife, much of which still remains a mystery to us.
This is why we always make sure we take time to recognise World Oceans Day – celebrated on June 8th – as a global day of ocean celebration and collaboration for a better future. A healthy ocean is absolutely critical to our survival and every year we observe World Oceans Day as an opportunity to honour, help protect and conserve the world’s oceans.
Throughout our continuing sustainability journey, TreadRight and The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) family of brands have supported a number of important ocean related projects.
For instance, Contiki has channeled a sizeable portion of its energy through the years into supporting and sustaining the world’s oceans. Their work with Surfrider has helped to clean up beaches and keep the ocean from turning into a “plastic soup”. They’ve also sponsored turtles in the Sea Turtle Conservancy‘s annual Tour de Turtles, which follows the migration for research and educational purposes. And they’ve helped advance innovative young leaders through the MAR Leadership Program, which works to protect the Mesoamerican Reef and utilise the region’s natural resources in a sustainable manner.
Meanwhile, our TTC New Zealand office work in partnership with the great people at Sustainable Coastlines to help with beach clean-ups along the shores surrounding Auckland, removing literal tonnes of trash in the process.
Then, of course, there’s our TreadRight Ambassador, Céline Cousteau, whose family name is synonymous with the oceans. In fact, TreadRight’s relationship with Céline all began with Contiki’s sponsorship of Ocean Inspiration, a two-part event hosted by Céline to celebrate the life and legacy of her grandfather Jacques Cousteau – a man who opened our eyes to the brilliant world beneath the ocean’s surface.
In 2012, TreadRight supported the worldwide distribution of Céline “Scars of Freedom”, a short documentary, which you can watch here, chronicling a whale’s dramatic fight for life off the coast of Chile’s Juan Ferandez Archipelago after getting caught in a drift net. The powerful film demonstrates the effects of human negligence on the world’s oceans, as well as the incredible power of human compassion. Its themes are important to keep in mind as you mark World Oceans Day in your way, remembering that while people have created so many of the challenges our oceans now face, we can also help to be the solution.
Since the release of “Scars of Freedom”, Céline’s role within the TTC family has grown to her Ambassadorship, her work natural expanding to our Wildlife and Heritage Initiative partners, but it all began – like absolutely everything on this planet – with the oceans.
As we explore our amazing planet, the oceans remain the constant, connecting all people. So no matter where you live, on June 8th, take a moment to reflect on the importance of our oceans, appreciate how it’s all connected, and find out what you can do to make a difference where you are.
Image credits: Cover photo © iStock / Soft_Light. Barracuda © iStock / armiblue. A sea turtle © iStock / pete’s photography. The Mesoamerican Reef © iStock / Hoatzinexp. Breaking waves © iStock / tamara kulikova.