Ocean Aloha is Maui Ocean Center’s ongoing initiative to inspire and educate our community and visitors on the importance of marine conservation for our future generations. As Ocean Experts, it represents our deep connection to the sea as marine enthusiasts, conservationists, and sustainability champions. We must show the ocean the same aloha we show one another and express our love and gratitude for her through our daily actions. The ocean is a place of wonder, unrelenting power, and undeniable beauty that feeds us, regulates our climate, and generates most of the oxygen we breathe. By educating the importance of the ocean to our keiki today, we are incorporating an instinctive and perpetual lifestyle for tomorrow.
Each day, life presents us with choices that can impact our earth and its waters. Utilizing our individual strengths can lead to a collective difference, and no action is too small. Encourage your keiki to fill their reusable water at home and when heading out the door; don’t forget to take your reusable shopping bag and shop at Maui’s wealth of local farmer’s markets; let your keiki choose from a selection of unpackaged snacks; and buy a sustainable gift for your next birthday party. As Maui brings an abundance of sunshine, covering up keiki with UPF sun shirts, hats and mineral sunscreen is a must. Because chemicals in some sunscreens can harm coral and other marine life, the County of Maui passed Ordinance No. 5306 that bans the sale, distribution and/or use of non-mineral sunscreen without a prescription. So be sure to select a natural, mineral sunscreen that uses non-nanotized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
So dream big and put your heart into it for our keiki. How else will you plan to Live with Ocean Aloha?
For more on Maui Ocean Center’s conservation and community programs, visit mauioceancenter.com
