The Race for Ocean Rights 🌊

It’s June, and you know what that means…World Oceans Day is almost here! 

World Oceans Day, which occurs on June 8th every year, serves as a powerful reminder of the profound significance our oceans hold. They are the lungs of our planet, a major source of food and medicine, and play a vital role in the delicate balance of the biosphere, functioning as Earth's largest carbon sink.

The 2023 theme is: Planet Ocean: Tides Are Changing

The ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface. As the largest ecosystem on our planet, it functions as a life support system for all its inhabitants - from humans to whales to tiny baby kelp. Protecting and voicing the ocean’s rights is critical to our mission to reverse climate change. So join us as we celebrate our Ocean Planet all month long

The Race for Ocean Rights

SeaTrees co-founder Michael kicked off our summer activations by attending the only US stop of The Ocean Race, an around-the-world sailing race that takes five months and covers 36,825 miles (60,000 kilometers) – often described as the longest and toughest professional sporting event in the world. While this 50-year-old race used to only focus on the team with the fastest boat in the ocean, its current focus is on the race to protect the health of the ocean, for all the crew members of spaceship Earth.

Michael traveled to The Ocean Race stop in Newport, Rhode Island, to connect with our new SeaTrees partners, the 11th Hour Racing Team - whom we proudly support in their mission to "wipe out" the climate impact from their operational footprint. During his visit, they discussed their larger mission of "Racing With Purpose" to help safeguard the ocean and ensure it receives the recognition and rights it deserves.

Stay tuned next week for the short film we shot with team members Damian Foxall and Francesca Clapcich, as The Ocean Race requires every team to include a mix of male and female racers, to help promote inclusivity and gender equality in the sailing community. 

In addition to their remarkable efforts, we have exciting news to share—congratulations are in order for the 11th Hour Racing Team on their back-to-back victories in The Ocean Race! 

"There is a huge range of benefits to joining of our partnership with SeaTrees, from planting trees and protecting ecosystems, sequestering carbon dioxide and creating sustainable and long-term employment for local communities, to protecting endangered species and preserving biodiversity.” - Francesca Clapcich

Another highlight of attending the Ocean Race was the opportunity to catch up with our ambassador, Danni Washington, host of the Ocean Race Summits held at all the event stops worldwide.

In this role, Danni leads discussions with world-renowned ocean conservation experts, ocean racers, and ocean advocates about solutions and innovations that will help our oceans.

We were honored to have her walk us through the race village to experience the hands-on educational activities, inspiring art, insightful talks, and avenues for people to take action – including the One Blue Voice petition, which aims to grant the ocean the rights it deserves.

SeaTrees is proud to support the One Blue Voice petition, which will be presented to the United Nations during climate week in September. This initiative seeks to raise awareness and rally support for recognizing and protecting the rights of the ocean. By signing the petition, individuals contribute to the collective voice demanding change and championing the ocean's welfare. By signing and spreading the word, we contribute to the movement, making waves for ocean rights. Together, we can ensure the ocean's preservation for generations to come.

Join us and  sign below! Make sure to stay tuned next week for some exciting #WorldOceansDay news!