What I’m doing to celebrate World Ocean Day
Every year on June 8th, the International community recognizes World Ocean Day, which was officially started in 2008. On this day, leading organizations such as The United Nations acknowledge the importance of clean oceans around the globe. Most of our planet’s surface is covered by water, so preserving the integrity of the ocean is paramount. This includes maintaining coral reefs, practicing sustainable fishing methods, and supporting marine life.
At Herbalife Nutrition, we partner with leading organizations such as the World Food Program to help address The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Through our partnership, we hope to reduce food insecurity and food waste to help feed a growing population on our planet. Some of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals include good stewardship of our oceans. The biggest challenge we face is keeping our oceans clean by decreasing the amount of waste that gets into the water. Whether it’s reducing food waste or plastic use, there are a variety of steps that we can all take towards protecting our oceans for a more sustainable planet.
For the last 15 years I’ve taken small steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle including:
1. Drinking a plant-based protein shake at least once a day, instead of a traditional high calorie breakfast
2. Drinking green tea instead of sugary processed energy drinks or sodas
3. Taking daily fish oil capsules, which are sustainably sourced and free of mercury and heavy metals
4. Taking my daily vitamins, minerals and plant-based nutrients in powder and tablet form to eliminate food waste (nothing left over to throw away after consumption)
Eating a more sustainable diet has tremendously reduced food waste in our household. It has also reduced our family carbon footprint because of the shift towards more plant-based sources.
Although most of us don’t live near the ocean, think about some small steps you can take towards living a more sustainable lifestyle to help protect nature’s precious resources. Anything you do to help such as reducing food waste, and reducing plastic use or litter, is a significant step towards easing the burden on our ocean and our planet. So on June 8, take a moment to think about the ocean and how important it is for our planet.
For more on corporate social responsibility and other related topics, visit Herbalife Nutrition.
Author: Luigi Gratton
M.D., MPH — Vice President of Training
As VP of Training, Dr. Gratton is responsible for ensuring our independent distributors have a thorough understanding of Herbalife Nutrition’s products, ingredients, and benefits. He holds a medical degree from Mount Sinai Medical School of New York University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical nutrition at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.