The Environmental Defense Fund and Disney have created www.keepoceansclean.org.

Photo copyright Disney

Featuring characters form Disney’s the Little Mermaid, the site is designed to inspire pollution prevention before it harms the ocean and the creatures that live there. The site contains fun ways to interact with the Little Mermaid characters including games, e-cards, and new ways to help the ocean and eliminate marine debris.

The goal of keepoceansclean.org is to teach kids everywhere how to protect and preserve our oceans. They’ve managed to do this in a way that is entertaining and fun. If you love Ariel and her underseas friends, you’ll no doubt want to help keep their ocean home clean.

More than half of the nation’s population lives along the coast, and still more visit the ocean each year. Yet, few Americans are aware that the health of our oceans is currently at severe risk and don’t understand their impact on the waters of the world.

Marine debris is one of 13 key threats to U.S. Coral Reef Ecosystems, but one which is preventable. Americans collectively have the power to virtually eliminate this threat to beaches and marine life including coral reef ecosystems and the organisms that depend on them.

The campaign urges you to prevent the destruction of ocean environment by doing the following:

1. Look after your local areas! Throw your trash in a trashcan or bag. If there isn’t one close by, hold on to it till you find one! Keep a small trash bag in your car – for that on-the-go trash!
2. Participate in trash and litter cleanups.
3. Try to reduce the amount of waste and trash you produce no matter where you are!
4. Recycling is a great, easy, and rewarding way to make a difference!
5. Adopt a beach – Numerous states have “Adopt-a-Beach” programs where groups sign-up to take care of and clean a particular beach on a regular basis. Find out if your state has a program.

The new ads and web site, which prominently feature scenes and characters from Disney’s new movie, The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning help to deliver the environmental message in a family friendly way.
The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning is an all new, full-length direct to DVD animated feature which was released at the end of August.

For more information, or to get involved, visit www.keepoceansclean.org to learn how you can help to keep our oceans clean.