How to Live With Ocean Aloha - Maui Ocean Center

Park Hours
9 AM - 5 PM

Search
Close this search box.

Park Hours 9 AM - 5 PM

How to Live With Ocean Aloha

December 9, 2021

HOW TO LIVE WITH OCEAN ALOHA

A single question drives Maui Ocean Center’s Ocean Aloha, “go green for blue” initiative: what do we want our oceans to look like for our children, grandchildren, and generations that follow? Here’s what we can all do to help.

Turtle Lagoon in Maui

My first impactful moment with marine life was on a family vacation in Aruba. My dad and I woke with the sun and walked to the water’s edge, snorkel gear in hand. We ventured into the inviting blue water with a desire to explore, and the pristine underwater world instantly captivated us. We stumbled upon several sea turtles enjoying a morning meal and encountered a school of barracuda as they swam underneath us. We floated together in awe, exchanging looks of wonder from behind our masks.

 

This is a memory I will cherish forever, and my admiration for the ocean and its creatures has only grown since then. Years later, I learned about the stresses our oceans are under, and decided that we must focus on being part of the solution.

 

But where to begin? Saving our oceans sounds like a daunting task. Plastic pollution, oil spills, acidification, overfishing — these concerns and more plague our seas. In the face of seemingly insurmountable problems, it’s admittedly easier to hang up our hats and declare defeat. But instead, we encourage you to live with Ocean Aloha.

 

Living with Ocean Aloha is about understanding, connection, and compassion. It’s Maui Ocean Center’s mission to educate visitors and kamaʻāina alike, helping expand their knowledge about the fragile marine life we’re trying to save, and why it is critical to the health of our planet. As we become more connected to the undersea world, compassion takes root, and we are inspired to do what we can to conserve our marine life for our future generations.

 

As individuals, we can start by reducing personal waste, disposing of trash properly, and picking up litter before it has the chance to enter the marine environment. Buy fewer material goods and take care of what you have to ensure it lasts longer. Check sunscreen labels, drive electric cars, and install solar panels — all these small steps add up to a world of difference. Once you’ve taken action on an individual level, you can then spread that Ocean Aloha by sharing with others what you’ve learned about our powerful connection to the sea.

 

Fostering marine conservation and healthy ocean ecosystems in Hawaiʻi — and ultimately the world — is not achieved alone. But with a concerted global effort, we can share our love for the sea, and spread Ocean Aloha from mauka to makai and everywhere in between.

.

things to do at the Maui Ocean Center​

Living Reef

How many corals can you count? Our Living Reef showcases 40 unique and rare species of Hawaiian corals, ranging from...

Kaho‘olawe: History and Healing

Discover a sacred and storied island, a powerful testament to the human capacity for destruction and regeneration....

Hawaiians and the Sea

Celebrate the culture and traditions of the first Hawaiians....

Turtle Lagoon

Say aloha to the honu, our charismatic Hawaiian green sea turtles!...

Humpbacks of Hawaiʻi Exhibit & Sphere

Explore the realm of the whales in our virtual sphere experience....

Open Ocean

Take a stroll through the 35-foot long acrylic tunnel as sharks soar above your head. Watch elegant stingrays turn backflips...

book at least one day in advance to enjoy $5 off!