The ocean needs YOU
Make 2026 the year you step up for our blue planet
by Alan Munro, Founder & Director at Young Sea Changers Scotland
Let’s be real for a moment: the ocean is in crisis. From the relentless tide of plastic pollution to the accelerating loss of biodiversity and the deepening climate crisis, marine life is under pressure like never before.
Frankly, it can all feel a bit overwhelming — especially when you’ve got exams around the corner, a job you need to show up to each morning, or the everyday pressures of getting through life. You could (and would) be forgiven for wondering: What difference can I actually make?
The answer might be not a lot, which can be an uncomfortable truth to sit with.
But don’t let that be an excuse to stay completely still, frozen by fear or busyness. What the ocean needs right now is not you doing nothing.
“OK, where do I even start?”, you might be asking. Is it pulling on some wellies for a quick beach clean during a study break? Is it pursuing a marine conservation internship opportunity? Is it something smaller like writing a poem inspired by the sea outside your window?
Big or small, every action counts.
So, here’s the truth: it doesn’t really matter how you start, only that you do. We don’t need everyone doing everything; rather, we need everyone doing something.
And finding that something – your unique contribution to ocean solutions - is exactly what we do at Young Sea Changers Scotland. We have helped young people like you across Scotland discover meaningful, personal ways to get take ocean action. Whether that’s through creative projects, campaigns, career guidance, or simply helping them feel less alone as they figure it all out, we’re here to be beside them on that journey.
Finding your unique ocean action
I find the most useful starting point isn’t asking, “What can I do?” but “What can I bring?”
And let’s acknowledge that it’s completely normal to think that you’re underqualified or underprepared when it comes to tackling something as big as the health of our ocean.
However, a hero of mine - marine biologist and climate thought leader Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson - offers a wonderful framework to this problem. She calls it the Climate Venn Diagram. It’s a simple but powerful tool to find a unique role for yourself in the movement. It invites you to explore the overlap between:
What brings you joy
What you’re good at
And what work needs doing to address the crisis
Inspired by the simplicity of the Climate Venn, I have adapted it into the Ocean Action Venn to help others find their sweet spot for ocean impact.
Like Dr Johnson, I believe real change for our ocean will come from lots of people showing up in ways they find meaningful and joyful.
What might that look like for you? Well, maybe you’re:
A photographer who can tell powerful stories about rising sea levels.
Studying law and could advocate for stronger marine protection.
A barista who starts conversations about plastic waste and switches your café to ocean-friendly packaging.
Someone who just deeply loves the sea and wants to share that love with others.
Whatever your skills, your passion, or your background — the ocean needs YOU.
So why not ask yourself the following three questions: What brings me joy? What am I good at? What does the ocean need?
The answer to these questions is where your unique ocean action lives. That’s where you start.
A call to young ocean leaders
Your time has come to step up and lead by example. Don’t wait for others to start as our seas and the diversity of life they contain cannot wait. Dr. Johnson talks about social movements needing to be leaderful, and that goes for the ocean movement too.
I encourage you all to:
Be curious
Be bold
Be leaderful
And just begin.
The ocean doesn’t need you to be perfect. It just needs you to start; with purpose, with joy, and with the gifts only you can offer.
YSCS Community Gathering 2025: Rosa Payne