This week is National Environmental Education Week, the nation’s largest environmental education event held each year the week before Earth Day to inspire environmental learning and stewardship among students and the public. This year’s EE Week theme is “Ocean Connections,” highlighting that no matter how far from the coast, water in every stream or river ends up in the ocean. The oceans impact weather and climate, house a vast array of wildlife and provide 70 percent of the oxygen on earth.
Each day this week I will post information and tips about our oceans. Today we begin with the connection between oceans and weather.
— The ocean controls weather and climate by dominating the Earth’s energy, water and carbon systems.
— Most rain that falls on land originally evaporated from the tropical ocean.
— Coastal wetlands, like salt marshes and mangrove swamps, help to shield coasts from hurricane storm surges and flooding.
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