The purpose of the U.N. World Oceans Day is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world's oceans.

The concept of a 'World Oceans Day' was first proposed in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro as a way to celebrate our world’s shared ocean and our personal connection to the sea, as well as to raise awareness about the crucial role the ocean plays in our lives and the important ways people can help protect it.

The most common garbage found on beaches include cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastic straws, plastic bottle caps, and plastic beverage bottles. Plastics are especially harmful as they are non-biodegradable. The weather and UV Rays makes these plastics break down into tiny balls, which then get infiltrated into the environment, become part of the sand on beaches and are ingested by marine animals.