The oceans cover 71% of the Earth's surface, contain most of our valuable resources and are home to most of the life on earth- from microscopic algae to the blue whale, the largest animal on the planet. Yet today the oceans are the end point, intentional or not, for over 80% of pollution we produce on land, no matter how far from the coasts we may be. And we continue to bombard the ocean to the point the north pacific ocean is the most polluted of the oceans - it contains more than two trillion pieces of plastics floating around it. It is called “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” And the Indian Ocean is the second most polluted ocean. Indian Ocean contains one trillion pieces of plastic.
Man-made ocean pollution comes in many forms, including household trash and general litter, single use plastics, toxic waste, abandoned fishing nets and gear, raw sewage, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, detergents, toxic industrial chemicals and oil leaks and spills. And some pollution we cannot see - in large bodies of water, sound waves can carry undiminished for miles. The increased presence of loud and persistent noise from ships, sonar devices, oil rigs, can and do disrupt the migration, communication, hunting, and reproduction patterns of many marine animals, particularly whales and dolphins.
Whatever the type of pollution, the consequences are significant. Our oceans are in crisis with millions of marine animals dying, hundreds of species facing extinction, increasing ocean acidification, coral reefs bleaching, fish stocks disappearing, weather patterns changing catastrophically, sea levels rising and coastlines disappearing.
The reality is we are all responsible for this mess, we are all threatened by it and it will take all of us to help clean it up.
For us as individuals, we can make a huge collective difference to the oceans by changing a few of your daily habits - re-use a water bottle, refuse disposable utensils, recycle properly, pick up trash on the beach, use less fertilizer or buy ocean friendly products
Whatever the change is, it can be done without much effort. Think about it. What this crisis needs are a few simple rules for us to follow:-
Recycle Properly - At present, just 9% of plastic is recycled worldwide. Recycling helps keep plastics out of the ocean and reduces the amount of “new” plastic in circulation. And avoid buying products with excessive packaging and complain to your retailers about their use of excessive packaging.
Reduce Your Use of Single-Use Plastics - Wherever you live, the easiest way to get started is by reducing your own use of single-use plastics - plastic bags, water bottles, straws, cups, utensils, dry cleaning bags, take-out containers, and any other plastic items that are used once and then discarded.
Avoid Products Containing Microbeads - Tiny plastic particles, called “microbeads,” have become a growing source of ocean plastic pollution in recent years. Microbeads are found in some face scrubs, toothpastes, and bodywashes, and enter our oceans and waterways through our sewer systems, and affect hundreds of marine species.
Participate In (or Organize) a Beach or River Cleanup - Help remove plastics from the ocean and prevent them from getting there in the first place by participating in, or organizing a beach clean-up of your local beach or waterway. This is one of the most direct and rewarding ways to fight ocean plastic pollution.
Support Bans - Many municipalities around the world have enacted bans on single use plastic bags, takeout containers, and bottles. You can support the adoption of such policies in your community by using reusable bags for shopping and always refusing single use plastic bags. And if you are to buy/use a product that contains a plastic “six-pack” holder, be sure to cut it before disposing of it. In the ocean, these rings expand, often times tangling or choking wildlife.
Finally, people can’t change what they don’t know about, so help spread the word. Talk to your children about what they have learned at school – they may have lots of ideas that will work at home!
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