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| Surf's Up! And So Are Pollution Levels! |
When trash and other unwanted objects end up in the oceans, they become a part of MARINE POLLUTION
What Is Marine Pollution?
Marine Pollution is when humans choose to dump trash and other toxic waste into the ocean, resulting in harm to the ocean and its fishy residents. These materials often result in the deaths of many sea creatures and their homes, called ecosystems. These materials range from plastics and rubber to oil and chemicals. Yuck!
How Severe Is It?
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| Figure 1: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (5) |
Just because we don't often see trash at the beach, does not mean it isn't there. It might seem crazy to think about, but 88% of the ocean's surface is covered with trash (7)! This area is usually found in the middle of the oceans and along the water's current. In fact, in the Pacific Ocean there is a clump of trash called the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" that is now 3 times the size of France (5), as seen above in FIGURE 1! And because a lot of these items are larger in size, it will take a long time for them to decompose, meaning that they can stay in the ocean for HUNDREDS of years!
Who Gets Hurt?
Marine pollution doesn't just affect the quality of the water. In fact, it affects the plants and animals who interact with the water! To start, seaweed and other single-celled plants make up a group called algae. And these algae experience damage while growing, resulting in them becoming toxic algal blooms (8) and deadly to fish that live near it!
Our sea creature pals are also at risk due to marine pollution. Following the laws of the food chain, fish tend to eat other fish. That's how nature works! But, what these fish dont know is that they can be eating food exposed to these toxins. As the chain gets higher and higher, these other sea creatures get sick and often die due to the toxins in their systems (8).
Plastics and other debris also kill animals because like humans, animals often get confused too. However, when these animals get confused, they end up mistaking the trash for food and try to eat it (8). This sadly often results in the deaths of thousands of fish, sea-turtles, and dolphins (Figure 2)!
Who Gets Hurt?
Marine pollution doesn't just affect the quality of the water. In fact, it affects the plants and animals who interact with the water! To start, seaweed and other single-celled plants make up a group called algae. And these algae experience damage while growing, resulting in them becoming toxic algal blooms (8) and deadly to fish that live near it!
Our sea creature pals are also at risk due to marine pollution. Following the laws of the food chain, fish tend to eat other fish. That's how nature works! But, what these fish dont know is that they can be eating food exposed to these toxins. As the chain gets higher and higher, these other sea creatures get sick and often die due to the toxins in their systems (8).
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| Figure 2: A Sea Turtle in Danger (6) |
Plastics and other debris also kill animals because like humans, animals often get confused too. However, when these animals get confused, they end up mistaking the trash for food and try to eat it (8). This sadly often results in the deaths of thousands of fish, sea-turtles, and dolphins (Figure 2)!
What Can You Do To Help?
Luckily for our oceans, YOU can HELP! The trash already in the patch is far too vast to clean up. According to one study, it would cost billions and billions of dollars just to clean up 1% of the patch (4). But save your money! You can help our oceans by preventing further trash from being dumped into the water.
So, next time trash day comes around in your neighborhood, stop and make sure to recycle all available materials, and double check that your trash is going to safe disposal plant in order to ensure a cleaner ocean. After all, the dolphins, like Danny below, need our help!!
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| Figure 3: Danny needs your help! (1) |
A bigger recycling bin equals a brighter ocean in the future!
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To learn more about Marine Pollution and what you can do to help, be sure to watch the video below or visit National Geographic's website!
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References
1. DOLPHINS. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.solarnavigator.net/dolphins.htm
2. Gasperik, D. (2013, October 03). Marine Pollution: 5 Lessons Learned This Year. Retrieved from https://www.theinertia.com/environment/marine-pollution-5-lessons-learned-this-year/
3. National Geographic. (2010, April 27). 10 Things You Can Do to Save the Ocean. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/oceans/take-action/10-things-you-can-do-to-save-the-ocean/#close
4. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2012, July 12). How much would it cost to clean up the pacific garbage patches. Retrieved from https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/how-much-would-it-cost-clean-pacific-garbage-patches.html
5. Shah, S. (2018, April 23). World's first ocean plastic-cleaning machine to gobble up Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Retrieved from https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/6119743/worlds-first-ocean-plastic-cleaning-machine-to-gobble-up-great-pacific-garbage-patch/
6. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is Huge! Can We Clean It Up? (2018, March 30). Retrieved from https://blueocean.net/the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-is-huge-can-we-clean-it-up/
7. Walia, A. (2014, July 07). New study finds 88 percent of earth's ocean surface now polluted with plastic trash. Retrieved from http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/07/07/new-study-finds-88-percent-of-earths-ocean-surface-now-polluted-with-plastic-trash/
8. World Wildlife Foundation. (n.d.). Marine problems: pollution. Retrieved from http:// wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/problems/pollution/
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