Marine Life… Murdered - EstheraSTEM

Introduction

Plastic becoming the new ‘fish’ swimming in our seas, rivers the new garbage dumps, animals choking to death on bottles, and innocent tortoises tangled up in bags; this is what humanity has done to our breathtaking ocean; genocide of the beautiful marine life we have been granted. 75 to 199 million tons of plastic waste are currently in our oceans, with a further 33 billion pounds of plastic entering the marine environment every single year. Can you imagine how many innocent animals mistake plastic for food? Death has wrapped its claws around 100 million oceanic animals each year from plastic waste alone and this number keeps increasing. Not to mention the 100,000 others that die after getting entangled in plastic yearly. That is why every individual, company, and organization must work toward a healthier, sustainable environment.

The Heart of the Problem: Plastic

But to address this critical issue, the essence of plastic must be firstly understood. Plastic is a polymeric material mostly derived from petroleum and is largely non-biodegradable, meaning it persists in the environment for hundreds of years. Most of the plastic waste in the oceans flows from the land by rivers which in turn pick up more and more litter as they move downstream. Once at sea, this plastic waste settles in coastal waters to later transport around the world through ocean currents.

Did you know?

• Every year, around 8 million tons of plastic litter escapes into the oceans from coastal nations; this is equivalent to situating five full garbage bags on every foot of seashore around the world!
• In 2021, it was found that 44% of plastic debris in rivers, oceans, and on shorelines was made up of bags, bottles, and takeout meal-related items.
• Scientists discovered that more than 114 aquatic species have micro plastics in their organs, including several species only found in the deepest ocean channels.

Micro-plastics: Particles Causing Massive Damage
If you have ever wondered what those tiny multicolored plastic bits in sand were, you can now be sure of the answer. Unfortunately, they’re micro-plastics.
Micro-plastics are tiny plastic particles less than five millimeters in diameter which contribute immensely to plastic pollution. There are two types of said plastics: primary and secondary.
Primary micro-plastics, designed for commercial usage, are tiny particles such as those in cosmetics as well as microfibers shed from textiles. On the other hand, secondary micro-plastics are particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic products due to the exposure to environmental factors, primarily the sun’s radiation and ocean waves. Undoubtedly, both have a severe negative effect on the environment and marine life, for micro-plastics have been detected in marine animals, seafood, and even in drinking water. Alarmingly, standard water treatment facilities are incapable of erasing all the traces of micro-plastics especially since they can bind with other harmful chemicals in the ocean.

Resolutions: Hope for a Brighter Future

• Adopting a Circular Lifestyle: In other words, reuse plastic products instead of throwing them away.
• Choosing your Clothes Carefully: About 60% of material made into clothing is plastic. When washed those clothing shed micro-plastics; therefore, it is advised to utilize cotton clothes with no synthetic fiber content.
• Utilizing Reusable Bags such as Cloth Bags
• Joining or Organizing Cleanups for Polluted Areas in your town/city
• Spreading Awareness through Media Campaigns, Social Media, Schools, and Colleges.

 

Conclusion

As what was once said, “Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.” Plastic pollution is accountable for the grave state the environment and marine life are suffering from; therefore, every action no matter how small can have a great impact towards a healthier environment and brighter future. Every individual, big or small, must work on eliminating this critical issue in order to save our Earth from this vicious, contagious disease that dwells in its oceans, for without clean seas, water, and safe marine life how will the future generations survive?