Omar Khalid
Plastic is one of the greatest threats to marine life, with about 90% of ocean trash being plastic. Marine animals are vulnerable to plastic entanglement, ingestion, and toxic contamination. The impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems is devastating, and it is essential to take action to address this crisis. The first step is to understand the issue and the simple ways we can all help to protect sea animals from plastic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Avoid single-use plastics | Straws, bottles, plastic bags, packaging |
| Reuse items | Reusable bottles, reusable bags |
| Reduce plastic waste | Buy items in bulk, avoid individually wrapped items |
| Support anti-plastic organisations | World Animal Protection, The Center for Biological Diversity |
| Participate in clean-up efforts | Volunteer for beach clean-ups, use the Clean Swell app to record data |
| Spread awareness | Educate others about the importance of recycling and reducing plastic pollution |
| Support sustainable practices | Choose sustainable seafood, buy from companies that use recycled materials |
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What You'll Learn
Avoid single-use plastics, straws, bottles, and plastic bags
Plastic is found in almost all of Earth's waters, from rivers to the ocean, threatening marine animals. Humans produce around 300 million tons of plastic annually, with 8.8 million tons ending up in the ocean. This plastic waste includes bags, straws, and bottles, which originate from storm drains, litter, landfills, and recycling stations. To protect marine life, it is crucial to avoid single-use plastics, such as straws, bottles, and plastic bags.
Straws are a significant contributor to plastic pollution, with Americans using millions of straws daily. These straws are often used once and discarded, ending up as litter and polluting waterways and the ocean. Plastic straws are not recyclable and can break down into microplastics, polluting the environment and harming marine life. To reduce plastic straw usage, individuals can refuse straws or request paper or reusable alternatives when necessary. Some cities and institutions have banned plastic straws, and advocating for similar policies can be effective.
Single-use plastic bottles also contribute to ocean pollution. Bottled water contains microplastics, and the bottles themselves often become waste. To reduce plastic bottle usage, individuals can switch to reusable water bottles, which offer a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative.
Plastic bags are another major source of plastic pollution. They are lightweight and easily carried by wind, ending up in oceans and harming marine life. To reduce plastic bag usage, individuals can switch to reusable tote bags or packable bags for shopping. Keeping reusable bags in the car ensures their accessibility and encourages their use.
By avoiding single-use plastic items like straws, bottles, and bags, individuals can play a crucial role in reducing plastic pollution and protecting marine life. These small changes contribute to a larger movement advocating for sustainable practices and policies to address the plastic crisis.
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Don't buy individually wrapped items or single-serve containers
Plastic is one of the most significant threats to marine life, with about 90% of the trash in the ocean being plastic. Humans generate about 300 million tons of plastic each year, and 8.8 million tons of it end up in the ocean. This plastic waste comes from various sources, including storm drains, litter, landfills, and recycling stations.
One way to reduce plastic waste and protect sea animals is to avoid buying individually wrapped items or single-serve containers. Individually wrapped items, such as snack packs, contribute to the vast amount of single-use plastic packaging that ends up in our oceans. By avoiding these products, you can help reduce the amount of plastic that pollutes the water and harms marine life.
Single-use plastic products, including straws, bottles, and bags, are used and discarded daily, with many ending up in the ocean. Marine animals, such as fish, seals, sea lions, and seabirds, can mistake this plastic waste for food, leading to internal injuries and even death. Additionally, plastic can entangle marine animals, restricting their movement, causing starvation, and making them more vulnerable to predators.
By refusing to buy individually wrapped items or single-serve containers, you directly reduce the demand for single-use plastic products. This reduced demand will, in turn, decrease the amount of plastic produced and ultimately lessen the amount of plastic that pollutes our oceans. This simple action can have a significant impact on reducing plastic waste and protecting marine life.
Instead of purchasing individually wrapped items, buy items in bulk and use reusable containers for storage. Opt for reusable water bottles instead of buying bottled water, and bring your own bags when shopping to avoid using plastic bags. These small changes in your consumption habits can make a substantial difference in the fight against plastic pollution and its impact on sea animals.
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Reduce, remove, rescue, and recycle plastic waste
Reduce
The first step to reducing plastic waste is to cut down on the amount of plastic we use in our daily lives. This can be achieved by avoiding single-use plastic products, such as plastic straws, bottles, bags, and packaging. Instead, opt for reusable alternatives, such as metal straws, bottles, and bags made from sustainable materials. Buying items in bulk and avoiding individually wrapped items can also help reduce plastic consumption.
Remove
Removing plastic waste from the ocean and our local communities is crucial. Volunteering for beach clean-ups or joining organisations like World Animal Protection, which hosts volunteer beach cleans, is a great way to actively remove plastic waste from the ocean and save marine animals. Additionally, properly disposing of plastic waste and recycling it whenever possible ensures that plastic doesn't end up in the ocean or harm marine life.
Rescue
Rescuing marine animals from plastic entanglement and ingestion is a critical aspect of saving them from plastic waste. Organisations like The Marine Mammal Center have specially trained teams that rescue and provide veterinary care for marine mammals affected by plastic pollution. Supporting such organisations and rescue initiatives helps ensure that entangled or injured marine animals receive the necessary treatment and care.
Recycle
Recycling plastic waste is essential to keeping it out of the ocean and away from marine animals. When plastic is recycled, it is given a new lease of life, reducing the need for virgin plastic production. Some swimwear brands are now making swimwear out of ECONYL, a fabric made from recycled fishing nets, offering consumers an eco-friendly alternative. Additionally, reusing packaging materials or finding local businesses that can reuse them for shipping can help recycle plastic and prevent unnecessary waste.
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Support organisations that tackle plastic pollution
There are several organisations working to tackle plastic pollution and save sea animals. Here are some initiatives you can support:
The Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organisation with the ambitious goal of removing 90% of plastic from the oceans by 2040. They develop and scale technologies to rid the oceans of plastic and have been working on this mission for over ten years. Their dual strategy involves intercepting plastic in rivers and cleaning up the plastic that has already accumulated in the ocean. You can subscribe to their mailing list to stay updated on their progress and learn about ways to get involved.
World Animal Protection
World Animal Protection is an organisation working to protect sea animals from "ghost gear" – lost, discarded, and abandoned fishing gear that makes up about 10% of all marine litter and is the biggest threat to sea animals. They have a four-step approach: reduce, remove, rescue, and recycle. You can support their efforts by joining their volunteer beach clean-ups along the east coast of Australia or by following their other recommendations to save the ocean and its animals.
Center for Biological Diversity
The Center for Biological Diversity is a 501(c)(3) registered charitable organisation. While they work on various campaigns, including ocean acidification, coral conservation, and the endangered species act, they also have a specific focus on tackling ocean plastic pollution. They have petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate plastics as a pollutant and aim to stop plastic pollution before it reaches the ocean. You can support their work by donating or joining their e-network.
Surfrider Foundation, Pierce Conservation District, and Parks Tacoma
These organisations have partnered with Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium to support Ocean-Friendly Restaurants in Tacoma and beyond. By eliminating plastic bags and straws, local restaurants can positively impact the ocean and inspire their customers to do the same.
Remember, by supporting these organisations and their initiatives, you are playing a crucial role in tackling plastic pollution and saving sea animals.
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Educate others about plastic pollution and recycling
Education is a powerful tool to combat plastic pollution and save sea animals from ingesting or getting entangled in plastic waste. Here are some ways to educate others about plastic pollution and recycling:
School Initiatives
Schools can play a significant role in raising awareness about plastic pollution and promoting recycling practices. Teachers can incorporate lessons or projects that educate students about the environmental impact of plastic pollution, specifically its harmful effects on marine life. For instance, students can be asked to create posters or presentations showcasing the benefits of plastic and its potential environmental harms. They can also examine the pros and cons of different packaging strategies and suggest eco-friendly alternatives. Schools can also organize plastic-free events like a plastic-free lunch day or a carnival, encouraging students to bring waste-free meals and choose plastic-free options.
Beach Cleanups and Data Collection
Organizing or participating in beach cleanups is an excellent way to educate through experience. Students can collect litter on school grounds, in local neighborhoods, or at beaches, tallying the different types of single-use plastics collected and determining how much can be recycled. This hands-on approach allows students to witness the extent of plastic pollution and encourages them to reflect on ways to reduce plastic waste. They can also record cleanup data on apps like Clean Swell to support ocean trash research.
Community Education
Educating local communities about plastic pollution and proper waste management is vital, especially in areas where waste management is lacking, such as some Southeast Asian countries and regions outside urban areas in Vietnam and Cambodia. Community education can focus on the visible and immediate impacts of plastic pollution on their environment and health. For instance, explaining how dumped waste can accumulate to unmanageable levels, leak into households, and cause sickness due to chemical leakage. This empowers communities to take ownership of the problem and make behavior changes to reduce plastic waste and improve waste management practices.
Corporate Responsibility
Educating corporate partners about their responsibility in addressing plastic pollution is also essential. Companies should be encouraged to take accountability for the plastic waste associated with their products, including "orphan plastic," which is often ignored. By involving corporations in educational campaigns, they can work towards improving recycling methods and addressing plastic pollution holistically.
Spread Awareness through Media
Students and community members can use social media platforms and local media outlets to spread awareness about plastic pollution and recycling. Older students can write press releases for local newspapers or school newsletters, detailing their experiences with neighborhood cleanups and reflecting on the impact of plastic pollution. Sharing before-and-after cleanup photos or infographics about plastic pollution facts can also help educate a broader audience about the issue.
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Frequently asked questions
Marine animals like whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals, sea birds, fish, and turtles are harmed by plastics when they ingest them or get entangled.
Plastic enters the ocean from storm drains, litter, landfills, and recycling stations. 80% of ocean trash starts on land.
You can reduce your plastic consumption by avoiding single-use plastics and buying items in bulk. You can also volunteer for beach cleanups and support organizations working to protect sea animals from plastic pollution.
Ghost gear is a term for lost, discarded, or abandoned fishing gear, such as ropes, nets, and pots, that entangle and trap marine life, from large whales to small crabs. It is considered the biggest threat to sea animals, with an estimated 300,000 whales, dolphins, and porpoises dying from entanglement each year.
Plastic disrupts the natural cycle of renewal in ecosystems as it does not biodegrade. Once in the ocean, plastic can be carried by waves and storms, accumulating in gyres or embedding itself in shorelines and coastal ecosystems. It breaks down into smaller pieces, known as microplastics, which are ingested by marine animals and absorb toxins, threatening their health and impacting the food chain.
