More than “eight million tons of plastic ends up in the ocean every single year” according to “Plastic Oceans” (Plastic 1). The ocean is connected to human life more than most people realize which is why things should be done about it. Imagine looking forward to a day at the beach, traveling there only to see that the beach is closed due to the fact that there was a recent oil spill near the coast or having plastic all over the sand. It necessary that oceans are cleaned, preserved, and guarded due to the direct connection they have to human life and what the effect of pollution has on the growth and well being of marine ecosystems.
The oceanic food web is vital to life at sea and human life as well. It begins with plants trapping solar energy
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from the sun which zooplankton then eat, which are plankton of small animals. Fish in the ocean then eat zooplankton and seabirds eat those small fish. Larger fish also eat the smaller fish and then seals eat large fish which are eventually eaten by whales. This process is crucial to marine life and the ecosystem they live in. If anything were to change, their ecosystem and habitat could be changed forever. Seaweed and other plants in the ocean are crucial to humans because they create much of the oxygen we breathe. Seaweed is a type of algae that lack roots, so it is usually found on the surface of the water or not far under. Seaweed takes in carbon dioxide that humans exhale and releases oxygen that we inhale in a process called photosynthesis. Plastic is constantly being produced and used by humans and much of it ends up in the ocean. The US produces “300 million tons of plastic every single year” says “Plastic Oceans” (Plastic 1). which fifty percent of is one time use only, which means that after its one time purpose it is tossed in the trash or littered across the coast and beaches. Plastic is very cheap to make and is extremely versatile which is why it is so commonly known and used. According to the website “Plastic Oceans”, “More than one million plastic bags are used every minute” (Plastic 1). That is a huge number for the purpose of something that is used only once and creates many problems in marine life around the globe. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch contaminates the ocean and introduces plastic to bigger animals higher up in the food chain. The Great Pacific Garbage has been known around the world since 1997. It is 617,763 square miles, which totals up to be 79,000 tons of plastic and other non- biodegradable materials constantly floating and being eaten by marine life in the Pacific Ocean. Almost half of the weight of the large patch of garbage found in the Pacific is fishing nets, plastic buoys, plates, ropes and many more plastic items. The rest of the weight is made up by microplastics; which are small pieces of plastic that measure .2 inches or less that have been broken down from bigger pieces of plastic that were put into the ocean. These microplastics are then eaten by small fish which then work up the food chain and there they are eventually eaten by humans. Marine life is consuming more and more pollution found in the ocean at an extremely high and uncontrollable rate. The newspaper article, “The Future of the Pacific Ocean Hangs in the Balance” by Catherine Wilson says that, “Fish in the North Pacific Region are ingesting 12,000 to 24,000 tons of plastic every year” (Wilson 1). This is an enormous amount of plastic that they are eating, without knowing the extremely harmful effects it has. Sewage has also become a problem to marine life. Around the world, twenty -five percent of rural communities use open defecation which can end up directly in the sea that fish then eat. Fish and other animals then become sick and die because they cannot eat the pollutants that are being placed in the ocean. Oil has and continues to contaminate the ocean which causes many deaths to marine animals and plants which is why there should be restrictions in regards to how it is used in and around the ocean.
According to the magazine “Oil in the Sea” by Nancy Rabalais “Seventy-five million gallons of oil end up in the ocean every year” (Rabalais 1). When oil reaches the ocean, it is extremely difficult to clean and remains in the ocean for long extended periods of time. It gets into the ocean in many different ways so as of now it is hard to control and stop it. Oil in the ocean comes from human activity and cracks in the ocean floor. According to Joeli Veitayaki, Associate Professor and Head of the School of Marine Studies who has his PhD in Environment and Development says, “Waste oil from some commercial operators is being disposed of in environmentally damaging ways that cause irreparable damage” (3). This shows that oil is being used irresponsibly and should have restrictions on its uses in the ocean to help prevent more marine deaths from happening. When oil miners look for oil, they fire soundwaves at the bottom of the ocean which causes hearing damage and death to marine life. To help save marine life, restrictions should be put on how oil is used in and around the …show more content…
ocean. Pollution in the ocean is caused by many different things and can last in the ocean for a long time. Chemicals can be a huge cause of pollution in the ocean. For example, lead, mercury and phosphates can all end up in the ocean and have negative effects on marine life. According to The Silent Deep by Tony Koslow, mercury is “ … lipid- soluble, magnified through the food chain, and builds up over time in long- lived organisms” (Koslow 152). Mercury exposure can cause Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease to humans. Fertilizer, petroleum, and pesticides are collected in runoff from overflowing water which then make their into the oceans and have detrimental effects on the habitat. Littering is also a substantial portion of pollution found in the ocean. In some parts of the ocean, the amount of plastic found is almost ten times higher than the amount of plankton in that area. Exposure to litter and other oceanic pollutants can cause stomach and hormonal problems, nervous system damage, and rashes all over the body. The book Oceans by Stephen Hutchinson and Lawrence Hawkins says that steel can take up to fifty years to rust away and aluminum may take 200 years to dissolve (Hawkins and Hutchinson 272). This shows how long fish and other animals are exposed to the dangerous pollutants that are found in the ocean. Overfishing has become a major problem for the ocean and it should be regulated to help stop future problems from occurring. Overfishing occurs when more fish are caught than what the population can replenish in a certain amount of time. According to the website “World Wildlife Fund”, “30% of the world’s fisheries have been pushed beyond their biological limits and are in need of strict management” (Overfishing 1). This shows that regulations need to be placed to help stop fisheries from overfishing before the problem gets too far as to that the world cannot do anything about it any longer because of the extensive damages. Over the past fifty years the demand for fish has gone up and has pushed fish stocks over the edge. This practice can endanger mammals, birds, and many animals in the sea. In the event that fishing in the ocean is regulated, the regulations have the ability to help stop many future problems that are on their way. Overfishing can increase small fish at the bottom of the food chain which then also increases the amount of algae. It additionally threatens food security in countries where fish is a major source of food and protein. As overfishing continues to minimize the population of bigger fish in the ocean, it can change marine ecosystems and habitats which removes top predators which can lead to many more negative impacts on marine life. Even after hearing why humans should focus more on the ocean, many people still believe that the money that would go towards cleaning, preserving, and guarding the oceans should go to other things that are more prevalent to human life since the cost of doing those things to the oceans would be very high.
According to “Office of Response and Restoration” it is estimated that “ … it would cost between $122 million and $489 million for the year” (How Much Would It Cost 1) to begin cleaning the ocean. In spite of the fact that it is a lot of money every year, it should be spent on oceans because oceans are directly related to human life even if people do not think that is the case.
The ocean does much more for humans than most people originally think. For example, when whales come to the surface of the ocean, they stir up the water which new and more phytoplankton to come to the surface of the water which helps create more oxygen for humans to breathe. It not only produces much of the air humans breathe, but also the quality of air. The ocean is also apart of many peoples cultures and heritages which is why it is important for everyone to do their part in helping keep the oceans in good
condition. Oceanic and human life are directly related to each other which is why it is so important to keep them in good health. In fact, seventy percent of oxygen that humans breathe us produced by marine plants and thirty percent of the carbon dioxide that we breathe out is absorbed by the oceans which then gives us more oxygen. Also, ninety- seven percent of Earth’s water is all located in the ocean. Almost two billion people around the world rely on seafood and other things found from the ocean to survive. Even though the ocean is in great danger if humans do not act soon, it is not too late to help. Many solutions to the detrimental problems that the oceans are facing are being created. Many people are trying to come up with cheap ideas to get the oceans to a good and healthy state. For example Ocean Cleanup is developing floating barriers with screens underwater to capture plastics which can then be taken out of the ocean. It is presumed to collect five tons of debris every month. Boyan Slat, CEO of Ocean Cleanup says that, “The oceanic currents moving around is not an obstacle,it’s a solution. Why move through the oceans if the oceans can move through you? … Let the rotating currents do their work” (1). People around the world are trying to come up with ways to let the ocean help itself and use currents to push the plastic into the net. There are many ways to help stop the problem from getting worse and Dr. Clare Steele, a California marine ecologist says that “We need to reduce waste and come up with new, biodegradable alternatives to plastic. But one of the easiest steps is changing the way we use and discard the ephemeral plastic products” (4). Although not everyone can go out and create a new way or idea to help the oceans, everyone can help plastic from getting in the ocean in the first place.
Which means their obviously bad for the aquatic marine life environment & are cause many different forms of damage for them & us as one. On p.g. 23 of The New York Times upfront magazine “Birds,fish, sea turtles, & others are getting tangled in plastic bags or mistake them for food & choke”. Someone else might argue that they could the plastic bags in landfills instead of oceans. But that counter- argument is flawed because you’re just polluting by burning plastic which is bad on our part we’re not doing our part to support & taking care of the earth. Plastic in the ocean isn't just bad for plants & animals but for humans too because of the food chain some of us eat animals as a meat source such as aqua marine life like fish. If the fishermen catch fish that have been eating plastic then it's in our food supply if we eat that fish it's gonna be bad for us so many will end up getting sick from the plastic inside of the fish then what will we do our aqua marine food supply will go down the drain we couldn’t eat the fish since it's basically contaminated with plastic that we’re dumping there instead of trying to fix it & getting rid of plastic bags for good for the good of the earth. We’re causing damage towards the earth by dumping all that plastic into the ocean which damages our water supply it’ll poison us although we clean the water it depends on how big the plastic particles are, it’ll make us sick & sense it’s been lying in the oceans could bring in new pathogens &
Oil provides us with many necessities in our lives. Cosmetics, medicines, cleaning products, asphalt, food, plastic, and most importantly, petroleum. But of course, nothing comes without a price. The oil that makes our lives so much more convenient, is also ironically gradually killing the environment, this very Earth that we live in. One of the biggest environmental concerns come from oil spills. Oil spill is defined as “ the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution.” Let’s look at some examples of these oil spills.
Usually, if there is a problem, there is most likely a solution or something that helps fix the problem a bit. There is so many different ways to help, but i'm only going to give a few. Use public transportation or invest in a electric car or carpool. Buy some non-toxic ecofriendly fertilizer, update sewer and water treatment, recycle as much as possible, cut up the six pack rings, pick up litter, buy products with little to no plastic packaging, don't wear sunscreen, donate to organizations that help the ocean, don't buy products that are harmful to the ocean after use, ect. The ocean is so important to our culture ans society and helps us in many ways, we should keep the ocean as beautiful as it was before we started to pollute
We, as humans, need to take action, be accountable for our oceans and prevent the waste we produce from entering our waters. On a daily basis, thoughtless men, women, and children are polluting our waters and killing our marine life.
This pollution problem is so ubiquitous plastic can be found throughout the marine environment from coastlines to near shore lagoons to remote ocean hotspots where plastics caught up in marine currents. And gathered up into huge garbage patches that swirl
(“Any” 2014) However, people dump more garbage into the ocean than the number of fish they take out of the ocean (“We” 1942). This shows that there's a lot of trash in the ocean. We get to the conclusion that people are mostly causing pollution because of their laziness. Ocean pollution can create jobs for people who are employed.
Ocean Pollution is a serious issue in today's global politics. The delicate balance of Earth's ecosystem is put in jeopardy when the ocean is not clean. Problem evolving from ocean pollution directly harm marine life and indirectly affect human health and the Earth's many valuable resources. Ocean Pollution is a Broad term that encpompasses any and all foregin matter that directly or indirectly makes its way into the ocean. This includes everything from the extreme: oil spills, Toxic Waste dumping and industrial dumping-- to the small scael: human activities and basic carelessness. Because the oceans and all other water bodies are invariably, somehow connected, and because they account for 3/4 of the Earth's surface, they are an ideal method of transportation for pollution, allowing the rapid spread of seemingly far away toxins into a river near you! It is increasingly important that we educate ourselves as to what, exactly, ocean pollution is, so that we can identify the causes at their source and take action in small and large ways, and hopefully, prevent this terrible form of pollution from getting any worse than it is today.
The ocean is an abundant source of life. It is home to thousand of different creatures, provides a great source of food, and provides the earth with about one half of the oxygen needed to sustain life. (National Geographic) Pollution especially plastic, is a catastrophic problem. Ironically plastic, which is a material designed to last forever is generally used for things we tend to throw away. Every year about one hundred to two hundred billion pounds of plastic are manufactured. Only 31% of that plastic is actually recycled. Biomass packaging estimates 10% of that plastic ends up in the ocean annually. About 20% of it coming from ships and other platforms, and the other 80% coming from land derived sources, such as international garbage dumping, winds or tides either way it finds its way to the ocean.(Biomass Packaging Co., et al)
" Oil is the life blood of our modern industrial society. It fuels the machines and lubricates the wheels of the world’s production. But when that vital resource is out of control, it can destroy marine life and devastate the environment and economy of an entire region…. The plain facts are that the technology of oil-- its extraction, its transport, its refinery and use-- has outpaced laws to control that technology and prevent oil from polluting the environment…" (Max, 1969). Oil in its many forms has become one of the necessities of modern industrial life. Under control, and serving its intended purpose, oil is efficient, versatile, and productive. On the other hand, when oil becomes out of control, it can be one of the most devastating substances in the environment. When spilled in water, it spreads for miles around leaving a black memory behind (Stanley, 1969).
Picking up plastic, creating robots, and many other things can contribute to cleaning our oceans. Plastic is ruining the ocean by killing animals, plants, and polluting the water. Plastic and other things are causing animals and wildlife to rapidly deplete. Erosion and other things are also causing problems. Don’t believe me.
Millions and billions of tons of plastics are dumped, lost or making their way into the ocean. In 2016 it was estimated that 23 million metric tons of plastic waste entered the water system. Though this is a lot, this does not take into consideration non-plastic waste, marine debris, lost fishing gear and vessels. In recent years, we have been trying to create a resolution to the ocean dubbing problem that has risen from 5 billion to 10 billion. Industrial waste is one of the most unthought of contributors to water pollution.
Ocean exploration benefits humans because the global ocean supports human life. The ocean provides valuable assets to humans that help us live. Additionally, ocean exploration helps us gain knowledge about other sources and more about the ocean. If scientists keep exploring the ocean, life will have tons of valuable resources and knowledge. Scientists can explore the ocean easier with more expertise about the ocean and that can create advances in people’s lives
Oceans are such so vast that people underestimate the impact their actions —seeming so insignificant— have on them. Humans have by and large taken the oceans for granted; not considering how important a healthy ocean is to our survival. A popular mind-set is that the oceans are a bottomless supply of fish, natural resources, and an infinite waste dump. There are myriad reasons why the oceans should be saved and the most obvious one is marine life. With 71% of the Earth being covered by water, it is obvious that sea creatures are predominant form of life, making up 80% of the species of life on Earth. However, as important as marine life is, that is not the only reason why saving the oceans is crucial. The ocean floor provides natural resources such as, oil, natural gas, petroleum, minerals, medications, and ingredients for foods and products. The economic benefits of the oceans are huge and significant, as well. Fishing and fish products have provided employment to 38 million people and have generated about $124 billion in economic benefits. However, oceans are on the verge of crisis, marine life, natural resources, transportation, the economy, and important ingredients are at risk due to overfishing, pollution, and acidification. Thus, in this essay I will argue that, oceans are not impervious to human activity and threatening the health of the ocean threatens the health of humanity, since oceans key to our survival.
The extraction of oil onshore has been ongoing for several decades. Offshore oil extraction is a process that began decades after onshore exploration had begun. For many years, scientists and the oil companies were certain that the exploration and production of petroleum from deep-water formations would not incur any sort of environmental damages. Several decades later, scientists learned new information from monitoring programs and research studies that offshore drilling did cause effects on the health of benthic organisms and other marine fauna in the proximity of offshore platform rigs.
The ocean can serve man purposes things for many different people; as a school, a home, a park...