Sea life has been threatened by the use of disposable plastic for years. The plastic that has been discarded into the ocean has killed and harmed many sea creatures. There are over 5 million plastics in the world’s ocean that continues to increase with time. These plastics are harming, not only the sea life, but humans’ drinking water as well.
The amount of plastic in the oceans are polluting our drinking water we put in water bottles, not giving us enough of the clean water we need. The effect of plastic is becoming a long-term problem; however, taking small steps makes a major difference, and the steps benefit not only sea life, but human health as well. Due to the fact that we eat some of these sea creatures that ingest these plastics and are unable to digest them, we now find ourselves consuming these plastics, harming our own health.
Plastic has negative effects on sea life and long-lasting consequences. Martins Ifijeh, the author of “Rising Threat to Marine Life,” which summarizes experts’ presentations at a Science Journalism Workshop in South Africa in 2017, provides detail on how problematic plastic is becoming. The amount of plastic in the oceans is alarming and increasing. A large number of marine mammals are lost every year. Some mammals are lost due to swallowing these plastic objects that they cannot break down in their digestive track. Other creatures are lost due to being strangled or developing a growth deformity from this consumption of plastic. Ifijeh writes:
‘The United Nation's [Environmental Program] believes there are over 5.25 million plastics in the world's ocean, weighing about 268,940 tones. A volume it said has led to over one million marine mammals being lost every year across the globe, with some either being entangled in plastic debris, leading to strangulation or growth deformity, or are killed due to the chemical breakdown in such plastics which they perhaps swallowed. They say the lifespan of these litters like plastic bags may be between 200 to 400 years, well outlasting the lifespan of aquatic habitats that often mistake them for food, hence causing blockage in their digestive systems, leading eventually to death. A plastic bottle is thought to take at least 450 years to fully break down.”
The amount of plastic that is already in our ocean and continues to expand shows how polluted our water is becoming. The death of marine life from this man-made product is an immense amount and is still growing each day.
Society can initiate small steps to start making a difference, not only to save sea life, but to improve human health as well. The author states that creating 100 percent recyclable plastic will prevent most of this problem. Adding screens over storm drains will catch litter and prevent the debris from going into the waters. This author also claims that these precautions will not only benefit the sea-life, but also the health of humans overall:
“The Algalita Marine Research Foundation suggests creating a 100 per cent recyclable and compostable grocery list, choosing paper, glass, or bio-plastic, and petitioning local councils to install screens over storm drains to help keep them free of debris. Reducing, reusing, and recycling, are ultimately considered to be the most important and effective catch-cries when taking a proactive approach towards protecting valuable sea-life, and in turn this care will also contribute to the health of humans' own future generations.”
I agree with the idea of making 100 percent reusable plastic to prevent a great deal of harmful debris. As effective as the screen over the storm drain may seem, we must think about the new challenges created by the screen. The trash screened from the drain can be used as fertilizer and once the screen is replaced it can be recycled. The idea that this strategy will improve human health overall can appeal to all readers and interest them in improving their health and their children’s health, as well as the health of sea-life. For example, because the water will be less polluted, humans can provide less toxic water for their children and themselves.
Changing the way plastic is made can just be the start to overcoming this problem to save sea life and human health as well. The idea of fixing this problem may not be easy, but will benefit the world over all.
Work Cited
"Rising Threat to Marine Life." This Day, Oct 02 2017, ProQuest. Web. 9 Oct. 2019.
https://search.proquest.com/docview/1944988280?accountid=13420
Plastic has negative effects on sea life and long-lasting consequences. Martins Ifijeh, the author of “Rising Threat to Marine Life,” which summarizes experts’ presentations at a Science Journalism Workshop in South Africa in 2017, provides detail on how problematic plastic is becoming. The amount of plastic in the oceans is alarming and increasing. A large number of marine mammals are lost every year. Some mammals are lost due to swallowing these plastic objects that they cannot break down in their digestive track. Other creatures are lost due to being strangled or developing a growth deformity from this consumption of plastic. Ifijeh writes:
‘The United Nation's [Environmental Program] believes there are over 5.25 million plastics in the world's ocean, weighing about 268,940 tones. A volume it said has led to over one million marine mammals being lost every year across the globe, with some either being entangled in plastic debris, leading to strangulation or growth deformity, or are killed due to the chemical breakdown in such plastics which they perhaps swallowed. They say the lifespan of these litters like plastic bags may be between 200 to 400 years, well outlasting the lifespan of aquatic habitats that often mistake them for food, hence causing blockage in their digestive systems, leading eventually to death. A plastic bottle is thought to take at least 450 years to fully break down.”
The amount of plastic that is already in our ocean and continues to expand shows how polluted our water is becoming. The death of marine life from this man-made product is an immense amount and is still growing each day.
Society can initiate small steps to start making a difference, not only to save sea life, but to improve human health as well. The author states that creating 100 percent recyclable plastic will prevent most of this problem. Adding screens over storm drains will catch litter and prevent the debris from going into the waters. This author also claims that these precautions will not only benefit the sea-life, but also the health of humans overall:
“The Algalita Marine Research Foundation suggests creating a 100 per cent recyclable and compostable grocery list, choosing paper, glass, or bio-plastic, and petitioning local councils to install screens over storm drains to help keep them free of debris. Reducing, reusing, and recycling, are ultimately considered to be the most important and effective catch-cries when taking a proactive approach towards protecting valuable sea-life, and in turn this care will also contribute to the health of humans' own future generations.”
I agree with the idea of making 100 percent reusable plastic to prevent a great deal of harmful debris. As effective as the screen over the storm drain may seem, we must think about the new challenges created by the screen. The trash screened from the drain can be used as fertilizer and once the screen is replaced it can be recycled. The idea that this strategy will improve human health overall can appeal to all readers and interest them in improving their health and their children’s health, as well as the health of sea-life. For example, because the water will be less polluted, humans can provide less toxic water for their children and themselves.
Changing the way plastic is made can just be the start to overcoming this problem to save sea life and human health as well. The idea of fixing this problem may not be easy, but will benefit the world over all.
Work Cited
"Rising Threat to Marine Life." This Day, Oct 02 2017, ProQuest. Web. 9 Oct. 2019.
https://search.proquest.com/docview/1944988280?accountid=13420
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