The issue of the death occurring in the oceans around the world continues to increase as humans deplete the resources on earth. We’re a selfish species that continues to hurt the sea life, coral reefs, and the water that we depend on. The amount of garbage that floats around in the ocean is causing death among several forms of sea life. It raises concerns to the alarming rate of depletion of a source in which millions of humans and animals depend on.
The most frustrating part about watching animals suffer is that it is all preventable.
Instead of throwing away plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and cardboard boxes, take them to the recycling center. Instead of tossing plastic bags in the trash, take them to your local grocery store and recycle them there. Most major stores such as Target and Walmart have specific areas where they take plastic items. The less items that are thrown in the trash, the less items there are to end up in a landfill and eventually in the ocean.
The same trash that is thrown away is the same trash that a jellyfish mistakes for food or a dolphin gets wrapped up in.
If the sea life dissolves completely, we will not only lose a food source but the ocean becomes just another part of land used for dumping waste and floating debris. Just because we are the dominant species does not mean we have a right to kill off every other living animal in the ocean with our pollution and waste. If the ocean dies, so do we.
While the earth becomes more populated, the ocean waters are also rising, warming, and becoming toxic. The amount of pollution from numerous sources continues to fill the ocean waters and beaches. Items made of Styrofoam and plastic are toxic for the ocean, as sea animals think the debris is food and ingest the harmful objects, or they get tangled in the trash and are unable to get free, both eventually causing death.
Sea turtles, sea lions, and marine bird life often get caught in plastic rings that strangle them, or leave life altering scars in their neck, which make it difficult or even impossible to remove without killing the animal. Currently, only 3% of the world’s oceans are protected in implemented and actively managed marine protected areas, and of that only 1% of the ocean is strongly protected in no-take marine reserves.
We need a solution to help people become more aware that their everyday items are contributing to the death of marine life. If you don’t recycle, you are part of the problem. Believe it or not, just one person’s actions can make a difference over their lifetime.