Plastic Pollution Solutions
Plastic accumulation in our oceans is quickly becoming a major problem. It is estimated that there is a total of 315 billion pounds of plastic circulating in the oceans. Most of that plastic lies in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a Texas-sized dump in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. With plastic production rising, measures need to be taken to limit the amount of plastic entering the ocean. Many steps can be taken to lessen our pollution and damage to the ocean. Numerous conservation groups suggest “thinking globally, acting locally,” meaning to clean up garbage and trash on your local beach and playing your part in the cleaning of our oceans. Other forms of lessening our impact to the ocean include limiting the production and use of plastic and littering less.
The easiest way to limit used plastic from entering our oceans is to litter less. It seems like a simple concept at first, but it is one that many cannot seem to grasp. Dropping a water bottle will affect the ecosystem, may even find its way to the ocean, and join millions of others in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The trash that is dropped can possibly enter the sewage system, which then consequently leads to the ocean. Once it exits the sewer, it can either enter ocean currents or wash up to shore. If it washes up to shore, there is always the possibility that it enters the ocean once again. If it enters the ocean’s currents, it is swept out to sea and contributes to the 315 billion pounds of plastic already lost at sea.
Another plausible solution is to “think globally, act locally.” This means that if you are worried about the environmental issue, you should begin solving it by taking action in your community. You can do this several ways. The easiest way would be to go to your local beach and pick up trash and garbage left behind by other people. This prevents the trash from entering the ocean and joining the other pollutants. We must keep in mind that every small effort can make a huge difference. Picking up the trash on the beach means the gyres of trash in the ocean will grow less. It also helps to get your community involved. It is an amazing fact to know the amount of people that are not aware of all of the trash entering the ocean. Therefore, the more people that are informed, the more people there will be helping and benefiting the cause. Community awareness is key.
There is one solution that would most likely solve the problem. If we limit the use and production of plastic, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch cannot grow as much. Currently, the Patch is growing exponentially. No garbage is being taken out, but more and more is being pumped in. Limiting the use and production of plastic will slow down this growth. It will also allow us time to go in and start cleaning up and rehabilitating the area. Articles regarding the Great Pacific Garbage Patch all describe the part of the ocean as soup: it is murky and so full you would not even recognize it to be the ocean.
Cities are beginning to ban the use of plastic bags due to the pollution. Most recently, Los Angeles city council banned the use of single use plastic bags from being used at stores. It is the first major city to put forth such an effort to lessen its plastic pollution. Many oppose this decision to ban the plastic bags, however. Those opposing claim that plastic bag users recycle them for various reasons, whether it be for lining trashcans or picking up animal droppings. The American Plastic Bag Alliance supports this claim, stating that 90% of Americans who use plastic bags recycle them. Either way you look at it, measures are being taken to lessen our impact on the environment.
Plastic makes a lasting impact of our environment. It endangers marine life and, surprisingly, even our life in negative ways. We use over 100 billion plastic bags a year alone. Remarkably, that statistic still does not account for our use of other plastic products which are thrown out and enter the ocean. Our carelessness for our environment is showing. Take the Great Pacific Garbage Patch for example. The Patch is two times the size of Texas, which the second largest American state. It is constantly fed more plastic that finds its way to the ocean currents. There are several measures we can take to slow its growth, and decrease the amount of pollution we contribute. If we clean up our beaches, limit the production and use of plastic, and litter less, we will be taking the right steps to cleaning the oceans. If we try to resolve the issue and put in all of our effort, then the issue can eventually be resolved.
Plastic accumulation in our oceans is quickly becoming a major problem. It is estimated that there is a total of 315 billion pounds of plastic circulating in the oceans. Most of that plastic lies in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a Texas-sized dump in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. With plastic production rising, measures need to be taken to limit the amount of plastic entering the ocean. Many steps can be taken to lessen our pollution and damage to the ocean. Numerous conservation groups suggest “thinking globally, acting locally,” meaning to clean up garbage and trash on your local beach and playing your part in the cleaning of our oceans. Other forms of lessening our impact to the ocean include limiting the production and use of plastic and littering less.
The easiest way to limit used plastic from entering our oceans is to litter less. It seems like a simple concept at first, but it is one that many cannot seem to grasp. Dropping a water bottle will affect the ecosystem, may even find its way to the ocean, and join millions of others in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The trash that is dropped can possibly enter the sewage system, which then consequently leads to the ocean. Once it exits the sewer, it can either enter ocean currents or wash up to shore. If it washes up to shore, there is always the possibility that it enters the ocean once again. If it enters the ocean’s currents, it is swept out to sea and contributes to the 315 billion pounds of plastic already lost at sea.
Another plausible solution is to “think globally, act locally.” This means that if you are worried about the environmental issue, you should begin solving it by taking action in your community. You can do this several ways. The easiest way would be to go to your local beach and pick up trash and garbage left behind by other people. This prevents the trash from entering the ocean and joining the other pollutants. We must keep in mind that every small effort can make a huge difference. Picking up the trash on the beach means the gyres of trash in the ocean will grow less. It also helps to get your community involved. It is an amazing fact to know the amount of people that are not aware of all of the trash entering the ocean. Therefore, the more people that are informed, the more people there will be helping and benefiting the cause. Community awareness is key.
There is one solution that would most likely solve the problem. If we limit the use and production of plastic, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch cannot grow as much. Currently, the Patch is growing exponentially. No garbage is being taken out, but more and more is being pumped in. Limiting the use and production of plastic will slow down this growth. It will also allow us time to go in and start cleaning up and rehabilitating the area. Articles regarding the Great Pacific Garbage Patch all describe the part of the ocean as soup: it is murky and so full you would not even recognize it to be the ocean.
Cities are beginning to ban the use of plastic bags due to the pollution. Most recently, Los Angeles city council banned the use of single use plastic bags from being used at stores. It is the first major city to put forth such an effort to lessen its plastic pollution. Many oppose this decision to ban the plastic bags, however. Those opposing claim that plastic bag users recycle them for various reasons, whether it be for lining trashcans or picking up animal droppings. The American Plastic Bag Alliance supports this claim, stating that 90% of Americans who use plastic bags recycle them. Either way you look at it, measures are being taken to lessen our impact on the environment.
Plastic makes a lasting impact of our environment. It endangers marine life and, surprisingly, even our life in negative ways. We use over 100 billion plastic bags a year alone. Remarkably, that statistic still does not account for our use of other plastic products which are thrown out and enter the ocean. Our carelessness for our environment is showing. Take the Great Pacific Garbage Patch for example. The Patch is two times the size of Texas, which the second largest American state. It is constantly fed more plastic that finds its way to the ocean currents. There are several measures we can take to slow its growth, and decrease the amount of pollution we contribute. If we clean up our beaches, limit the production and use of plastic, and litter less, we will be taking the right steps to cleaning the oceans. If we try to resolve the issue and put in all of our effort, then the issue can eventually be resolved.