The production of these toxic-filled substances continues to lead the human race on a path of natural destruction; with thousands of animal sea-life dying annually from plastic consumption. It's time we wake up to the fact that our oceans are in need of critical help. How did the plastic get into our oceans to begin with? The oceans are enormous but they are not infinite. Today, as in the past, oceans are being treated as giant disposal areas for all types of refuse (plastics, tins, bottles etc.)
October 9, 2012 “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” Today’s society is facing a big problem with pollution, probably when we talk about pollution you just think about air pollution. But Captain. Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The Pacific Garbage is an endless floating waste of plastic trash, that is killing many sea animals and underwater vegetation, but Captain Moore mission is to draw attention to the growing, and choking problem of plastic debris in our seas. The Great Pacific Patch stretch for hundreds of miles across the Pacific Ocean, basically the North part is forming a floating junkyard.
A spill in any of the deep sea areas would reduce the biodiversity of that area through reductions of bird populations, fish-stocks and populations of marine mammals. All of which are already under severe threat of over fishing and habitat disturbance without this imposed threat. Furthermore the contamination of coastal and coral ecosystems will all lead to to damage on the livelihoods of fishermen and people involved the local tourism. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been described as the worst environmental disaster in the United States, releasing about 4.9 million barrels of crude oil making it the largest accidental marine oil spill. Most of the impact of this was experienced by the marine species.
There are five main things that affect the ocean and harm it, Whaling, overfishing, factory fishing, global warming, and pollution. Every year the Japanese government kills mink whales. They kill at least eight hundred fifty of these whales. Factory fishing is also a major harm to the ocean. Factories create equipment that destroys species in the ocean.
Running head: Plastic Oceans 1 Plastic Oceans Ben Smith Oakland University PLASTIC OCEANS 2 Abstract The amount of plastic debris is a growing trend that is becoming increasingly more dangerous by the day. This plastic pollutes and kills innocent animals, and is and at the same time is broken down into tiny inconceivable amounts by photodegradation that are almost impossible to collect. 80% of this plastic comes from land, a source that we most likely can control, with the exception of weather and natural disasters. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is proof that plastic pollution is a growing epidemic and the ocean just continues to resurface the same plastic because of the currents in the gyres. This process begins polluting the ecosystem and harming the food chain from the toxins plastic absorbs and releases.
The large population centres near coasts has led to silting of reefs, pollution by nutrients that lead to algal growth that smothers the coral, and overfishing that has led to increase in number of predators that eat corals. Warming of the ocean causes corals to sicken and die. Even a rise of one degree in the average water
In this environmental disaster, 10 cubic meters of water and 4.5 million cubic meters of potentially toxic slurry were spilled into virtually untouched forest, lakes and rivers. If something like this happens at the Pebble Mine, then most of the fish and wildlife in Bristol Bay would be in danger of being killed. A species that would be greatly affected by this is the sockeye salmon. More than half of the world’s population of these fish lives in Bristol Bay. This means that the survival of this species would be threatened.
They lose their habitat and forced to move to new location; besides, many cannot survive the deforestation that destroys their homes. It is undeniable that deforestation itself has extreme effect on Global warming and hurts the air. Global warming means that air and ocean temperature is increasing. Greenhouse gases exist primarily because of human activity. Unfortunately, humans are the most polluting species on the planet.
The ocean dwellers are virtually helpless, and they will ultimately have to suffer the consequences that have been created mainly by humans. Over the past few years there has been a significant change in marine life. Coral reefs are becoming endangered due to high carbon dioxide levels and effects of warming. Large predators, small fish, and other organisms make their homes in coral reefs. A process called mass bleaching has also become a danger to coral reefs.
During human’s 200,000 year existence on earth, this species has managed to completely undermine the ecosystem of the marine world by introducing alien species to a certain habitat, destroying marine habitats, over-harvesting fish, and polluting the waters. Often people knowingly, and unknowing introduce new species into an ecosystem in which these animals have no natural enemies. They compete with native wildlife for food, space, shelter, water and threaten the existence of native species. When people began to travel freely around the world, they carried with them other organisms. Some of these transplanted organisms spread rapidly, decimating populations of native species.