Drowning in Plastic It’s hard to imagine life without plastic. It’s everywhere: covering our food, holding our purchases, protecting our loved ones, saving patients in hospitals and floating along our waterways and oceans. The thought of living in a world surrounded by toxic chemicals and pollution is a thought which many would rather not think about. Plastics have revolutionised the world in which we live, but with dire consequences. 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.
The largest human cause of dead zones is nutrient run off from abundant use of fertilizers, animal waste and sewage. The runoff is a bi-product of our agribusiness, farming practices and growing population. Before immense land development the wetlands acted as a natural barrier and filter. The runoff would be depleted in the soil by the plants before it could reach the rivers and ocean. Human commercial activity and land development have destroyed the natural shield of the wetlands.
They claim that this has been going on for 30 years. PCB’s are very dangerous. It is said that some of the fish were deformed or adnomoral. PCB's can be very harmful to humans, especially pregnant woman. If pregnant woman eat a large amount of contaminated fish from the Hudson River their children are more likely to be born with birth defects.
Factories create equipment that destroys species in the ocean. When these species are destroyed the food chain is ruined and this threatens the ocean. Over Fishing is also harming the ocean. Entire populations of fish are being killed. Over fishing occurs when there are more fish caught than fish in the ocean to sustain fish stock.
2. Do background research – Utilizing at least one scholarly source, describe how variations in dissolved oxygen content in a body of water can affect fish populations. Answer = “Oxygen depletions are the most common cause of fish kills in ponds. (Aquaplant, 2014).” Based on my observation of the chart and what I read, the higher the dissolved oxygen levels the number of fish drops. Dissolved oxygen levels can also cause fish to suffocate and be more susceptible to diseases.
These fish pose a significant threat to the great lakes due to their large size and feeding habits. The bighead carp consume vast amounts of food and quickly dominate a water body. The Asian Carp were imported around the nineteen seventies and were used for aquaculture operations. Although some believe that the Asian Carp should be kept alive because they are rich in omega-3s and are now being served in restaurants, Asian carp should be removed or eliminated completely from the great lakes because they will decimate the billion dollar fishing industry in the Great Lakes, and permanently damage the ecosystem. Some believe that the Asian Carp should be kept alive because of their nutritional value and their recent emergence in restaurants.
In the more recent years, fishermen have discovered ways of fishing that give the fish no chance of survival. Computer monitors seek out the location of schools of fish, giving the fish no place to hide. Huge nets called dredges are lowered into the water and then “drag[ged] across large areas of seafloor to catch fish that live on or near the ocean floor” (Oceana, 2010). By destroying
Oil spills have a number of effects on the environment and economy. On a basic level, oil will damage waterways, marine life and plants and animals on the land. An oil spill can also ruin the infrastructure and economy of a particular area with the long-term effects being felt for generations. Cleaning an oil spill is very expensive and the costs get spread to government agencies, non-profits, and the oil transport company itself. There is no set science for an oil spill clean-up.
There are many people that are always ill because of not getting purified water like us especially in Africa recent studies show that only forty six percent of African people get clean water. By not drinking clean water people can get many problems that lead to death like diarrhea, animals are also a being victim to contaminated water with our fault. Water purifying means that removing any unsafe substance from the specific type of water. Water contamination is caused by many ways but the most important cause is us, most of the contamination is caused by poor sewage system that may lead to chemical contamination and this may contaminate streams and rivers that people drink. To purify polluted water we may use different type of methods according to the pollutants entered in the water.
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.