Pollution is one of the leading causes of death for animal populations’ in the ocean today. Plastic has been an alternative source for companies and businesses to utilize in their day-to-day operations for a long time in the modern world. However, are they truly using these resources to their disposal or are they carelessly throwing away plastic in the wrong bin? In recent years, we have seen sea animal population decreases along with a decline in sanitary water due to pollution. Why isn’t this problem more brought up in the media? Are organizations not bringing enough awareness towards the overwhelming decline in the animal population? These are the questions that need to be answered, in order for the human species to take care of our precious earth. Today, I will be discussing the reasons why sea animal endangerment has increased in recent years, why pollution and plastic are causing our oceans to be littered with filthy water, and providing creative solutions to solving the problem of plastic waste in oceans.
Sea animals have been a key factor in providing marine ecosystems with nutrients that help grow the ocean’s floor. However, with society’s increased need for harvesting aquatic animals for commodity trade , animal population in the oceans have declined among many species. An example of an endangered aquatic species is the Blue whale. These sea creatures have been hunted since the beginning of common trade and were commercially hunted for human products such as oil, soap, perfume, and cosmetics. Although, in 1966 they were recognized as a highly endangered species and laws were placed to protect Blue whales under the International Whaling Commission. Although these laws have defiantly impacted the Blue whale population, other factors such as climate change and pollution have brought down their population at a remarkable rate. As of the current date, the Blue whale population of the entire world is 11,000, and it will continue to dwindle for year to come. Pollution has entered the argument as to why populations have been declining for many aquatic species. Without Blue whales in our oceans, and more broadly sea animals, researchers will not have the data collecting abilities that they would have with live sea animals, which leads to medicines development to be disrupted tremendously. A way to decrease packaged waste that effects these sea animals is to pay attention to how much packaged plastic you use in your everyday life. By concentrating on packaged plastic consumption, we can analyze how to find alternative sources such as biodegradable packaging. By converting to biodegradable resources, we will prevent further damage to our ocean’s and help our sea animal population prosper.
An important aspect for ocean clean-up is protecting oxygen resources. Oxygen is the foundation for how humans’ function in their everyday lives. The ocean provides over half the world’s oxygen and needs to be protected at all costs. Without clean oceans, the human population will have to adapt to a toxic atmosphere. India has been engulfed in this battle as their Ganges River, which leads to the Indian Ocean, has been littered to the point that animals can’t even survive. The followers of Hinduism hold this river as a sacred site. In the Ganges River, they perform rituals where they burn bodies creating unsanitary waters. This is only a portion of India’s issues with pollution in the Ganges River. The river is treated as a sewage system due to drainage canals discharging millions of raw untreated garbage into the river. According to PBS, “Experts link pollution in the Ganga and other rivers to India’s high rate of waterborne illnesses, which kill an estimated 1.5 million children each year.” This quote displays how children and the human population are being affected. To improve the nation of India, efforts to sanitize the water are necessary. The prime minister, Narenda Modi, has put forth resources into a cleanup program that attempts to resolve the Ganges River problem. Narenda Modi’s cleanup program is excellent in concept, however, maintaining the integrity and effort among helpers is a difficult task. For such a big program, a plan needs to be implemented into protecting the river and oxygen levels for Indians. Firstly, landfills need to be developed in order to reduce the package waste in the Ganges River. Secondly, to solve the sewage problem, an inland plant needs to be created to rid the area of sewage. Then, certain areas of the river should be designated for the performance of Hindu rituals. Lastly, this will allow a filtration system in these areas to be constructed that will accumulate the waste and transfer it to the landfills.
We can partner with the Brita water filtration company to help bring awareness to damaged water systems across the oceans. We can start by gathering funding from communities around the world that are in need of a decrease in pollution. Then we can hire professionally water experts that are intrigued by the growth of our oceans. These experts can provide insight on what the general public can do for their community rivers to help prevent plastic waste in our oceans. As the general public becomes more aware of the initiative, we will see a decline in plastic waste in our oceans. However, to implement this plan large donations will be necessary to educate the entirety of the world and achieve our goal. This is why we will create an organization that works with the people to utilize the money to its full potential.
In the sense of preserving the environment, we must become adaptable to change by coming together as one to work towards eradicating plastic waste in oceans. We must be durable and practical in using more biodegradable products to lessen the impact of plastic waste. We must also integrate filtration systems to prevent the movement of waste into the ocean while also providing a space for religions to practice their rituals without interference. By creating an organization that brings attention to plastic waste in the oceans, we will be able to provide an education for the public that is necessary for our oceans to flourish. The ocean is a precious resource of energy for humans. By reducing plastic waste in the ocean, we can utilize what was given to us to our full capability.
Essay by: Moe Nishizawa
Arizona State University