Let’s face it. Our planet is facing a crisis. The amount of trash this world produces is getting out of control. Not only are our lands in jeopardy but even our oceans are under attack by mounds and mounds of trash. Reducing packaging waste in oceans, in my opinion, starts at the company or manufacturer level. Consumers should be more conscientious by not buying any product in single use plastic containers. But if companies or manufacturers did not produce them then they would not be bought by the consumer.
Manufacturing single use plastics needs to be taken more seriously and seen as a threat to the very existence and survival of not only our oceans and their inhabitants but also as a threat to us, humans. We as consumers are poisoning the animals in our oceans which will cause extinctions of species, slowly but surely. Eating seafood will then become a thing of the past. Therefore, it is very important to consider that prevention needs to begin at the company level. Companies need to stop producing single use containers and swap them out with containers that can dissolve in soils as well as in water without damaging its surrounding area.
We as a community should all be supporting bans on these type of plastics in order to support the existence of our oceans and water ways. We need to pass legislation stopping all production and use of any type of plastic or product that does not meet the safety requirements we as human would place upon the dwellings we occupy. If we would not live amongst trash or asbestos or any other element that would harm our health, then why do we find it okay to let other living organisms to?
Lastly, I believe our way of saving the oceans is through education. People need to be educated repeatedly, on the what and the why of it all. I believe there are still many people that do not understand why using single use plastics are such a bad thing for oceans and land as well. I am sure many if not most people have heard about “saving the oceans”. But I do believe still many do not truly understand why it is so vital even for our own existence. Consistency and repetition is key, in this instance. It takes the brain seeing or hearing something 38 times for it to stick and remember. Therefore we need to continue efforts to educate repeatedly.
Essay by: Paulina Medina
Arizona State University