Table of Contents
1.0 The problem
We love plastic and use it every single day.
Reasons to this is because we know it as a cheap, versatile and durable
material, which are attractive qualities to us. There are several advantages
with plastic that can be compared to other substances. The material is
long-lasting and it is lightweight. Plastic can resemble glass and can look
equally beautiful as glass, except it does not have to be handled as carefully.
Plastic in form of helmets, cellphones and IV-bags at hospitals
are essentials to our lives and have molded our society into a safer place.
Plastic is however a substance the earth can
not digest. As commonly known, the increasing accumulation of plastic material
is dangerous to the world. It does not only affect wildlife and natural
habitants, but humans. 50 percent of plastic that we use, is thrown away after
being used once. The largest ocean garbage site in the world is called The Great Pacific Garbage
Patch and it is located in the
coast of California. This floating accumulation of plastic material is twice
the size of Texas, with plastic fragments outnumbering sea life six to one.
Enough plastic is used every year to circle the earth four times. This must be drastically changed now.
2.0 Consequences
Plastic affects
every being alive in some way. On every beach around the world you find washed
up plastic. Even the most remote places you encounter plastic. When the element
enters the ocean, it is difficult to clean up in an efficient way. Most of it
sinks to the bottom of the sea. Millions of tons of plastic seem to be
disappearing into the deep. Only 1 percent ends up as waste on the beach or
caught in the ice. Most types of the material never decompose entirely, but are
slowly broken down to tiny splinters. Some may be consumed by marine fauna,
accumulated or essentially ends up in ourselves. Over 663 species of marine
wild life are either suffering from ingestion and entanglement every year.
2.1 Consequences sea life
Marine creatures found entangled in
our plastic debris, becomes a more common prospect in the news every day.
Plastic waste that is found in the sea is often consumed by seabirds and marine
creatures. About 100 000 seals, whales, turtles and other animals are killed
every year due to plastic, according to the environmental group; Planet ark. A
million of seabirds also suffers a horrible death because of our plastic abuse.
Birds such as the now endangered Albatross, are feeding plastic pellets to
their young ones, because they mistake it as food. The chicks eventually die as
a result, causing the already endangered species to slowly vanish. Higher up in
the food chain, the predators appear. They are unwittingly consuming prey that
have consumed plastic, and they will also have problems processing it.
“Albatross, victim of plastic
ingestion”
(Unknown, 30.03.17)
A short while ago, a rare stranded
whale appeared in the news. The ill Cuvier's beaked whale was clearly in a
tremendous amount of pain and eventually had to be put asleep. During the
autopsy, the scientists were utterly shocked when they examined the mammal´s
stomach. About 30 plastic bags was retrieved followed by different sorts of
plastic debris. The plastic waste the whale had consumed came from all over the
world and had accumulated into a large mass inside the whale which clotted the
animal´s intestines. A situation like this is already common, but
environmentalists predict that occurrences such as this will double within a
few years. Our plastic bags look like jellyfish to whales which is a common
meal to them.
2.2 Effects humans and planet
Tiny plastic fragments called micro
beads are commonly found in toothpaste, facial scrubs and other toiletries. The
heart of the problem is this exact particle, however people are quite unaware
of this issue and risk. A single shower can cause over 100 000 microscopic
plastic particles entering the ocean. A tube of face wash can contain over 330000
bits of micro plastics. These pieces are slowly contaminating lakes with clean
water. Micro beads are so tiny, that they pass through the filtration and into
the water. Many sewage treatment facilities do not capture synthetic floating
particles at the size of under 0.5 mm. Therefore, billions of plastic micro
beads are flowing into our global waterways. Micro plastic particles attract
other pollutants in the environment including PCBs, flame-retardants and other
chemical substances. A single plastic particle can absorb 100000 times more
chemicals than the water around it. When consumed by fish that we later eat, we
are getting poisoned. The particles are found in oceanic gyres, gulfs, bays and
seas worldwide.
Illustration of plastic
accumulation.
2.3 Garbage continent
The great Pacific patch otherwise
known as the “garbage continent” is a vortex of aquatic debris located in the
North Pacific Ocean. The patch consists of debris, chemical sludge, and other
sorts of waste caused by humans. The material has been caught by the currents
of the North pacific gyre and accumulated into a mass. The area occupies a
large and relatively constant region of the North Pacific Ocean bound by the
North Pacific gyre. The gyre´s pattern is constantly rotating and draws waste.
As material are captured in the currents, the wind on the surface of the
currents are gradually moving floating waste into the center. This traps the
waste and forms an “island” of litter.
The waste will ultimately collide
with the coasts of Peru and Chile, a large chunk of our 8th
continent will eventually wash up to our shores and start piling up. You could
save a turtle´s life by simply using less plastic and make sure your garbage is
properly managed. Scientists are currently working on the project of removing
the mass. Different machines and submarines have been set to chart the mass so
we can learn how to attack the issue. They have not succeeded this mission yet.
Our rubbish from the land is polluting our oceans, trapping and choking
millions of fish and animals. We must keen our plastic trash out of our ocean
and save ocean life.
3.0 Reduction efforts and solution?
How can we rise above our greatest
pollution issue? There are ways to become more plastic free in our everyday. If
all unite, we can slowly take baby steps towards a greener earth. We must seek
alternatives to all plastic that we count on. Begin by refusing single-use
plastic equipment; plastic cutlery, straws, plastic bags and other disposable items.
Invest in a cloth bag to bring when you are shopping, to refuse plastic bags.
You can also request paper bags, that are broken down easier. Go for a metal
water bottle instead of multiple plastic ones, that will be used once and
thrown away after. In order to refuse plastic, you must also switch your
toiletries with brands that does not contain micro beads. There are various
brands that are aware of the risk and creates products that can help to solve
the issue.
Things that may seem like a
bagatelle could assist to clean up the earth. Like for example, give up your
gum. Chewing gum is made from synthetic polyvinyl, and you are not only chewing
plastic but toxic plastic. The plastic in gum contains a chemical that have
caused tumors in lab rats, that shows how dangerous the substance can be. And
if you are throwing your used gum on the ground, birds often mistake it as
food. The sticky surface of the plastic clogs the bird´s insides, and it
suffers a horrible death. Instead of plastic bags for your lunch, invest in a
food box. Instead of a lighter for your campfire, try using matches. There are
numerous ways to solve our extensive use of plastic. Try to include as many
people as possible to refuse and recycle plastic, rise awareness and inform
about the hazard.
4.0 Conclusion
To conclude one of the materials
that we rely on and use the most, is one of the substances that´s most dangerous
to us. The accumulation of plastic is one of the most central global issues. We
have allowed it to get to a point where garbage continents are formed, several
animals die due to our waste and if we don´t change something now, we will be
poisoned by our abuse. Plastic particles absorbs toxins like sponges, it is
feared that these toxins find their way to the food chain, and people are the
top of the food chain. Babies are born pre-polluted, and it may create fetal
disorders and defects once the baby is born. A simple face wash should not be
polluting our seas and eventually ourselves. Use as much recyclable material as
you are able to. Beat the micro bead. Save the planet step by step.
Sources and Citations
·
https://tv.nrk.no/program/KOID23004416/havet-og-plastmysteriet
, Oceans- Mystic of the Missing Plastic documentary.
