The Harmful Effects of Ocean Pollution and the Importance of Protecting Oceans

What is your perspective on marine pollution? When we protect our oceans we are protecting our future. Marine pollution is a harmful and is happening in the world today. According to the National Geographic… “There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean. Of that mass, 269,000 tons float on the top of the surface.” The oceans have suffered since the appearance of our early ancestors. Increasing human population also increased bacteria and diseases during the middle ages. By the early 1800s, people began to realize that unsanitary living conditions and water contamination was the cause of the disease epidemics. The Clean Air Act of 1990 set limits on pollutants and reduced the contamination in the water much less than 50 years ago (“Oceanservice”). Oceans cover two thirds of earth’s surface, and without the ocean, the human race would perish. Pollution affects the beauty and health of coastal land and waters. If the ocean becomes more polluted, many people will find it less appealing to visit the beaches. Property values will significantly decrease if the oceans become more polluted. Waterfront properties often rely on environmental and water conditions. Pollution is harmful to the ocean because it endangers marine life and ecosystems, there are types of pollution entering the ocean, and the food we eat is becoming contaminated.

First, pollution is harmful to oceans because it endangers marine life and ecosystems. According to Ocean Plastic & Sea Turtles… “Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales, and other marine mammals, and more than one million seabirds die each year from ocean pollution and ingestion of marine debris” (“Sea Turtles”). Over the last few decades, human activity has severely affected marine life. Oil has impacted coral reefs in a negative way, too. Coral reefs provide a habitat for many sea creatures, but they are being destroyed by the pollutants in the ocean. Coral reefs need clean and clear water to survive. When pollutants enter the water, they smother the coral reefs, speed the growth of algae, and lower the water’s quality. Also, clownfish are harder to find since pollution is harming the coral reefs and that’s what clownfish hide in for protection (“Biologicaldiversity”). Pollution can also have a serious effect on both sea turtles and the food they are eating. When pollution contaminates and kills marine life, it destroys feeding habitats for sea turtles. Sea turtles and other marine animals mistake plastics and other garbage as food such as jellyfish. This mistake causes digestive blockage and eventual death. Many people do not understand the effect that pollution has on marine life.

Furthermore, there types of pollution entering the ocean. Pesticides, oil, sewage, plastic, runoff, and Styrofoam are just a few things that have entered the ocean and polluted it. According to the US EPA… “Americans use more than 380 billion plastic bags and wraps each year. Only five percent of the bags used are ending up recycled.” Plastic entering the oceans are really harming the marine life. Also, around eighty percent of ocean pollution in coming from land. This is a result of runoff happening and entering the water. More than one-third of the shell- fish growing waters of the United States is affected by pollution. Each year, millions of dollars are spent to restore and protect damaged areas (“Oceanservice”). Oil industries are responsible for occasional oil spills and smaller leaks that occur on a regular basis. Oil leaks happen from boats and drilling rigs. Also, most people do not understand that when gasoline is burned, either by cars or other vehicles or engines, chemicals are being released. These chemicals are released into the air which then will eventually become rain that returns to the ocean becoming a pollutant. The manufacturing processes also releases harmful gases and liquids into the atmosphere on a daily basis. Manufacturing industries can pollute the ocean in many ways. The most common way is dumping the toxic waste directly into the ocean. These liquids can cause a raise in the ocean temperature which is known as thermal pollution and most ecosystems are wiped out by this rise in temperature. Acid rain has been known as a huge issue with ocean pollution. Chemicals being released into the air, and when condensed, fall with the rain. Farming and agriculture are also other pollutants in the ocean, When it rains, the toxic pesticides are then washed into the rivers and eventually end up into the ocean. Marie life then ingests these pollutants. Sewage is being dumped into ocean and it happens on a regular basis. The oceans are huge and can break down this liquid but it still causes effects on marine life. This includes water from laundry, toilets, and food preparation. Cleaning products and other household substances are ending up in the ocean from this (“Greenliving”). People need to take a stand a recycle some of these products.

In addition, the food we eat is becoming contaminated. Many people do not realize that what marine life are ingesting is ending up on our dinner table, at some point. If fish are ingesting the chemicals that are in the water, whenever we catch them for food, they have been contaminated by the pollutants and are now ending up in our bodies. According to cleanwater.org… “Plastic debris is polluting the human food chain. In 2008 Pacific Gyre voyage, Algalita researchers began finding that fish are ingesting plastic fragments and debris. Of the 672 fish caught during the voyage, 35% had ingested plastic pieces.” This goes to show that people have not realized that contaminating the ocean is a really harming the human race. We are just contaminating our food sources and harming marine life at the same time.

Many critics believe that ocean cleanup will not save our seas. They believe that recovering the plastic from the ocean is not an effective approach to deal with the pollution. Critics also believe that trying to capture the plastic from the ocean is just going to capture organisms. According to Ocean Plastic And Sea Turtles… The purple janthina snail, rafting barnacles, and jellyfish; millions are captured over time. Critics also say that the ocean recovery efforts are too late in the game to capture most of the trash. Also, critics state that it is not worth going after the micro plastic that is out there, now. However, studies show that reducing waste, and making sure only rain goes down the drain are helping to improve the pollution. Fortunately, there are many things we can do to make sure pollutants stay out of the ocean as long as we take action to start them.

“We know that when we protect our oceans we’re protecting our future” (Bill Clinton). The ocean is being polluted every day and its causes harm to marine life. Pollution is harmful to the ocean because it is endangering marine life and ecosystem’s. Many people do not understand the effect that pollution has on marine life. Also, the ocean is becoming polluted by many pollution forms. Pesticides, oil, sewage, plastic, runoff, and Styrofoam are just a few things that have entered the ocean and polluted it. Lastly, the food we eat is becoming contaminated, if fish are ingesting the chemicals that are in the water whenever we catch them for food they have been contaminated by the pollutants and are now ending up in our bodies. Many critics believe that ocean cleanup will not save our seas. If we do not put a stop to ocean pollution, marine life is going to become extinct and the ocean will no longer be a vacation spot for many to enjoy.

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