Hey there!
Welcome to Life Noggin!
You know when Mr.Beast asks you to make a video about the ocean, you’re not gonna
say no.
And since the whole team seas initiative is all about cleaning up plastic from the ocean,
i figured why not talk about how plastic is affecting the ocean.
Each year, the world produces 275 million metric tons of plastic waste.
And while only a small fraction of that makes its way into the ocean, it still amounts to
a whopping 8 million metric tons of plastic entering ocean waters each year, which is
equal to nearly 90 aircraft carriers.
To make matters worse, plastic doesn’t decompose.
One study published in 2019 found that most plastic found in deep waters was more than
15 years old.
And once in the ocean ecosystem, plastic waste can have a detrimental effect on the organisms
living there.
Plastic can have an impact on light penetration and oxygen exchange, altering the balance
in the ecosystem these animals depend on.
Animals can also become entangled in the debris, making it difficult for them to swim and causing
abrasions or cuts.
They can also eat pieces of plastic, which can obstruct their digestive system or cause
ulcers or ruptures to their gut.
Studies have found that fish along the United States’ West Coast eat over 12,000 tons
of plastic each year.
And these fish eventually make it to our plates.
One study found that 67% of fish sold in California contained plastic and fibrous debris.
While the health risks from eating these fish remains largely unknown, plastics are killing
many sea animals.
Every year, plastic waste kills over one million seabirds and over 100,000 marine mammals.
If you want to help prevent plastic pollution from harming sea life, avoid single-use plastics
if you can, recycle properly, hold corporations that are polluting the earth accountable,
participate in a beach or river clean-up, and support organizations that are doing the
same.
One group of engineers and scientists has been working to develop machines to clean
up floating plastic waste in the water.
These machines include interceptors installed in rivers that direct waste onto a conveyor
belt and into dumpsters, as well as boats that tow a catchment system across the ocean
surface to collect debris.
The group currently has three interceptors installed in rivers and are testing a new
large-scale ocean collection system.
All of this is pretty cool, and if you want to see more of it happen, you should definitely
support team seas, consider donating to Team Seas and maybe we’ll SEE less plastic in
the ocean.
So do you have a favorite sea creature that definitely needs to be protected?
Let me know in the comment section below.
As always, my name is Blocko, this has been Life Noggin, don’t forget to keep on thinking!