What Are Marine Debris Affect Our Ocean?

The oceans need to be protected because it is where life began and if not taken care of, life as we know it will end. The well-being of the ocean is constantly being threatened and needs to stop. When dangerous substances go into the ocean, ecosystems suffer and become endangered along with the lives of people and marine life. The importance of protecting and preserving the quality and biodiversity of the world 's coasts must be recognized because they are truly irreplaceable. If humans are not educated , and become careless about what is thrown on the ground or sprayed on lawns, disastrous effects follow when it comes to the condition of the ocean’s ecosystems, which can endanger life itself, leading to a problem only we can correct. There is historical evidence of ocean pollution, although the problem still shadows us today.

Most people do not realize how marine animals have to tolerate with the ocean pollution. Their main focus is on how to get rid of pollution and do not put in account for the organisms that have to deal with it. We get food from the ocean, to be more exact nearly 200 billion pounds of fish and shellfish, we pull natural resources from it, such as salt, oil and metals, it provides transportation, and provides a great amount of oxygen. The ocean provides so many resources for us, being one of Earth’s most valuable resources,we should take better care of it.

The increase of trash, sewage, and toxic chemicals in our oceans are becoming very life-threatening to marine life. “The ocean covers over 72 percent of the planet’s surface and provides over 97 percent of the world’s water supply and over 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe” (Lonne, 2016).Our oceans and marine life are super important. We use both for a significant amount of things. “70% of the oxygen we breathe is produced by marine plants. 97% of the Earth’s water supply is contained in the ocean” (Lonne, 2016). Trash can only go to three places our earth, our oceans, and our air (Watson,2006).

Since the dawn of time, the existence and condition of the Earth’s oceans have been a major continuity throughout history. All seven seas serve as an extensive home to an estimated one million discovered species who rely on the ocean’s ecosystem to survive. As time progressed and the human race evolved, so did technology and industrialization. During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, industrial revolutions took place all over the planet, spreading new technology and ethics all throughout the world. Even though the rapid increase in mechanics and machinery seemed to be beneficial for humans, they were unaware of the repercussions industrialization had on the well-being of the oceans. New problems arose along with the amount of industrial activity. As factories began to become powered by coal rather than by water from nearby rivers, puffs of smoke rose into the air, leading to pollution. Mass production of goods caused an a plethora of excess product, leading to litter and waste being disposed into the ocean. Also, technologically advanced boats emerged with new untraditional methods of fishing that allowed fishermen to capture hundreds of fish at a time. Overall, major issues have arisen in the ocean due to human activity. The ocean is a crucial source of life for an abundance of life forms, however, factors such as global warming, pollution and overfishing are major contributors to habitat destruction and extinction of wildlife in marine environments.

As I look out at the beautiful ocean, the silky sand and gorgeous seashells lay underneath my feet. The blue waves crashing down onto the shore. The ocean is truly a beautiful sight to see. However, we are slowly ruining this beautiful thing because of the way we treat this planet, the ocean is extremely polluted and marine life is paying for it. A few of the ways mankind is damaging marine life is by heavy oil pollution, and exposing marine life to dangerous chemicals.

Oceans around the world are becoming more deadly as people fill them with nearly every type of man-made pollutant. They are turning into bathtubs; being filled with whatever the kids decide to toss in. Many refer to this issue as marine pollution or even ocean pollution. Ocean pollution is, “... the spreading of harmful substances such as oil, plastic, industrial and agricultural waste and chemical particles into the ocean” (qtd. from Rinkesh “Causes and Effects..” para. 1). No doubt, clean oceans are vital for every species on earth but man-made substances prevent the sea from being clean. Jacques Cousteau, a French explorer purposed, “Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans”

The ocean covers 70 percent of Earth’s surface, and is constantly being destroyed by humans every day. Coral reefs are dying, big marine life populations are becoming endangered and over fished, and plastic is polluting and killing sea life. Ninety-five percent of Earth’s ocean has yet to be explored and there is still so much life out there waiting to be discovered. Something needs to be done to protect and preserve the natural beauty and life of the ocean so it will live long enough for us to make those discoveries. The decline of large marine life from illegal fishing and overfishing, from bycatch and plastic pollution, and from global warming and excess carbon dioxide is all having a huge impact on the survival of the ocean, and on the survival of human kind. Now is the time to raise awareness and to start doing whatever we can to protect our ocean wildlife and the biodiversity of the ecosystem. We need to keep pollution out of our water ways, which all lead to the ocean, and we need to keep global warming at bay so our ocean can stay healthy and stay alive.

Oceans are such so vast that people underestimate the impact their actions —seeming so insignificant— have on them. Humans have by and large taken the oceans for granted; not considering how important a healthy ocean is to our survival. A popular mind-set is that the oceans are a bottomless supply of fish, natural resources, and an infinite waste dump. There are myriad reasons why the oceans should be saved and the most obvious one is marine life. With 71% of the Earth being covered by water, it is obvious that sea creatures are predominant form of life, making up 80% of the species of life on Earth. However, as important as marine life is, that is not the only reason why saving the oceans is crucial. The ocean floor provides natural

More than half of the people on earth live within 120 miles of the ocean (Handwerk). The human race depends on the ocean for income and food. It is imperative to preserve it by continuing the practice of ocean cleanup. This paper will be providing reasons for ocean cleanup such as: the creatures that dwell in the sea, what the ocean does for the human race, and how the ocean relates directly to climate change.

Pollution particularly in the form of anthropogenic debris is becoming increasingly important within the marine environment. Marine debris has been defined by Santos et al (2009) as ‘any manufactured or processes solid waste material that enters the marine environment from any source’. Marine debris is a recognizable sign of the impact human activities have upon the coastal environment (Taffs & Cullen, 2005). Marine debris is recognised as a significant pollution issue that has a range of environmental consequences. Marine debris is a global issue with impacts on marine organisms such as entanglement, ingestion and smothering, ecological and biological processes, aesthetics and local, regional and worldwide economies (Smith & Markic, 2013). Debris

Marine habitats throughout the world are severely affected by man-made items of debris and solid waste; marine debris contaminates the environment, as well as impacting the economy, and the safety of humans and their health. The extent of the impacts is dictated by the type of marine debris and the location of which it settles in the ocean; whether it be floating, submerged or within a delicate habitat. Marine debris can be viewed as any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material that is disposed of in the marine and coastal environment. While this definition delineates a very comprehensive array of materials, however the most common items usually involve plastic-polystyrene pieces, rope/cord/nets, cotton swabs, and light weight food packaging. Marine debris commonly arise from the shoreline and recreational activities, waterway activities, smoking, and dumping at sea. For example, fishing nets, plastic bags, and tires can sink to the ocean floor and break and smother coral reefs. Fishing line can float along the ocean surface and catch vessel propellers causing costly damage. A syringe can wash up on the beach and be stepped on by a beachgoer resulting in a wound and possibly an infection. Regardless of the type or the location of the marine debris, it can have serious impacts.

Did you know, that you encounter something that came from the ocean every single day? From the air we breathe, water we drink, and the variety of products we use daily, human life would not be possible without the ocean. This is why ocean pollution is so important and an issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. The majority of people seem to think that since the ocean is so large and vast, we can dump as much trash or waste as we 'd like into it without it ever effecting us. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Our oceans are diminishing rapidly, and we are only expediting the process with pollution. We depend on the ocean for many things in our life, and without it we would surely become extinct. Since the ocean is not only a

Oceans hold many natural resources that all species benefit from. It not only provides most of the food sources that benefit our planet, but it also produces more than half of the oxygen in the atmosphere and absorbs most of the carbon that is produced. Benefitting our environment with drinking water, food for organisms to eat, and oxygen to fill the ecosystem. Yet still, even with all the beneficial factors, the ocean gives us, humans still don’t find a way to take care of it. According to Protect Planet Ocean (2010), “The sheer number of people who use and depend on the ocean, and sometimes unwise practices we adopt,

Today’s oceans contain more pollution than they ever have before. With this increase in pollution it has effected the way marine animals live. From recent studies that have been conducted there is an estimated 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean (Duncan, et al., 2016). The amount of pollution that enters the ocean can be attributed to the fact that 85% of the debris comes from landfills and less than 7% of plastic is recycled around the world (Fardim, et al., 2016). The harm of such debris has been detrimental

The ocean is the largest ecosystem on the planet and plays a vital role in our environment. It covers 70% of the Earth’s surface and the 95% of the water on the planet and it is a massive part of the natural cycles that make this planet habitable. The ocean is not only dynamic and sensitive, but it is also severely impacted by our lifestyle choices. It regulates global temperatures, is the major carbon sink since it absorbs more carbon dioxide than it releases, provides a home for millions of plants and animals that make up various levels of the food chain, and so much more. Because of its immense appearance, it is frequently misinterpreted to be a stable and resilient environment unaffected by humans. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Oceans are resource given for us to use and benefit from, however, they need to be protected. They are the fountain of life for the planet and drastic changes to the makeup of the oceans could be detrimental to life as we know it.