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Jason Dunham
English 101
Oceans in Peril: Crisis of the modern lifestyle

Coral reefs are being threatened by human activity around the planet. “Experts say that as

much as 60 to 75 percent of the world's coral reefs are in peril, threatened by blast fishing,

pollution, disease, and ocean warming” (Trivedi, Bijal). Some of the worlds most threatened

coral reefs are off the islands of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea

and are also some of the most diverse with as many as 600 species of coral (Trivedi). Mark

Spalding, a marine ecologist said that blast fishing, particularly common in Southeast Asia,

“turns reefs into ruble” (Trivedi) . The shockwave from the blast kills fish and tears apart reefs

(Trivedi). Damage to coral reefs can have sever consequences such as reducing biodiversity,

losing a natural barrier that protects islands from erosion, destroying valuable chemicals that

could be important for fighting diseases such as cancer, losing an important source of income for

poor people in developing countries that rely on ecotourism, and finally coral reefs are a monitor

for the health of ocean ecosystems. Saving the coral reefs will require a collaboration effort

between scientists, economists, activists, and governments to access the regional value of coral

reefs - both market and non-market values - to strengthen management efforts and effective

decision making. Conduct research about the ways that humans interact with coral reefs and

what the environmental and economical causes are. Finally research local conservation efforts to

determine there effectiveness of protecting the coral reefs, while still providing a reasonable

amount of income for the local populations that rely on them.

Another important ecological issue that threatens the health of ocean ecosystems is

pollution that is a direct result from cruise ships. Cruise ships have been described as “floating

cities” and there per capita population is worse than an actual city of the same size because of
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weak pollution laws, lax enforcement, and the difficulty of detecting pollution sources (Cruise

Ship). All cruise ships generate the following waste; grey water, sewage, hazardous waste, and

air pollution in similar quantities as a small city (Cruise Ship). A typical cruise ship on a one-

week voyage generates more than 50 tons of garbage, one million gallons of graywater (waste

water from sinks, showers, galleys, and laundry facilities), 210,000 gallons of sewage, and

35,000 gallons of oil-contaminated water (Cruise Ship). Unfortunately cruise ships sail some of

the most pristine wilderness and therefore the pollution they generate can cause serious damage

to the aquatic animals and plants in these regions. Since ocean organism did not evolve to deal

with the level of pollution that cruise ships generate a lot of the time the organisms die or are

severely damaged. Since there are week pollution laws and they are not fully enforced there are

many incidents of cruise ships violating pollution laws. The good news is that cruise ship

pollution is totally preventable. Cruise ship companies can reduce waste by installing wastewater

treatments systems aboard their vessels. Government agencies such as the EPA can require

stricter standard for air pollution. Governments can ban discharges of waste or require all waste

to be treated and monitored. Cruise ship passengers can help by asking cruise ship companies

tough questions about how they are monitoring their waste and making sure they are not putting

harmful pollution into the ocean.

Although cruise ships are a source of harmful waste another major problem affecting the

health of the oceans is plastic pollution. For most of human history the oceans have been used as

a dumping ground. The waste generated by industrial revolution factories often was disposed

into the oceans and although this was a harmful practice the amount of waste was minor

compared with the quantity of plastic that is pilling up on the ocean surface today. In fact the

problem of plastic pollution is so sever that when in 2001 the Algalita Marine Research
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Foundation lead by Captain Charles Moore conducted a survey to access the extend of the

problem they discovered an island of plastic covering an area of ocean approximately the size of

Texas (Johnson, Genevieve*). “Rivers of soda and water bottles, spray can tops, candy wrappers,

cigarette lighters, shopping bags, polypropylene fishing nets, buoys and unidentifiable,

miscellaneous fragments collected in a huge rotating mass of plastic pollution” (*) . Despite

living in an age of recycling only about 3.5% of plastic is recycled in any way around the globe.

Considering that 250 billion pounds of plastic pallets are produced annually to be used in various

plastic manufacturing products, the problem is astounding. (*) The problem with plastics in the

oceans is that aquatic life did not evolve to deal with this type of pollution. Plastics contain

chemicals that are toxic to fish and other wildlife. Today plastic debris is responsible for killing

off a widespread amount of marine wildlife including; turtles, birds, mammals, and fish, through

entanglement in plastic fragments and fishing gear. Animals such as turtles and birds become

prey to mistaking plastic as food and digest it, which can cause sever damage to their stomachs

and often leads to death. While the problem can sound very grim there are ways that consumers

can take action to prevent more plastic from contributing to the problem. Consumers can bring

their own bags to stores and if they forget their bags they can reuse plastic bags and recycle

them. Consumers can buy products in bulk which usually contains less packaging. The fast food

industry is notorious for generating large amounts of waste including plastic wrappers and

disposable fast food containers. While the United States is number one in annual plastic use with

176 lbs. per person, statics indicate that other parts of the world can also step up action: typical

annual plastic consumption in Europe is 132 lbs. per person. Developing countries such as India

are also part of the problem contributing 4.4 pound per person (Nomad, Kimberley). Luckily

counties such as China are realizing that they can cut down on their plastic bag consumption. The
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Plastic Bags Reduction Network group encouraged Chines shoppers to cut their plastic bag use

in half. “ "If we reduce plastic bag consumption by 50 percent for one week about 94 million,

equivalent to 450 tons of plastic bags, can be saved. This reduction would save two to four

million yuan in retail costs" ” (China Bans).

Although oil spills are different than plastic pollution both comes from similar sources

since plastic is made mostly from oil particles. Oil spills have caused some of the worst natural

disasters in the United States. An article published from BBC news on March 11, 2006 titled

“Alaska hit by ‘massive’ oil spill” stated that an oil spill discovered at Prudhoe Bay field is the

largest ever on Alaska’s North Slope region. The spill is estimated to have leaked 267,000

gallons (one million liters) of crude oil from a corroded transit pipeline at the state’s norther tip.

In 1989 the Exxon Valdez shipping disaster spilled 11 million gallons of oil (Alaska Hit** ...).

According to the article Alaska’s worst oil spills still occurred on March 24 1989 (**). The

Exxon tanker piloted by captain Joseph Hazelwood ran aground in Prince William Sound, near

Anchorage contaminating an estimated 1,300 miles of coastline (**). The BBC news said “The

spill killed an estimated 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 seals, 250 bald eagles, up to 22

Orca or killer whales, and an unknown number of salmon and herring. In 2004, a federal judge in

Alaska ordered Exxon to pay $6.75bn (£3.9bn) in damages and interest in relation to the

spill” (**). Obviously nobody would want an oil spill to happen but as long as there is a high

demand for oil accidents are going to occur. Some people have suggested that one solution to

shipping disasters is to require all oil tankers to have double halls, which would make the chance

of a spill occurring from a collision much less likely. Probably a more fool proof solution would

be to find alternative fuel sources such as solar and wind. Consumers can take action by

purchasing cars that use less fuel and by reducing the amount of miles they drive in a car.
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Utilizing public transit, riding a bike, and walking can help reduce the amount of oil

consumption. Honda recently debated the first commercially available hydrogen fuel cell vehicle

know as the Clarity. According to Honda the Clarity gets 68 milers per gallon. While there is

some disagreement about whether hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are really sustainable for the planet

there is one thing that is clear. In order to move away from the problems associated with oil such

as oil spills from tankers and pipelines bursting we need to find alternative ways to fuel our

society. Whether plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles, diesel electric hybrids, or hydrogen fuel cells

become the next mass power for automobiles, one of these drive trains will need to be developed

if our society plans to have the same quality of life that we enjoy today.

In the above paragraphs I have described several of the problems that human beings in

the 21st century face, specifically about the dilemma of dangerous levels in ocean pollution.

These problems cannot be wished away and with increasing population around the globe these

issues will only become more sever if we do not act now. As I have mentioned above the oceans

have become a “dumping ground” for waste products created by our modern lifestyle. Oil spills

plague our costliness, over fishing and bottle bombing to catch fish is rampant and (some argue

unethical), toxic chemical dumping is increasing, sewage from cruise ships and costal

populations are being dumped into pristine environments, and other types of problems are

causing damage world wide. Clearly the future looks grim. An article with the name “Oceans in

Peril” appeared in the Washington Post on January 23, 2006 and stated “All serious looks at the

issue [ocean pollution] have reached similar conclusions: that current human use of oceans is

unsustainable and that without dramatic changes in the ways the waters are exploited and

enjoyed, the seas will die out” But as Obama continues to remind us we must have hope.

Obviously change must occur but without the hope for a better future what is the motivation to
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create positive change. Human beings today need to continue to think critically about the ways

that we interact with our environment. Just as the environmental movement in the 70’s helped

create higher environmental standard which lead to improved air and water quality, the

population of today needs to challenge our governments, businesses, and ourself to uphold

higher environmental standards. Now longer is living green something that we should all strive

for it is something that we all most due in order for the world to enjoy the lifestyle that has taking

thousands of years to create.

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Works Cited

Best, Barbara, and Alan Bornbusch. Global Trade and Consumer Choices: Coral Reefs in Crisis.

2001 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 19

Feb.-Mar. 2001. 12 Mar. 2008 <http://www.aaas.org/international/africa/coralreefs/

index.shtml>.

"China Bans Free Plastic Bags." Environmental News Service. 10 Jan. 2008. Reuters/Dow Jones

Factiva, and KeepMedia. 18 Mar. 2008 <http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/

jan2008/2008-01-10-03.asp>.

"Cruise Ship Pollution." Surfrider Foundation. 13 Mar. 2008 <http://www.surfrider.org/a-z/

cruise.asp>.

Hunter, David, James Salzman, and Durwood Zaelke. International Environmental Law and

Policy. New York: Foundation P, 1998.

Johnson, Genevieve. "Voyage of the Odyssey." PBS.Org. 28 Apr. 2005. 09 Mar. 2008 <http://

www.pbs.org/odyssey/odyssey/20050428_log_transcript.html>.

Leahy, Stephen. "Drowning in an Ocean of Plastic." Wired. 06 May 2004. 11 Mar. 2008 <http://

www.pbs.org/odyssey/odyssey/20050428_log_transcript.html>.

Nomad, Kimberley. "Plastic Pollution: the Cows Eat It Too." Tree Hugger. 07 Mar. 2007. 18 Mar.

2008 <http://www.treehugger.com/>.

"Oceans in Peril." Washington Post 23 Jan. 2006. 18 Mar. 2008 <http://

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/22/AR2006012200778.html>.

"Pollution." Human Impact on the Great Barrier Reef. 08 Mar. 2008 <http://sitemaker.umich.edu/

gc2sec7labgroup3/pollution>.
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"Safeguarding the Seas." Bluewater Networks. Friends of the Earth. 17 Mar. 2008 <http://

www.bluewaternetwork.org/campaign_ss_ships.shtml>.

Trivedi, Bijal P. "Scientists Check Coral Reef Health From Above." National Geographic 10

Oct.-Nov. 2001. 17 Mar. 2008 <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/

2001/10/1003_TVcoral_2.html>.

Uebersax, Mary B. "Indecent Proposal: Cruise Ship Pollution in the Caribbean." Global Journal

of Practical Ecotourism. Aug. 1996. 12 Mar. 2008 <http://www.planeta.com/planeta/

96/0896cruise.html>.

Wells, Wynne A. "Why are Coral Reefs Important?" Newton: Ask a Scientist. Department of

Energy, United States. 08 Mar. 2008 <http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/bio99/

bio99276.htm>.