Daniel Workman

4/1/19
English 2010
Persuasion Effect

“Solutions for Ocean Pollution.” Lovetoknow.com, greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Solutions_for_Ocean_Pollution.

Ocean pollution
Cleaning the oceans of man-made waste is the very last thing we need to do. The very
last. If a faucet is running and overflowing a sink, you wouldn’t run to grab a mop and bucket.
The first thing you would do is stop the incoming flow of water. So why are we not doing the
same thing when it comes to pollution? There is no point of cleaning the oceans of contaminants
if we are going to continue to pollute it. Ocean pollution is increasing every day at an alarming
rate. We can avoid such pollution if we would watch how much we waste and look for ways to
improve.

Renner, Rebecca. “TRASH ISLANDS ARE STILL TAKING OVER THE OCEANS AT AN ALARMING RATE.” Psmag.com,
psmag.com/environment/trash-islands-taking-over-oceans.

Ocean pollution is a much worse situation than most of us realize. There is a collection of
trash in the Pacific Ocean, between California and Hawaii, the size of the state of Texas known
 Daniel Workman
4/1/19
English 2010
Persuasion Effect

as The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Now, this isn’t a giant pile of trash its more of a cloudy
soup that reaches from the surface to about 3 meters below the surface, most of which is
recyclable plastic. It is estimated that 70% of trash sinks to the ocean floor. So how much is on
the ocean floor? Not only is this a giant eye soar but it is killing marine life. It is estimated that
79,000 tons of this patch are fishing nets (National).

Reisser, Juilia. “SEA TURTLES AND THE REAL IMPACT OF PLASTIC POLLUTION.” Particle.org, particle.scitech.org.au/podcast/sea-
turtles-and-the-real-impact-of-plastic-pollution/.

Marine life mistakes this garbage for food and gets tangled in the mess. Plastic does not
provide any nutritional value and in some cases can cause organs to erupt. For example,
Albatrosses mistake plastic pellets for fish eggs and feed it to their young, which die of
starvation. Seals get tangled in nets and drown, a phenomenon known as Ghost Fishing.
Dumping our trash has an effect on the rest of the world (National).

“From Lethal Smog to Clean Air.” Chemistryworld.com, www.chemistryworld.com/sustainability/from-lethal-smog-to-clean-air/3009128.article.

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English 2010
Persuasion Effect

Physical dumping of garbage is not the only issue though. The more CO2 we emit on
land, the more CO2 the oceans absorb. Carbon dioxide dissolved in seawater causes seawater to
acidify (Global). With increased acidity it stunts the ability of shellfish and coral to build their
skeletons. It also effects the ability of algae to reproduce. A low level of algae effects the entire
marine food chain. This in turn has an effect on the shellfish industry. It has already led to
fisherman layoffs and price increases of shellfish (Ocean).
Plastic is one of the worst things for the environment. It is not naturally occurring and is
man-made. It has to be chemically manufactured in a lab. Plastic takes about 1,000 years to
decompose. In the decomposition process, it breaks down into smaller and smaller parts which
can have effects on other life. Most plastic is less dense than sea water so it will float, which
makes it easier to collect, but as it decomposes it loses its buoyancy and sinks in seawater. In
2009, 30 million tons of plastic waste was generated of which only 7% was recycled (Tips).

So, what can we do to counteract these changes?

1. Recycle

In recent years, major advancements have been made in plastic recycling. Take plastic
items such as food wrappers, drink bottles, and other packaging to recycling centers. The more
plastic that is recycled and reused the less plastic that has to be manufactured. The less plastic
that is manufactured the less plastic waste that ends up in the oceans.

2. Cut back on one-time use containers

One-time use containers are packaging this is used only 1 time. It includes food wrappers,
drink containers, straws, and other packaging. These items are by far the biggest contributors to
waste and, I think, the easiest to limit. Instead of buying a new cup every time you get a drink,
carry a reusable one. Stop using straws. If you like having a straw, get a reusable one made of a
durable material that can be used over and over again (4ocean).
Food wrappers and other packaging can be more difficult to reduce but there are a couple
ways. When eating out, take reusable containers for leftovers instead of the plastic or Styrofoam
ones they provide. Avoid purchasing products that have excessive packaging. It needs to be cut
open with a knife it’s too much. Carry metal cutlery when getting food to go instead of using
plastic ones (Tips).
Almost all one-time use items have a better alternative. Instead of using a plastic
toothbrush use one made of bamboo. It will last just as long but will biodegrade in 6 months
compared to 1,000 years. Buy a steel razor that will be reusable instead of plastic ones. Pack
meals in reusable glass containers instead of plastic. Glass will last longer and is all around better
(Denchak).

3. Plastic bags

Plastic bags are a major pollutant. Most are only used once before being thrown away.
Plastic bags can be reused or can be used in other means to reduce other waste. Personally, I
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4/1/19
English 2010
Persuasion Effect

reuse plastic bags to take my lunch to work. Heavy duty reusable bags are now sold at most
grocery stores at a low cost that can eliminate the need for plastic bags. If you don’t want to
carry bags with you every time you go shopping, paper bags are also an option that are better for
the environment.

4. Carpool

Carpooling has a wide range of benefits, mainly cutting down on traffic and CO2
emissions. Consolidating trips also helps. It also cuts down on fuel consumption so it saves you
money. The less CO2 in the air the less the ocean absorbs, not to mention the better all-around
air quality. Public transport is also an option, most major cities have a light rail system that can
take you from one end of the city to the other.

5. Hold each other responsible

The last tip and arguably the most important, hold each other responsible. When you see
someone not being environmentally conscious, say something. The only way we can make a
change for good is if we all work together. This includes businesses. If a business is unethically
dumping then we should not be buying their products. A business not making as many sales and
not people constantly be nagged will be motivated to change their ways.

In conclusion, the oceans are polluted with human garbage. But cleaning the ocean is the
last thing we need to do. There is no point in cleaning them when we are just going to pollute
them again because of our actions. It’s not just the physical garbage we dump it is also the
pollutants we release into the air. Together we can make a difference to end the pollution and
save the marine life. It’s all up to us so let’s make a difference!
 Daniel Workman
4/1/19
English 2010
Persuasion Effect

Sources
4ocean. “15 Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Use.” 4ocean, 4ocean.com/blogs/blog/15-ways-to-
reduce-your-plastic-use-4ocean?gclid=CjwKCAjwv6blBRBzEiwAihbM-
aBK5Jb1im62i9EXZ91naaNM39y9iR8nry3N0zCBHLGVIvZt3aEfKxoCB4wQAvD_Bw
E.
Denchak, Melissa. “Ocean Pollution: The Dirty Facts.” NRDC, 17 Jan. 2019,
www.nrdc.org/stories/ocean-pollution-dirty-facts.
“Global Ocean Is Absorbing More Carbon from Fossil Fuel Emissions.” Global Ocean Is
Absorbing More Carbon from Fossil Fuel Emissions | National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, www.noaa.gov/news/global-ocean-is-absorbing-more-
carbon-from-fossil-fuel-emissions.
National Geographic Society. “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” National Geographic Society, 9
Oct. 2012, www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/.
“Ocean Pollution.” Ocean Pollution | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts-education-resources/ocean-
pollution.
“Tips to Use Less Plastic.” Tips to Use Less Plastic - Green Education Foundation | GEF |
Sustainability Education,
www.greeneducationfoundation.org/nationalgreenweeksub/waste-reduction-tips/tips-to-
use-less-plastic.html.