This website is meant to inform people around the world especially young adults who will be part of the next generation that marine pollution is an issue that affects us all but we can help by donating or even taking a pledge
Oceans are the largest water bodies on the planet Earth. Over the last few decades, excessive human activities have severely affected marine life on the Earth’s oceans. Ocean pollution, also known as marine pollution, is the spreading of harmful substances such as oil, plastic, industrial and agricultural waste and chemical particles into the ocean. Since oceans provide the home to a wide variety of marine animals and plants, it is the responsibility of every citizen to play his or her part in making these oceans clean so that marine species can thrive for a longer period of time. (Source: https://prezi.com/5tov6l-odxjw/oceans-are-the-largest-water-bodies-on-the-planet-earth-ove/)
Effect: The ocean plays an essential role for life on earth. It provides over 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe and over 97 percent of the world’s water supply. Everyday, the ocean is under attack from natural sources and manmade pollution. Pollution does not only affect marine life and their environment, it also affects mankind.
Every day, toxic chemicals are entering our oceans. These toxic chemicals have either been dumped on purpose from industrial sources or naturally flow off land and directly into our rivers and streams, which eventually end up in our oceans.
Chemicals such as oil, mercury, lead, pesticides, and other heavy metals can all be found within the ocean and can contaminate water supplies and our food chain by affecting the marine life involved. If humans are exposed to these toxic chemicals for long periods of time, then this can result in dangerous health problems, which include hormonal issues, reproductive issues, and damage to our nervous systems and kidneys.
(RESOURCE https://www.planetaid.org/blog/how-ocean-pollution-affects-humans#:~:text=Pollution%20does%20not%20only%20affect,environment%2C%20it%20also%20affects%20mankind.&text=Chemicals%20such%20as%20oil%2C%20mercury,affecting%20the%20marine%20life%20involved.)
100 million marine animals die each year from plastic waste alone. 100,000 marine animals die from getting entangled in plastic yearly – this is just the creatures we find! 1 in 3 marine mammal species get found entangled in litter, 12-14,000 tons of plastic are ingested by North Pacific fish yearly. In the past 10 years, we’ve made more plastic than the last century. By 2050, the pollution of fish will be outnumbered by our dumped plastic. The largest trash site on the planet is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, twice the surface area of Texas, it outnumbers sea life there 6 to 1. China is ranked #1 for mismanaged waste and plastics. However, the US is in the top 20 with a more significant waste per person contributions. 300 Million tons of plastic gets created yearly, and this weighs the same as the entire human population, and 50% is single-use only. There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic waste estimated to be in our oceans. 269,000 tons float, 4 billion microfibers per km² dwell below the surface. 70% of our debris sinks into the ocean's ecosystem, 15% floats, and 15% lands on our beaches. In terms of plastic, 8.3 million tons are discarded in the sea yearly. Of which, 236,000 are ingestible microplastics that marine creatures mistake for food. Plastics take 500-1000 years to degrade; currently 79% is sent to landfills or the ocean, while only 9% is recycled, and 12% gets incinerated. 1950-1998 over 100 nuclear blast tests occurred in our oceans. 500 marine locations are now recorded as dead zones globally, currently the size of the United Kingdom’s surface (245,000 km²) 80% of global marine pollution comes from agriculture runoff, untreated sewage, discharge of nutrients and pesticides. 90% of the worldwide ocean debris comes from 10 rivers alone (Source: https://www.condorferries.co.uk/marine-ocean-pollution-statistics-facts)
What is a pledge you might ask? It's making: a commitment, a promise, and giving your word of honor towards something
Why is a plastic free pledge important? A plastic free pledge is important because you: REFUSE disposable plastic whenever and wherever possible Choose items that are not packaged in plastic, and carry your own bags, containers and utensils. Say 'no straw, please, REDUCE your plastic footprint. Cut down on your consumption of goods that contain excessive plastic packaging and parts. If it will leave behind plastic trash, don't buy it, REUSE durable, non-toxic straws, utensils, to-go containers, bottles, bags, and other everyday items. Choose glass, paper, stainless steel, wood, ceramic and bamboo over plastic, and RECYCLE what you can’t refuse, reduce or reuse. Pay attention to the entire life cycle of items you bring into your life, from source to manufacturing to distribution to disposal.
In the following websites you can take the plastic free pledge or donate to help Marine pollution :)