plastic

A New Species Found in 2020 Named After Plastic- Eurythenes Plasticus

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Image result for a new species named after plasticThroughout our time as humans living on the Earth, we have only discovered about 5% of the ocean. This leaves 95% of the ocean unexplored, as we are finding new species everyday. Most recently a species unearthed was named Eurythenes Plasticus…… sound familiar? 

 

Image result for mariana trenchEurythenes Plasticus is a new species of arthropod. It is a two inch shrimp-like animal found in the deepest trench on Earth- The Mariana Trench. The Mariana Trench reaches depths up to 36,000 ft as this new arthropod was found at a staggering 20,000 ft- This is crazy deep! Think of it this way: Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world reaching heights of 29,028 ft and the Mariana Trench is 36,000 ft!

 

Now, this discovery is cool and all, but why is this creature named after plastic? Sadly enough, this arthropod was named after plastic was found inside of its guts. Specifically, this plastic is called polyethylene-terephthalate. Polyethylene-terephthalate is a plastic commonly found in clothing, plastic bottles, and plastic food packaging.

 

The fact that plastic was found in a species 20,000ft deep in the ocean should be extremely alarming to us. In an article in the Earther, Alan Jamieson, the head of research that helped discover this species states, “We decided on the name Eurythenes plasticus as we wanted to highlight the fact that we need to take immediate action to stop the deluge of plastic waste into our oceans.”

 

If it hasn’t been apparent to you, let us just reiterate: plastic is taking over the world. It’s found everywhere, even 20,000 ft down in the Mariana Trench. If we don’t stop this spread of plastic, it will truly take over everything. 

Written by Skylar Griffin
Edited by Sofia Avila

Four Mind Blowing Facts about Pollution in our Ocean

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Welcome back Ocean Olympians! Today we’re going to list some eye opening facts regarding pollution in the ocean. We hope reading these terrifying facts push you to do more to help the ocean!

Fact #1: Over 8 million tons of garbage enters our ocean each year

According to Passport Ocean, over 8 million tons of plastic is deposited into our ocean every single year! This amount of plastic is “equivalent to emptying a garbage truck of plastic into an ocean every minute.” 

To grasp the reality of this fact the article “Simple Math Problems,” ” has made this crazy plastic statistic more comprehendible by comparing it to being the same as “two Empire State Buildings every month going into the ocean.” 

It might difficult to imagine that making a couple of changes in your daily life can help lower pollution and have a positive impact, but it really can. 

Fact #2: Pollution easily contaminates your seafood causing possible serious health issues

Think about it, pollution affects thousands and thousands of fish everyday. With that being said, it’s very possible that the seafood you eat contains some sort of plastic contamination. 

That sushi you ate last week could cause some serious health issues for your future. Don’t you want to be able to eat seafood without having to worry if it could hurt you? 

 

Fact #3: There is an island of garbage two times the size of Texas in the middle of the Pacific ocean

 

According to Passport Ocean, “the number of floating plastic pieces outnumbers total marine life six to one in the immediate vicinity.” 

This island grows bigger and bigger everyday. 

 

Fact #4: There are now many dead zones in the ocean

What are dead zones? Dead zones are extremely scary because these places have no marine or plant life. Imagine, parts of the ocean completely void of life. 

Why are dead zones formed? Well, you guessed it- pollution. Due to pollution, low oxygen levels are formed in certain parts of the ocean creating dead zones. 

There are over 500 dead zones in the ocean, covering a similar size to the united kingdom. 

 

Most Common Items Found in the Ocean 

  • Cigarettes 
  • Food/Candy Wrappers
  • Plastic Bottles
  • Plastic Bags
  • Caps and Lids 
  • Beverage Cans
  • Straws and Tableware

 

These facts are extremely alarming considering that nothing is getting better. Our fish continue to consume plastic, the garbage island continues to grow larger, and dead zones continue to increase. 

If we all start making changes in our daily routine such as recycling or buying less plastic products, we could contribute to making a positive change in our oceans. 

 

Written by Skylar Griffin

Edited by Emily Ram

Is there more than one form of ocean pollution? Yes.

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Written by Kailyn Hayes, Edited by Skylar Griffin

Every single day, more and more waste is polluting our oceans. How can we stop this from happening if we don’t know the forms of pollution that take place? Even though we discussed the connection between life above and below the ocean surface, there is still more to know about the vast subject of ocean conservation. By learning about the types of ocean pollution, you are taking the necessary steps to help preserve over two-thirds of the planet.

One of the largest sources of marine pollution is called ‘nonpoint source pollution.’ Nonpoint source pollution occurs as an effect of runoff and includes sources, like vehicles, farms and septic tanks. Some forms of pollution that negatively impact the health of our oceans can come from a single source, such as oil spills, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). Nonetheless, after being contaminated by the pollution sources below, our ecosystems need a while to recover.

Types of Ocean Pollution

Oil – When you first hear about oil as an ocean pollutant, your mind more than likely conjures up images of a disastrous oil spill. However, oil from vehicles can also damage the ocean. The oil from vehicles on the road runoff and trickle into the ocean, according to National Geographic. Occasionally, boats will spill oil directly into the water. Regardless, oil seepage is harmful to marine life and it is our responsibility to reduce it.

Agricultural Runoff – Pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers that are used on land by farmers are carried into streams and rivers before eventually entering the ocean typically after heavy rain. NOAA states that 80% of marine pollution starts on land. For example, EPA Effects reported that runoff from the Mississippi  River Basin is the cause of the “Dead Zone” in the Gulf of Mexico, which lacks a sufficient amount of marine life.

Industrial Waste – While rarely discussed, industrial waste is a huge issue when it comes to ocean dumping. Surprisingly enough, it wasn’t until the mid-1970s, that dumping industrial waste into oceans was illegal. Almost all large companies deal with toxic waste. This waste infects the water and sea life, including the ones we eat. Imagine getting mercury poisoning from eating sushi. Despite this being a rare occurrence, unless you’re obsessed and eat sushi every single day, the number of toxins entering the raw fish can have adverse effects on you as well.

Carbon Dioxide – Fossil fuel burning leads to the production of carbon dioxide, and the concentration of this gas speeds up our oceans becoming more acidic. This process changes the pH of ocean water and creates a devastating effect on shellfish and other marine life.

Plastic – One of the most common forms of ocean pollution is plastic. Whether it’s a plastic bag, a pack of straws or six-pack rings, plastic debris negatively affects our ocean. This trash can entangle and suffocate our oceanic friends. By reducing your use of plastic, you are helping the environment.

Now that you know the various forms of ocean pollution, you can go forward combating this issue. Go forward and spread more awareness about these different types of ocean pollution. In fact, as an Ocean Olympian, you can even challenge your friends to be mindful of their daily habits that affect our oceans.

The Connection between Life Above and Below the Ocean Surface

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Welcome back Ocean Olympians!

Did you know that 78 million tons of plastic packaging is produced annually and about 32 percent of it is released into the environment after production? This means that about 24,960,000 tons of plastic are being released into nature annually. To put that into perspective, that means about 55,027,380,641 pounds of plastic‒which is equivalent to about 137,568 full grown male hippos‒ can be found polluting our planet. 

Plastic makes up a large amount of ocean debris. The image above shows some common plastics that enter the ocean and the impact they have on marine life.

Plastic makes up a large amount of ocean debris. The image above shows some common plastics that enter the ocean and the impact they have on marine life.

 

Pollutants poisoning the ocean vary vastly but today we would like to bring a focus on plastics and toxic chemicals impacting our oceans.

 

According to planetaid.org, the world’s oceans provide over 97 percent of the world’s water supply, along with over 70 percent of the oxygen we inhale. Man-made pollution is challenging those statistics daily, as human actions are wreaking havoc on organisms beneath the ocean surface. Not only are human actions negatively impacting ocean organisms, but they are concurrently worsening human lives as well.

 

About 20 percent of plastic trash entering the ocean comes from offshore ships and platforms while the rest is blown into the sea, pulled in from beaches by tides, or deliberately dumped into the ocean, according to the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College.  Because these plastics are non-biodegradable, fish and other organisms consume them.  Not only does the consumption of plastic contaminate sea animals, but just swimming in ocean water‒which is being contaminated by chemicals released from plastics in the ocean‒ is poisoning sea animals too.  The food chain is becoming increasingly contaminated due to the impact of plastic found in the ocean. 

 

Aside from plastic, chemicals like oil, mercury, lead, pesticides, and other heavy metals can all be found within ocean waters; These substances are also contaminating water supplies and corrupting our food chain through the poisoning of marine life. Exposure to such lethal chemicals for an extended period of time will contribute to an increase in poor health conditions‒like hormonal issues, reproductive problems, nervous system, and kidney damage‒within society. 

Chemicals that pollute the ocean have a large impact on much more than just ocean organisms.

Chemicals that pollute the ocean have a large impact on much more than just ocean organisms.

Because every little tiny piece of contamination that enters the ocean adds up to create such a large amount of pollution, it’s important that we start thinking more carefully about even our smallest actions in our everyday life. Some ways to prevent further ocean pollution is to:

  • Use reusable containers over Ziploc bags
  • Bring reusable bags to stores so plastic bags aren’t used 
  • Drink from glass or reusable bottles rather than drinking from single-use plastic water bottles
  • Join a cleanup crew for your area (Look for a Facebook group in your area or reach out to us and we can help you find one)
  • Substitute plastic straws for other alternatives 
  • Reuse and recycle
  • Save glass bottles from items like kombucha or jelly so you can store things in them rather than using Ziploc bags
  • Lobby to your local government
  • Spread the word about the importance of pollution prevention through word-of-mouth or by retweeting our twitter posts/sharing our informational blog posts!

 

Written by Emily Ram, revised and edited by Kailyn Hayes