trash

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

These Animals are Dying Everyday because of our Pollution

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Image result for dolphin affected by pollution

The ocean is the largest ecosystem on Earth! It is extremely important due to the fact that it provides us with food, aids us in balancing our climate, and produces over half of the world’s oxygen. So, how is it possible that we humans continue to use it as our dumping sight- killing over one million animals every year? 

 

This is list of just a few of the animals that are killed by our pollution everyday:

1. Whales and Dolphins 

Whales and dolphins often mistake crustaceans, fish, etc for plastic. Whales especially have large mouths, leading to an intake of large amounts of trash unknowingly. In one case a marine expert dissected an already deceased whale to find that it had “88 pounds of plastic waste jammed into its belly.”  Most plastics are pretty light in weight, so the fact that there was such a heavy amount in one whale is crazy! 

 

2. Seabirds 

One million seabirds are killed by pollution every year. The plastic that is consumed by seabirds can take up almost the entire storage of their stomach, causing extreme starvation. According to the Center of Biodiversity, “It’s estimated that 60 percent of all seabird species have eaten pieces of plastic, with that number predicted to increase to 99 percent by 2050.” 

 

3. Sea Turtles

Image result for cutting plastic soda ringsWhile turtles are also known to be killed from ingesting plastics, they are widely affected by fishing netting and plastic soda rings. These pollutants become wrapped around the turtles neck and shell making it tough to breath and move around. A way of helping this issue is to make sure to cut your plastic soda rings before you throw it away. While you may be throwing it in a trash bin there is still a possibility of it ending up back in the ocean. Cutting soda rings can aid with other marine life as well. 

 

Whether it’s recycling your own plastics or volunteering for ocean cleanup, just small gestures everyday can help our oceans immensely. When you’re debating on throwing a piece of trash on the ground or waiting for a recycling/trash bin, think back to these animals and how that one piece of trash could affect them. 

 

Written by Skylar Griffin, revised and edited by Kailyn Hayes