Over the past several decades, our oceans have become personal garbage cans. From plastic, to carbon emissions, to constant oil leaks, and even noise, our oceans are slowly being destroyed by a variety of issues. The ocean environment is one of our most valuable resources as humans and is a main lifeline or source of income for thousands of families across the world. However, we take these aspects for granted and intentionally choose to damage this ecosystem. According to Conservation International, we dump approximately 8 million metric tons or 17.6 billion pounds of plastic into the oceans every year. This does not include all of the other types of trash thrown into the sea or the other sources of pollution. If changes are not made, it is predicted that by the year 2050 the amount of plastic will outweigh all of the fish inhabited in the ocean.
Many people know about the dangerous effects of plastic in our oceans. However, there are various other sources of ocean pollution which are harming the marine ecosystem that are not as frequently discussed. Ocean acidification is a rising issue due to the burning of fossil fuels. The ocean can absorb over 25% of the fossil fuels we burn, which results in pH changes leading to acidification. A balanced and regulated pH throughout the seas is very important for the marine creatures and plants. When the pH becomes more acidic, carbonate levels within the ocean decreases, and this threatens the survival of many species who require calcium carbonate, such as oysters, clams, mussels, and coral. Not only does this effect ocean life, but also threatens many people who rely on the shellfish industry as their career and income. Due to acidification, yearly harvests within the industry have already started to decrease drastically, causing many people to lose their jobs.
Aside from this, we are also polluting the oceans with sound. This came as a surprise to me and it is a source of pollution I never considered. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, when compared to normal air, sound waves travel farther and faster in the dark depths of the ocean. Many ocean species use sounds as their main source of communication to either find food, mate, or for navigation purposes. Human-generated noise pollution has been linked to causing alterations in the underwater acoustic landscape, along with injuring and killing marine life. The sounds produced by commercial tankers, container ships, and high-intensity testing and training sonars used by the U.S. Navy are said to have caused the sensory range for marine wildlife to shrink and has even resulted in mass whale strandings. Seismic blasts that are fired from ships equipped with high-powered airguns injure and kill marine animals, while also disrupting vital whale behaviors, such as their mating and foraging habits.
One organization that works diligently to help conserve the ocean and decrease human-based pollution is Project AWARE. This non-profit organization works with scuba divers across the globe to help preserve our oceans. They assist with various conservation actions from protecting sea turtle nests, to removing 1,640,925 items of debris from the ocean floor and surrounding areas, to whale and reef conservation in different countries. Overall, this is an amazing organization to support. Some ways you can help are by donating, starting your own fundraiser to support the organization, or by utilizing the diving courses they offer for people who want to become active members!
This post was very informative! I actually had no idea that noise pollution was another form of pollution in the ocean; it’s interesting how that affects communication between species. I did an oceanography dual enrollment course two years ago, and I remember we mapped out the pacific garbage patch on Google Earth…it was horrifying to see how the patch literally appeared to be a landmass.
Thank you for this. I feel like some people think that the only reason animals die is due to physical contact with the litter. However, the chemicals that all the trash release especially when it comes in contact with sea water is very detrimental to the environment. I didn’t know exactly how this worked but your picture that described the process of acidification really helped!
I never new that noise pollution would be detrimental to sea life. I really like how you examined this because it reminds us to really evaluate our actions affecting our surroundings. I additionally really liked how you explained the impacts of trash being thrown in the ocean on sealife. You grew the concern for these destructive acts and are raising awareness in hopes of it being change in the future.
Your posts are so informative! It makes me so frustrated that corporations and governments are actively destroying the planet without thinking twice about it. I hope that we can get real change before it is too late.