Ocean Pollution and You

The statistics are terrifying. As one person, seeing that the National Academy of Science believes that approximately 14 billion pounds of trash are dumped into the ocean’s every year is overwhelming. Not only overwhelming, but makes one feel helpless. Especially with the number of people on Earth and the role of corporations in pollution, it feels as though one person will not make a difference in such a massive issue. But there is more to the issue than just the presence of plastics.

The Problem

• A study done in 2015 of 192 coastal countries found that, on average, annually, 4.8 to 12.7 million tons of plastic flowed into the oceans.
• Plastic has been ingested with dire consequences by over 700 species of marine life.
• 2014 study estimates that 244,000 metric tons of plastic floating in the ocean; 2017 study estimates 8.5 million metric tons of plastic settle on the ocean bottom per year.

The Campaign

• Advocacy campaign consists of a website and two posters that seek to educate the public on how individuals can help to reduce the amount of plastic entering the ocean.

Potential Outreach

• Circulation online of the posters with a clickable hyperlink to the website will allow for easy access to further information to educate the public on the topic of ocean pollution and how people, as individuals, may be able to help.