Every hour, 1.5 million pounds of plastic are dumped into the ocean, totaling more than 14 billion pounds every year. To put things into perspective, that is around the weight of 11,666 asian elephants. The amount of plastic that is being poured into the earth’s oceans is detrimental to the health of marine wildlife.
There are multiple ways that plastic can harm marine life. One way is that plastic can wrap around an animal and choke them or cause deformities. Plastic straws are also found stuck in turtles’ noses, causing them to bleed.
Another way plastic can cause harm is through microplastics. Most plastic products eventually degrade into microplastics, which are tiny pieces of plastic that many sea animals consume due to their small size. This plastic is made up of toxic materials that can cause diseases to certain species or affect their reproduction. These microplastics affect a wide range of animals, from 80-feet-whales to fingernail-sized crabs.
Image by Malorie Macklin
Luckily there are ways to reduce ocean waste. At Ethical Carnivores, we believe that there’s always more than one way to address the problems we see in the world. From personal choices like choosing reusable containers to collective efforts like pressuring local and national governments and small and large companies to change (and supporting those that are already making a change!), there are lots of ways that you can help limit ocean waste. Here are a few steps we recommend:
- Simply swapping out plastic water bottles and straws for reusable ones can make a huge difference. Buying a reusable $30 water bottle will also cost you much less than spending $7 for a pack of plastic bottles a week.
- Supporting bans on plastic bags and other single-use plastics can go a long way. 5gyres has created a form template for a letter you can send to your local representatives. By reaching out to local companies and grocery stores, you can contribute to the reduced use of plastic.
- Funding organizations that are looking to improve pollution. Many organizations dedicate their time into helping out the debris in oceans. For example, 4Ocean and Puravida Bracelets create bracelets that use the donations to support the removal of pollution in the ocean.
- Signing petitions to pressure companies into reducing waste, like this petition by Greenpeace. By gathering enough people who share an interest in protecting our oceans, we can make an impact that forces a company to reduce their use of plastic.
All in all, plastic is a very harmful product that kills animals. Not only is it damaging to the ocean, but it can be damaging to our bodies as well if we continue to eat out of plastic containers. Therefore, swapping out plastic products for reusable alternatives and encouraging companies to reducing their production of it will be beneficial to both humans and marine life.