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Fight for our oceans

Underneath the pristine beauty of the ocean, there has been an evolution of an alarming crisis of plastic pollution and ocean trash exposing the peril to aquatic animals. Waste including cigarette butts, coffee or tea cups, discarded plastic bottles, plastic bags and straws, and beer cans thrown in the ocean and beaches without considering its consequences is degrading the oceans. Though it's a global epidemic, it is now slowly penetrating in the beaches and oceans of Canada. To combat this issue, many international non-profitable environmental organizations are cleaning debris on the oceans and beaches. Affected by the predicament, many people have joined and are still joining as volunteers to help the organizations. They aren't paid for it. They do it for their sheer interest to save the tranquility and splendor of the beaches.

In September 2016, 40 tons of garbage including plastic was dragged out of the beaches of the Vancouver Island by the collaborative effort of eight groups. The volunteers segregated waste items that either needed to dumped or recycled. According to the estimate revealed by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1.4 billion pound of junk goes into the ocean each year. Most of the trash is believed to be hailed from 2011 Japan tsunami. Environmental organization Surfrider Foundation, that has a network of 50,000 members around the world who volunteer to protect the world's oceans, scours the beaches of Vancouver Island every month. Such is the demand of nature at the moment.

A study from 2015 revealed that 5.25 trillion parts of debris are found in the oceans and this is surging day-by-day due to lack of individual interest to forbid the dumping of garbage in the ocean. Another research disclosed that by 2050, the ocean will be left with more plastic than fish.

According to Ellen MacArthur Foundation's report, The New Plastics Economy unveiled in January 2016, the plastic production has escalated twenty times since 1964. This is likely to exceed twofold in the forthcoming 20 years and four times by 2050. The new plastic is expected to consume 20 percent of the oil produced by 2050.

The report stated, "In a business-as-usual scenario, the ocean is expected to contain one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish by 2025, and by 2050, more plastics than fish [by weight]. At least 8m tons of plastics leak into the ocean – which is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute."

What's causing major concern is the micro-plastics shredded from the plastic thrown in the ocean. Once the plastic goes into the ocean, it becomes hard due to sunlight. Due to the strong waves, it breaks into micro parts, sometimes even smaller than five millimeters. And so, micro-plastics become a part of the food chain of marine life including turtles and fishes, and birds. This consequently becomes the part of human food chain. An additional reason to worry is the blanketing of the seabed by tattered plastic. Though the outcome is obscure, it is a hazard for the environment and marine life in future.

However, to be more exact, the researchers are exploring the repercussions of micro-plastics on the ocean life. An overview was shared by the Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Pollution Research Program manager Dr Marie Noel. She said, "We found 3,000 particles of micro-plastics per cubic meter of seawater… which is a significant amount." The complete report is expected to be unveiled a few months later.

Fifty percent of the plastic used by the consumers for the first time is thrown away. There is a misconception that the entire plastic gets recycled. Contrary, only five percent of the plastic produced is recovered. Out of the total waste generated, plastic owns a share of ten percent. The degrading of plastic takes around 500-1000 years. In a recent case, 30 plastic bags were found in the stomach of a whale near the Norwegian Coast.

The current situation demands action under legal course and collective initiative by the people. A stringent legal ban should be implemented under the policies executed by the government. MacArthur suggests new techniques be adopted to eliminate plastic waste. The manufacturers should make plastic that can be easily recycled and fertilized.
People should be encouraged to reuse plastic bags and bottles rather than dumping it into the ocean or beaches after one use. Avoid the use of plastic bags while shopping groceries, outfits or any other item by either taking your own cloth bag or making space in the vehicle for purchased products. Say no to the packing of food items in plastic bags. Items offered in multi-purpose bags or boxes should be preferred. Use of plastic straw at restaurant or home should be disallowed. The used plastic products should be thrown in a separate container so that it doesn't get clogged with other garbage. People should volunteer for international organizations by participating in beach cleanups and educating others about the detrimental effects of the plastic throwaway. Remember, change can happen if an individual takes interest and convinces others to follow the ban plastic league.