Harsh Facts of the Week
Almost 90% of all floating materials in the ocean are plastic. Plastic is an extremely harmful pollutant because it does not readily break down in environments.
Marine debris, most notably plastic, kills more than one million seabirds and 100,000 mammals and sea turtles every year.
Studies done in the North Sea revealed that a type of seagull called fulmars averaged thirty pieces of plastic in their stomachs.
300,000 dolphins, whales and porpoises die each year after becoming entangled in fishing nets.
Between fifty and sixty million tons of untreated municipal waste is disposed from China's coastal cities every day.
Oil is deteriorating the quality of the ocean but only 12% of it comes from oil spills. The rest enters the oceans through runoff and drains.
Do you live in a coastal area? How much waste build up do you notice along your coast and in the water? What contributes to that? I encourage you to find out how and why your local waters are being polluted, and then to do something about it. I'm currently at a political program in my state's capital, Albany, and I've been learning a lot about lobbying and how to do it. I hope to write about lobbying or introduce a Guest Writer who is a lobbyist so that ordinary, environmentally concerned viewers, like you can learn how to make your voice heard in the government.
Marine debris, most notably plastic, kills more than one million seabirds and 100,000 mammals and sea turtles every year.
Studies done in the North Sea revealed that a type of seagull called fulmars averaged thirty pieces of plastic in their stomachs.
300,000 dolphins, whales and porpoises die each year after becoming entangled in fishing nets.
Between fifty and sixty million tons of untreated municipal waste is disposed from China's coastal cities every day.
Oil is deteriorating the quality of the ocean but only 12% of it comes from oil spills. The rest enters the oceans through runoff and drains.
Do you live in a coastal area? How much waste build up do you notice along your coast and in the water? What contributes to that? I encourage you to find out how and why your local waters are being polluted, and then to do something about it. I'm currently at a political program in my state's capital, Albany, and I've been learning a lot about lobbying and how to do it. I hope to write about lobbying or introduce a Guest Writer who is a lobbyist so that ordinary, environmentally concerned viewers, like you can learn how to make your voice heard in the government.
A dump in Alaska
Picture courtesy of: http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/photos/ocean-pollution/#/alaska-dump_46_600x450.jpg
