oceans because they are unable to grow their carbonate skeletons due to the higher carbon dioxide rates. lso, the increase in carbon dioxide led to warmer water temperatures, yet corals are more accustomed to cooler waters. This causes a process called bleaching to occur. Other affected animals such as cephalopods (i.e. squid) are sensitive to the increase in carbon dioxide because their bodies require large amounts of oxygen to the blood for swimming which is diminished by lowered blood pH levels (“Other Marine Animals?”). Yet there are some marine mammals that have not been pressured as much as their sea brethren. Mammals (i.e. whales, seals) are not directly affected because they breathe air, yet in the long run they will be impacted due to the changes in food webs (Hood).
Any other regions being affected by this?
Other areas that are being affected by OA include the Gulf of Maine, California, the Gulf of Mexico,
and even Hawaii. In the Gulf of Maine, fossil fuel and runoff polluted waters pose threats to the lobsters, oysters, bay scallops, and mussels that inhabit that territory. For California, their sea urchins are having trouble adapting to the lower pH levels of the waters which pose serious threats to seafish businesses (“Ocean Acidification” NRDC). In the Gulf of Mexico, various types of fish(red snapper, shrimp, shelled creatures, etc.) face uncertain futures as the
waters increase
in acidity. Hawaii
is known for its
unique coral reefs,
which is the found-
ation of their $10
billion/year
tourism industry.
Yet scientists fear
that the corruptive
seas could hasten
the eradication of
the reefs.
Okay, so this is really
bad!
What is being done to help?According to Hari Sreenivasan, oystermen and scientists have been working together to find solutions to the problem at hand. As of now, hatchery employees are monitoring seawater and only allow waters in when pH levels are at a norm. They also add sodium carbonate and eelgrass to help balance the pH in the oceans. Sodium carbonate and eelgrass have naturally high pH levels which will balance out the acidity of the water. So far, these processes have been efficient due to the high amount of produce that organizations have regained. Organizations such as Ocean Conservancy, NRDC (National Resources Defense Council), and the PMEL Carbon Program have websites where you can donate money that will be spent supporting ocean conservation. Many people take part in donations and supporting these causes not only for the environment and marine animals, but also for themselves. According to Paul McElhany, “What happens in the marine environment is likely to affect you” (Melker). So take a part in the fight against the osteoporosis of the ocean (Sreenivasan “Ocean Acidification’s”).
Have you ever heard of nurdles? Probably not. It sounds pretty funny, like a type of pokemon or a sound an animal makes.
What are Nurdles?
Nurdles are a problem for the marine environment, yet most people don’t know anything about them. Nurdles are small pellets of plastic that are used to make everyday things.
Plastic bags, film, and plastic jars are some things that have been created from them (State Water Board).The plastic items listed above and many more have originally started out as a large pile of recycled or created nurdles. Nurdles can infiltrate the environment and bodies of water from people littering, spills from ships, strong winds, and many other ways. Such occurrences tremendously impact the environment.
Nurdles Contaminate Our Beaches
Although they are small, those plastic pellets can accumulate to large problems. Debris from companies and factories can end up utterly trashing the beaches. Two years ago beaches in Hong Kong were victims of a horrible littering of plastic. After Typhoon Vincent hit, “...hundreds of 25kg plastic sacks filled with pre-production plastic pellets produced by SINOPEC Petroleum Hainan are now washing up on the beaches of Hong Kong.”(Stokes). As a result, their beaches were coated in plastic, making it a dangerous place for the animals and people to live, or even visit. Animals could eat it and get sick. People could step on it and injure themselves.
Troubles for Marine Life
These plastic pellets are not only hazardous on beaches, they are hazardous to the marine life around it. Since nurdles are so small and ball-shaped, animals might mistake them for food. Sea turtles and large fish eat fish eggs, and they may eat nurdles by mistake due to the resemblance.
In addition to the obvious dangers of animals ingesting plastic, nurdles can be laced with chemicals. These chemicals tamper with the animals’ body systems and can affect any other animals or people that eat them. As a result, nurdles won’t just harm marine animals, they could harm humans as well. Scientists who specialize in ecology, marine life, or other fields say that the “widespread accumulation of small fragments of plastic”(Microplastics Threatens Oceans, Marine Life) is a greater threat than larger plastic products in the oceans . Even scientists recognize how much of a problem this is.
Research Programs
Luckily, it has been recognized that nurdles are a problem. Programs are in place to do more research on them including how they enter the water systems, the range of their impact, and the severity of their presence. The Microplastics Monitoring Program was started in 2012. This Program studies areas with a surplus of pollution or plastic productions throughout 23 monitoring sites and 10 local volunteer sites (Plastics or Microplastics Research). More programs like the Microplastics Monitoring Program can study nurdles and invent solutions for the problems they cause.
Cleanup Committees
Research programs are only part of the solution to the nurdle problem. Action must be taken as well. Back in 2011, there was an ordered nurdle clean up, the first in the nation (Simms). The damage nurdles cause was recognized in the state of California and they decide to do something about it. “The Oyster Bay cleanup has been ordered under a cleanup and abatement order issued by the Regional Water Board.”(Simms). So the next time you are waiting along the beach or going for a swim, keep an eye out for nurdles or plastic. You don’t need to be part of a cleanup committee to make the beach healthier. A little effort can go a long way.
Picture 1: Nurdles are very small, yet they can be found in large clusters.
Picture 2: Hazardous amounts of plastic washed up in Hong Kong.
Picture 3: Nurdles and fish eggs could be easily mistaken for one another.
By: Lauren Harris
13
The Nurdle Hurdle