Marin Plastics Ban 1 | Page 6

bottom ‘slab’ taken out? Probably not too good, to say the least. Moreover, the perrenial introduction of plastics into the food chain results in bioaccumulation. In short, the plastic content throughout all aspects of the food chain starts to build upon itself, resulting in a more widespread pollution. Everything plastic poses a serious threat to the delicate and integral balance of the marine ecosystem.

freshwater? Well unfortunately for us, it is a modern truth. All the same impacts of plastic described in marine ecosystems can be extended–with slight alteration–to terrestrial ones. Plastics deteriorated into soil are internalized by vegetation and crops, slowly creeping up in the food web–much like that of the zooplankton. Before you know it, those microplastics buried in the soil make it into tonight’s dinner, and inevitably into your system. Groundwater may even be arguably worse. When plastics are left in the soil and it rains–I think you can connect the dots–those toxic petroleum chemicals make their way down into groundwater, and even our drinking water. We’ve covered food and water, but what about air? Yes, you read that right. A new study conducted by Nature Geoscience suggests that there may be significant levels of microplastics in the air. First, the group investigated the level of plastics that fell out of the air onto the ground, in the mountains of the French Pyrenees (an isolated area far from human influence and civilization), daily.

microplastics will do in one’s lungs. Similar to the oceans, plastics on land are shown to be truly pernicious.

You might be thinking now, what can we do? Well, most unfortunately, there is no ‘easy’ solution to the plastic pandemic. Depending on your perspective–economic, environmental, etc.–there are different steps that you may believe are the only viable ones. Even though the fight against plastics might be difficult, it is in no way impossible. As Vincent Van Gogh said, “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” This is exactly

While we may not see the first-hand effects of plastic pollution on land–because of the media’s current focus on marine effects–as readily as in oceans, it is most certainly there. In fact, it is estimated that terrestrial microplastic pollution is 4 to 23 times higher than that of marine pollution. (Plastic & Land — The Conscious Challenge, 2019) We’ve talked about the harmful effects of plastic chemicals on human health, so what will happen when one-third of all plastic collects in soils and

These samples were taken over a five-month period and in multiple weather patterns. On average, 249 plastic pieces were found per square meter per day. Having such a significant amount of plastic in the air–which simply cannot happen naturally–is frightening. In 2016, another study found that about 355 pieces of microplastics were found per square meter per day in Paris. While not specifically examined, it doesn’t take much creativity to imagine what hundreds of pieces of