Damaged Oceans
The effect plastic has on ocean ecosystems is tragic. Plastic floating in the ocean can injure or drown sea life. In addition, ingesting plastic makes a marine organism feel full, and can starve these organisms. The early deaths of ocean life disrupt the balance of the ecosystems.
Other factors of this disruption are overfishing and bycatch. These actions remove larger fish from the food chain, allowing organisms lower down on the food chain to multiply, setting ecosystems off-balance. In a phenomenon scientists are calling the rise of the slime, organisms like sea jellies are becoming increasingly
populous as their natural predators are dying off ("Rise of the Slime", 2009). If humans continue to pollute the oceans with plastics, ecosystems will be set off balance and the oceans will suffer, marring their natural beauty.
Why Does It Matter?
Healthy oceans are vital to all life on Earth. In addition to being home to millions of marine organisms, the ocean also helps to moderate land temperatures.
Scientists estimate that the ocean has absorbed about half of all carbon dioxide produced by humans since the Industrial Revolution ("Ocean Carbon Uptake"). This absorption has helped to slow climate change, improving life for organisms on land. However, this has impaired the development of sea life low down on the food chain. When the base of the food chain is made smaller, it is more difficult for other organisms to find food to survive.
Oceans are full of amazing wildlife. If humans don't cease destructive activities like releasing plastic into the ocean or overfishing, the wonders in the ocean that exist today may not be around for future generations to appreciate.
The value of the oceans greatly exceeds the value of plastics. Action must be taken to preserve these wondrous ecosystems.
Biodegradable Alternatives
The Saltwater Brewery located in Florida recently created biodegradable beer rings. These rings are made from by-products of beer production, like barley and wheat, and are safe for sea life to eat. In addition, these rings can be composted (Wanshel, 2016).
It is currently predicted that 80% of all trash in the ocean is from land-based sources ("The Problem With Marine Debris", 2016). This plastic ends up in the ocean and poses a threat to marine life. Plastic can cause injury or suffocation, or fill up the stomachs of marine life, causing them to eventually starve to death.
Products like these beer rings are needed in order to allow ocean ecosystems to recover from the damage they have received. Shifting to more eco-friendly products and discontinuing the use of plastics could potentially save the lives of up to one hundred thousand marine mammals and one million birds each year ("Ocean Plastics Pollution").
Brewery in Florida creates biodegradable, edible beer rings.
What Will Happen If This Continues?
Pictured above: conventional plastic beer ring