“Plastic water bottles are bad for the environment!” —Who hasn’t heard this one?
It wasn’t until this year that I truly realized how much damage a single piece of plastic can cause. Once plastic reaches waterways, it doesn’t break down as fast as it should. This causes a build-up of litter, damaging the habitats of marine life. It also lead to animals ingesting these plastics that causes them physical harm making them unable to swim or live.
Plastic comes into the oceans in different ways: litter, flushing down drains, and throwing recyclable products in waste bins. It happens because people just want to get rid of junk they don’t use anymore, regardless of the harm they’re causing. People throw anything anywhere they want, “out of sight out of mind” as some would say. However, once it comes back and affects them, they don’t want to take responsibility for it. From straws, to bottles, to candy wrappers, all this junk adds up.
Parents don’t warn their kids about the harm of not putting plastic/ waste in the right place. These kids grow up and do the same with their own kids, it becomes a never ending cycle of doom. They grow up learning not to care. For this reason, it’s always best to start teaching kids to love the oceans and the animals as early as possible. To teach them we’re not the only ones inhabiting the Earth.
With build-up of plastic, beaches are closing down and animals are going extinct. In order to save our oceans and marine species, we need to cut down on our plastic usage. Everyone knows the basics of using less plastic, but not everyone puts them into action. More awareness and action needs to be put into non-plastic use. Simple changes can be made in everyone’s daily life, for example using a reusable bag.
For larger problems, the government needs to start taking charge. The main problem with plastic use is the government doesn’t consider this a problem big enough to invest in. For this reason, not a lot of people care. However, for an animal lover like myself this is devastating. Think of all the animals that have been harmed because of the carelessness of humans?
It’s time to think about others instead of ourselves. Even if the government doesn’t help, it’s easy changes that can make a great impact and will grow. It won’t be easy but it’s the right thing to do.
By: Loving Our Oceans Now Anonymous Blogger
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