Environmental Degradation: The Ever-Growing Pollution of our

Oceans

Environmental degradation occurs when our environment deteriorates

through depletion of our vital resources: air, soil and water. Not only do
resources get depleted, but entire ecosystems are destroyed, and our wildlife
faces extinction as well. As our planet is covered by about seventy-one
percent water, this degradation is devastating on so many levels. Water is
life, and without this, life will cease. There is much work to do to begin to
undo the damage that has already been done. The bulk of this damage can
trace back to mans environmental impact on this earth, and every effort no
matter how great or small will make a difference in preserving this precious
resource for generations to come.
Most pollution in our oceans today (roughly eighty percent) can be traced
back to the land, in the form of runoff. Much of that can be sourced directly
from the air as well. What begins in the air as pollution, would eventually
settle down into our oceans and other bodies of water. According to NOAA
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the biggest sources
come from motor vehicles, boats, untreated sewage, ranches, farms and
forests. (web) This pollution leads to a serious decrease in Oxygen in the
water (increased levels Nitrogen and Phosphorous) or Hypoxia, which leads
to devastating effects such as the death of marine life. (web)
No ocean is immune to the effects of oceanic pollution. There are large
islands of literal floating garbage and sludge in all major oceans - from the
Atlantic Ocean/Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone to the North Atlantic Garbage
Patch, the Pacific Garbage Patch, and the Indian Ocean. The most polluted
ocean is actually the Mediterranean Sea which being so nearly landlocked
and warm has literally forced many marine animals to endangered status.
Fish in the Baltic Sea are actually so toxic that there are warnings against
eating certain species. (web)
The pollution has reached such magnitude for a number of reasons. Farming
for one, leads to run-off. There are products introduced to the soil which then
absorb in, and can then be carried down to large bodies of water by rain,
sleet, snow, etc. Other than farming, untreated sewage can be a problem. It
all ends up in the oceans eventually. Another big human contributor is due to
by-products from automobiles and boats, which serve to introduce oil and
other chemicals that of course end up in the ocean.

There are other factors besides the man-made factors, such as weather
events. Major weather events can cause a great deal of the rubble that
accumulates and leads to these virtual islands of trash and goop. Tsunamis,
for example, can wreak such havoc that these materials end up miles and
miles away. Ocean currents continue with that process as well.
Our society is making great strides to help combat these issues, but clearly
not enough. The degradation is great, and the solutions do not keep up with
the damage. Individuals can do their part by taking public transportation or
walking, rather than driving everywhere. This will ease the CO2 contributing
factor as well as the by-products produced by these vehicles. Recycling is
another huge contribution. Plastic, while at one time a miraculous human
invention, has become an environmental nightmare. With the technology and
industriousness that we have today, there are better solutions out there that
can be utilized. Another unfortunate by-product of womens beauty regimens
can be found in some washes and scrubs. These tiny little beads that we
wash ourselves with do end up in the oceans, and again, look like food to
marine life. By avoiding these products and getting companies such as
Neutrogena to choose more environmentally responsible alternatives, thats
another great solution. There are many innovators out there that are coming
up with more and more amazing ideas to assist with clean energy options
such as solar power, alternative fuels, better ways to deal with by-products,
etc.
Reflection: In my research, I learned so much about the negative impact our
everyday lives have on one of our most precious resources. I was absolutely
floored by just how much garbage, waste and sludge is floating out there in
our oceans threatening not only our marine life, but our own futures as well.
I have tried to do my part over the years by recycling everything that can be
recycled. We dont have recycling pick-up where I live, so we go so far as to
store it up for a week or two and then take it over to my mothers house, as
her can is almost empty a majority of the time. Im also much more
conscious about the amount of plastics we use in our house. I have
purchased a bunch of reusable shopping bags that I am committed to
remember to grab before entering the grocery store. My children and I are
also conscious of our beauty products, and avoid those trendy washes and
creams that contain the tiny little plastic beads as they are so harmful to our
marine life. Im sure there is more that I can do, even cutting down my drive
time and utilizing public transportation when allowed. I am hopeful that we,
as a society, can work more diligently to combat the runoff and excess byproducts that we produce and take for granted. It truly begins with baby
steps, but each effort grows and can lead to big impact for our future
generations.

Sources:
National Geographic Society. "Marine Pollution Centuries of Abuse Have Taken a
Heavy Toll." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 16 Nov.
2015.
Neeley, Aimee. "Sampling the Global Ocean and a Note on Ocean Acidification."
Earthobservatory.nasa.gov. NASA, 15 Apr. 2014. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
Riebee, Holli. "The Ocean's Carbon Balance." Earthobservatory.nasa.gov. NASA, 30
June 2008. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
Kukreja, Rinkesh. "What Is Ocean Pollution?" Conserve-energy-future.com. Rinkesh
Kukreja, n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
"Ocean Plastics Pollution: A Global Tragedy for Our Ocans and Sea Life."
Biologicldiversity.org. Center for Biological Diversity, n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
"What Is the Biggest Soure of Pollution in the Ocean?" Oceanservice.noaa.go.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.