Ocean Pollution is a serious issue in today's global politics. The balance of Earth's ecosystem is put in jeopardy when the ocean is polluted. Ocean Pollution includes everything from the extreme to the small scale: oil spills, acid dumping and plastic pollution-- human activities and basic carelessness. Problems evolving from ocean pollution directly harm marine life and the Earth's many valuable resources.
Ocean Pollution is a long-term problem that has expanded over the past few decades. In his novel The Exxon Valdez, Dils addresses what has happened with the catastrophe event of the of the Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska. According to Dils, “ Oil was spilling out of the cargo ship at 20,000 barrels per hour, affecting the …show more content…
It is within this balanced environment that the diverse web of life in today's seas has risen and flourished; however, research shows that this ancient balance is being lost by a recent and rapid drop in surface pH that could have devastating global repercussions. In the novel Earth in the Hot Seat, Ferguson Delano addresses the amount of acid being dumped in the ocean in an overwhelming amount. The “ocean life is being greatly affected by the Carbon Dioxide being released ”(Delano32). Relatively new research is finding that the introduction of extreme amounts of CO2 (Carbon dioxide) into the seas is changing water chemistry and affecting the life cycles of many marine organisms, particularly those at the lower end of the food chain. When this section of the food chain is affected, it causes a negative ripple effect throughout the food chain species. When carbon dioxide disintegrates in the ocean, carbonic acid is formed; this leads “to higher acidity, mainly near the surface, which has been proven to slow shell growth in ocean life and is suspected as a cause of reproductive disorders in some fish”( Talen27), Similarly, acid is harming the ocean floor, causing the reefs to be threatened and destroyed. With ocean acidification increasing, pollutants threaten the integrity of marine ecosystems. These problems are directly affecting the …show more content…
Plastics pollution has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife. Thousands of seabirds and sea turtles, seals and other marine mammals are killed each year after ingesting plastic or getting entangled in the debris. Endangered wildlife like Hawaiian monk seals and Pacific loggerhead sea turtles are among nearly 300 species that eat and get caught in plastic litter. The “plastic is coming from anywhere such as, cargo ships or fishing vessels: floating sneakers, plastic tub toys abandoned fishing nets, and similar items”(Burns127).The debris can injure animals or make them ill; Moreover, it can a bury the marine habitat. The “plastic litter on land can be carried to the ocean by water or wind. Because Plastic does not degrade for many years, it accumulates in the ocean” (Wagnalls57), causing it to be toxic to the marine life. Tiny pieces are easily eaten by and large pieces get caught around the animals. Plastic is vastly polluting the ocean is directly harming the sea life.
Everything from catastrophic oil spills, acid being dumped into the ocean and Plastic being thrown overboard is all contributing the pollution of the ocean. No matter how small or large the problems evolving from ocean pollution are, it is directly affecting the marine life. Pollution is a serious problem in today’s society and is putting the ecosystem in
Ocean Pollution is a long-term problem that has expanded over the past few decades. In his novel The Exxon Valdez, Dils addresses what has happened with the catastrophe event of the of the Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska. According to Dils, “ Oil was spilling out of the cargo ship at 20,000 barrels per hour, affecting the …show more content…
It is within this balanced environment that the diverse web of life in today's seas has risen and flourished; however, research shows that this ancient balance is being lost by a recent and rapid drop in surface pH that could have devastating global repercussions. In the novel Earth in the Hot Seat, Ferguson Delano addresses the amount of acid being dumped in the ocean in an overwhelming amount. The “ocean life is being greatly affected by the Carbon Dioxide being released ”(Delano32). Relatively new research is finding that the introduction of extreme amounts of CO2 (Carbon dioxide) into the seas is changing water chemistry and affecting the life cycles of many marine organisms, particularly those at the lower end of the food chain. When this section of the food chain is affected, it causes a negative ripple effect throughout the food chain species. When carbon dioxide disintegrates in the ocean, carbonic acid is formed; this leads “to higher acidity, mainly near the surface, which has been proven to slow shell growth in ocean life and is suspected as a cause of reproductive disorders in some fish”( Talen27), Similarly, acid is harming the ocean floor, causing the reefs to be threatened and destroyed. With ocean acidification increasing, pollutants threaten the integrity of marine ecosystems. These problems are directly affecting the …show more content…
Plastics pollution has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife. Thousands of seabirds and sea turtles, seals and other marine mammals are killed each year after ingesting plastic or getting entangled in the debris. Endangered wildlife like Hawaiian monk seals and Pacific loggerhead sea turtles are among nearly 300 species that eat and get caught in plastic litter. The “plastic is coming from anywhere such as, cargo ships or fishing vessels: floating sneakers, plastic tub toys abandoned fishing nets, and similar items”(Burns127).The debris can injure animals or make them ill; Moreover, it can a bury the marine habitat. The “plastic litter on land can be carried to the ocean by water or wind. Because Plastic does not degrade for many years, it accumulates in the ocean” (Wagnalls57), causing it to be toxic to the marine life. Tiny pieces are easily eaten by and large pieces get caught around the animals. Plastic is vastly polluting the ocean is directly harming the sea life.
Everything from catastrophic oil spills, acid being dumped into the ocean and Plastic being thrown overboard is all contributing the pollution of the ocean. No matter how small or large the problems evolving from ocean pollution are, it is directly affecting the marine life. Pollution is a serious problem in today’s society and is putting the ecosystem in