Ocean Plastic Pollution- We Are The Solution!

Ocean Plastics,

Plastic ocean pollution injures and kills marine life, spreads toxins and is a potential threat our health.

In 2015, a key study concluded the ocean contains so much more degraded plastic the previously  believed. It is estimated that 150 million tons of plastic pollutes our oceans, with 8 million tons annually, this is equivalent to a garbage truck load every minute.

A 2016 study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, predicted that our oceans will contain more plastic than fish by 2050, if we don't take action now to reduce the flow of plastics throughout our oceans.


A Threat To Ocean Life,

Only part of our oceans pollution is visible. Most of it consists of tiny degraded particles swirling around and spreading across 16 million square kilometres of ocean surface. This area is the size of
the U.S and Australia combined.

There are 2 ways that plastic particles:

1) Particles become lodged in the digestive systems of animals, leading to impairment and death. Fish, turtles, sea birds, sea lions and whales can die a horrible death by eating or becoming entangled in plastic. Recent studies found 1/4  of the fish at markets in California and Indonesia contain plastics in their guts in the form of micro fibres.
2) Plastic particles can absorb toxins already in the water and spread them all throughout the marine food web, possibly to humans if we eat ocean fish. A lot of plastic pollution is single use packaging. 9/10 items  recovered by the ocean conservancies annual coastal clean up are some form of packaging or fast food dining supplies.

Plastic Free Ocean's, The Kaisei Project

In April 2008, a man named Richard Owen, a building contractor and scuba diver instructor, started the Environmental Clean-up coalition to solve the problem of pollution in the North Pacific. They are working with other groups find a safe way to remove the plastic organic compounds from our ocean's.

A project to study and clean up the garbage patch was called Project Kaisei and it launched in March 2009. By August 2009, two ships from the project (RV New Horizon & The Kaisei)  was researching the garbage patch and realized the possibility of commercial scale collecting and recycling operation.

Project Kaisei is the ocean clean up initiative of Ocean Voyages Institute. It is a non-profit organization based out of San Francisco.  The marine debris collection equipment tank convened by Project Kaisei has an excellent team of naval architects and marine scientists that assisted with the design and evaluation of innovative approaches to help clean marine debris collection devices and systems.

Using traditional fishing methods and oil spill clean up technology, like skimmers, for the collection of plastic at the surface are some of this groups evaluation process. Project Kaisei continues to focus on finding safe solutions, major clean up as well as global education and prevention.


We Are The Solution To Pollution,


It is important to remember that every person can have a positive influence on our oceans and our environment. We are very aware of the impact that plastic pollution is having on our  marine environment. The solution starts with us!!!!

These simple steps will help stop the biggest sources of plastic pollution from reaching our oceans and harming our marine life, if implemented correctly.

-Ban the use of plastic bags in our life. We can take our own reusable bags to help reduce the use of plastic.

-Use our own reusable drink bottles or coffee cups. This will make us both versatile and environmentally friendly.

-Steer clear of products with microbeads, such as Aveda tourmaline charged exfoliating cleanser and radiant skin refiner. Bicelle cleansing cream. Burts bees deep pore scrub, Neutrogena naturals purifying pore scrub and so many more.

-Arrange a clean up in your town. This simple act of picking up even just a small amount of litter makes the world of difference. SEE IT, BIN IT!!!!!!!!!!

Our nation has so many groups running exceptional education programs for school kids. The bring
the message to schools and help the next generation plan what we can do to stop  plastic from even making it to our oceans.

There is so much we can do individually and together to help ocean pollution. If you want to know more about what you can do and how you can Go Green! and help our environment visit the link below.

Go Green!