Ocean Pollution
There are up to 100 million tons of plastic in the ocean
Humans and marine life suffer
Ocean organisms are mutating and suffocating. Marine food supplies are diminishing. The ocean was once believed to be too vast to be hurt by human activity, but it now suffers from the onslaught of human pollution. In fact, 80% of ocean pollution comes from land. Trash blows in from beaches, chemicals seep down drains, and toxics are illegally dumped. From algae to whales, the impact is crippling.
Only 0.6% of the ocean is Marine Protected Areas, most of which are within 12 miles of shore. Ocean regulation is blurry due to international barriers, so Worldwatch Institute and Union of Concerned Scientists, among others, stress the importance of prevention. Sustainable ecosystems are crucial to keeping pollutants out of our oceans.
