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Plastic Pollution in our Oceans

Plastic Pollution in our Oceans
Environmental Issues > Oceans Main Page > All Oceans Documents The Basics We're treating the oceans like a trash bin: around 80 percent of marine litter originates on land, and most of that is plastic. Read more » What it Means to You Plastic pollution affects every waterway, sea and ocean in the world. Solutions The most effective way to stop plastic pollution in our oceans is to make sure it never reaches the water in the first place. NRDC is working on three key strategies to curb plastic water pollution in the U.S. and beyond: 1. NRDC is building a growing coalition of waste management, community, environmental, and business groups support measures that would stop plastic pollution at its source by creating incentives for industry to use less packaging for their products, make them recyclable, and ensure that recycling actually happens. 2. 3. What You Can Do Marine plastic pollution shows us that we cannot really throw anything "away." 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. last revised 3/8/2014 Related:  Environment

Artists & Products Plastic Oceans | Facts | Waste | Plastic Oceans The proliferation of plastic products in the last 70 years or so has been extraordinary; quite simply we cannot now live without them. This epidemic of plastic has resulted in an increased introduction from around 50 million tonnes in 1950 to 245 million tonnes in 2008 (Plastics Europe). Plastic is cheap and incredibly versatile with properties that make it ideal for many applications. However, these qualities have also resulted in it becoming an environmental issue. According to water filtration company Brita, Americans throw away 35 billion plastic water bottles every year.Packaging is the largest end use market segment accounting for just over 40|% of total plastic usage (Plastics Europe)Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide.

Ocean Pollution Causes Why be concerned with ocean pollution causes? Here’s why. Imagine yourself walking on the beach. Such a scenario does not only take place in our imagination. Ocean water pollution is one of the vital environmental issues the planet is facing at present. There is no single source of ocean pollution. Here are some major ocean pollution causes. Oil Industry Our demand for fossil fuels is adversely affecting the oceans. Remember the 2010 BP Oil spill, one of the greatest environmental catastrophe US has faced ever? In turn, when gasoline is burned, may it be by vehicles or power stations, toxic gases are released into the air. Garbage Dumping Garbage is one of the significant ocean pollution causes. Back in 1975, the National Academy of Sciences estimated that about 14 billion pounds of garbage was being dumped into the ocean every year. Plastic bags, balloons, glass bottles, shoes, packaging material, etc, through Man’s irresponsible disposage of waste, have found their way to the ocean.

Southern African leaders fail to prioritise water and sanitation | Global development The majority of southern Africans are living in an "unrelenting struggle against sanitation and water poverty," according to a new report that accuses governments in the region of failing to prioritise their plight. In From promise to reality, the international NGO WaterAid says southern African leaders have fallen behind on their promises to boost public spending on basic services, with the poorest and most vulnerable people hardest hit. "There is a lot of economic growth in the region... but this is bypassing much of the population," said John Garrett, senior policy analyst at WaterAid, contrasting the optimism over southern Africa's economic prospects with the region's lagging progress on clean water and sanitation targets. An estimated 174 million people in southern Africa - almost two thirds of the total population - lack access to basic latrines, while more than 100 million go without clean drinking water. WaterAid says no government in southern Africa has met the spending target.

Why Recycle? The Response » THE CLEAN OCEANS PROJECT Our Organization The Clean Oceans Project (TCOP) is a 501c3 non-profit created to develop efficient and effective methods of eliminating plastic from the ocean. Our Plan TCOP’s multi-phase approach involves research, education and direct action integrated into a cohesive long-term plan. Training shoreline surveyors creates local awareness and promotes ocean stewardship. To measure progress we monitor plastic debris deposition rates at isolated shore stations which is far more accurate than oceanic sampling. Disposal TCOP will utilize plastic-to-fuel conversion systems on board collection vessels to transform plastic into diesel fuel eliminating the need to dispose of the waste in a landfill and providing fuel for collection operations. Long Term Commitments TCOP is committed to a comprehensive global approach to plastic pollution. We are committed to research and technical innovation to facilitate an accurate awareness of plastics pollution. Support and Funding Our Message

Plastic Waste Causes Financial Damage of US$13 Billion to Marine Ecosystems Each Year as Concern Grows over Microplastics Nairobi, 23 June 2014 - Concern is growing over the threat that widespread plastic waste poses to marine life, with conservative estimates of the overall financial damage of plastics to marine ecosystems standing at US$13 billion each year, according to two reports released on the opening day of the first United Nations Environment Assembly.The eleventh edition of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Year Book looks at ten issues flagged as emerging by previous reports over the past decade, including plastic waste in the ocean. The UNEP Year Book 2014 gives an update on each issue and provides options for action. Other areas covered include the environmental impacts of excess nitrogen and marine aquaculture, air pollution's deadly toll, and the potential of citizen science. Valuing Plastic, a UNEP-supported report produced by the Plastic Disclosure Project (PDP) and Trucost, makes the business case for managing and disclosing plastic use in the consumer goods industry.

22d74a6887640bf192029afb1a992af8 l Local Recycling Home How to Help Prevent Damage to Our Oceans: 10 Steps Edit Article Our oceans are a place of great beauty, incredible wonders, amazing mystery, and even a source of some of our deepest fears or thrills. Our oceans are important to us for many reasons, with food, transportation, recreation, medical sources, and energy being just some of the benefits we gain from them. Yet, oceans are suffering from our activities too; our land practices cause agricultural run-off, sewage, and litter to end up in the oceans daily, and there is now so much trash in the ocean that we've created garbage vortexes where all the trash heads to.[1] Damage to our oceans is damage to our livelihoods, well-being, and nourishment; damage to our oceans lacks respect for our oceans' intrinsic value. As individuals, we can do more to ensure that the oceans are cared for and respected. In this article, you'll learn some quick and easy ways to help prevent damage to our oceans. Ad Steps 1Start by learning what you can about the oceans. We could really use your help! Vans shoes

Department of Public Service, Columbus, Ohio Snow and Ice Plan Quick facts about Columbus' Snow and Ice Plan and Related Snow Information - learn more Parking The Mobility Options Division and Parking Violations Bureau manage parking in the City to ensure reasonable access and turnover for residents and visitors. - learn more Refuse Collection Trash collection for the City of Columbus is managed by the Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection. The City collects trash from more than 320,000 households using trucks with mechanical arms to pickup and empty collection containers. - learn more Recycling Recycling and Columbus really do belong together. Bicycling Welcome to the Bikeway Program for the City of Columbus. India just banned all forms of disposable plastic in its capital | The Independent India’s capital city Delhi has introduced a ban on disposable plastic. Cutlery, bags, cups and other forms of single-use plastic were prohibited by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). There is particular concern in the country about the amount of plastic waste it produces. According to the Times of India, it is responsible for an astonishing 60 per cent of the plastic that is dumped in the world’s oceans every year. The ban affects the whole National Capital Territory (NCT) area of Delhi. It was introduced after complaints about the illegal mass burning of plastic and other waste at three local rubbish dumps, which has been blamed for causing air pollution. The Tribunal said in a statement: “Each of these sites is a depiction of the mess that can be created for environment and health of people of Delhi. “We direct that use of disposable plastic is prohibited in entire NCT of Delhi. “The Delhi government shall take steps for storage and use of plastic materials.” Reuse content

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