Ian Rankin, Author
“You wouldn't think you could kill an ocean, would you? But we'll do it one day. That's how negligent we are.” - Ian Rankin
Littering and the Oceans
Whether carried there naturally or disposed directly, a huge amount of litter all over the world ends up in our oceans. The National Academy of Sciences in the USA estimated in 1997 that around 6.4 million tons of litter enter the world’s oceans each year. (WorldOceanReview) There are an astounding 18,000 pieces of plastic floating in every square kilometer of our world's oceans.
The enormous amounts of ocean litter severely disrupt the ocean's many ecosystems and habitats. Horrifically, one million seabirds and 100,000 turtles and marine mammals are killed by littered plastic every year. (WorldOceanReview)
The enormous amounts of ocean litter severely disrupt the ocean's many ecosystems and habitats. Horrifically, one million seabirds and 100,000 turtles and marine mammals are killed by littered plastic every year. (WorldOceanReview)
Litter Across the Globe
Due to few government regulations and little action against it, littering is often a large problem in developing countries. Along Indonesia's coastal waters, 4 pieces of floating debris were reported per square meter, several orders of magnitude above the average. (worldoceanreview) Popular tourist areas also experience increased litter rates. (cereplast) Our increasingly plastic world has led to a 165% increase in plastic litter from 1969. (cereplast)
But no matter where you are on the globe, litter pervades. People everywhere litter everyday without any qualms. It's time for all of us to start thinking about the real impact that our litter has on the environment.
But no matter where you are on the globe, litter pervades. People everywhere litter everyday without any qualms. It's time for all of us to start thinking about the real impact that our litter has on the environment.