Essay Sample on Marine Pollution

Black water contaminating clear water, animals in agony, pollution spreading. More than 80 percent of human waste is released into the world´s bodies of water without proper treatment. This fact hurts the environment not only for sea life but also humans. Pollutants are harming the sea life and killing freshwater reserves, which can lower the rate of human sustainability. The ocean life is at risk and dying from pollution, and people can begin to change by stopping the use of single-use plastic. Animals need our help, so it's time to make up for what harm we caused to their environment.

Our activities are devouring fresh water left on the Earth which will make it unsustainable for human existence and sea life. Roughly 97% of Earth's water have too much salinity to be consumed by most plants and animals, including humans, which leaves relatively little fresh water to serve the global population. Which leads to having an estimated $1.3 trillion investment per year by 2030, in order to have sanitated water. The presence of untreated or undertreated sewage in a body of water leads to oxygen depletion which can cause death for sea animal life. As the human population is increasing and activities increase, the further stress on global water resources expands. Nearly eight million metric tons of plastic are dumped into the oceans each year. 

Animals are heavily impacted by the waste thrown into water. These poor creatures that are depending on us are dying every year. Fish, seabirds, sea turtles, and many more marine mammals can become entangled in or ingest plastic debris. It works like a cycle - humans dump the waste that the animals take in, and then humans eat those fish and ingest the waste that's in them. It's not only harming animals but humans too. Threats to marine mammals are largely impacted by human activities, including accidental capture in fishing gear, habitat destruction, poaching, pollution, and harassment. Oil spills and plastic are the two main reasons these animals die faster and are in danger. Oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-being mammals, and blocks their vessels making it hard for them to breathe. These substances create deadly diseases for animals like parasites. Plastic like wrappers, bags, and cartons are dumped in water every day.  These lovely animals get tangled in these plastic pieces and hurt themselves every year. Vice president of conservation medicine and science at the Pacific marine animal center, Dr Alissa Deming said, ¨A plastic bag, that looks like a sandwich that's in it was found in one of my patients (animal).¨  About 100 million animals die each year because of polluted waters. Humans are endangering the variety of sea life species and destroying their habitats. These furry and gill creatures are in danger and aquatic veterinarians can do very little with the money they have to help them. It's the small decisions every day that people make that are driving our single-use plastic issues that we must fix.

To add on, oil spills are a major problem and kill sea life. Oil waste that enters the ocean comes from many sources, some being accidental spills or leaks, and some being the results of chronic and careless habits in the use of oil and oil products. Approximately 706 million gallons of waste oil enter the ocean every year.  Untreated waste disposal from factories and industrial facilities, and unregulated recreational boating. Animals tend to get caught in this sticky and thick substance leading to death. Oil transportation overseas can be very dangerous especially on what has already happened like the spills and leaks. Once this toxic substance gets released it walks through all the water which is extremely hard to clean up after, and what might seem like a clean surface but underneath holds the most trash. 

If we want to make a change and preserve our environment, including water and animals, we must be responsible. We can pick up trash that’s outside. We can reduce the use of single-use plastics. We can recycle properly. We can participate in (or Organize) a beach or river cleanup. We can create fundraisers to help provide money for aquatic organizations to support the animals. We can avoid using ocean harming products that affect animals. We can vote on sea issues and spread the word. Together the world can help restore and improve on what has already been done.