EnviroLink Forum

Sea Plastic is becoming a well known issue around the world. Organizations are forming in an effort to clean up the mess that throwaway plastic has created in our oceans. These organizations spend their time picking up types of trash such as; plastic bags, bottles, and straws. Rather than a direct effort to fix the plastic that is already in our oceans, Starbucks has made a recent executive decision to eliminate plastic straws from their stores, in the effort to prevent further pollution. The Wall Street Journal, was one of the many writing companies to create an article about Starbucks Plastic Straw movement. This is not the first move that Starbucks has made to help the environment, a few years ago they began to sell reusable cups for $1, in hopes to reserve the use of plastic. They have created a lid to replace the use of plastic straws, which resembles a “sippy cup” lid. Starbucks was moved by a video released of a distressed sea turtle, the reason that this turtle was distressed was due to a straw stuck in its nose. This straw was so far up in the turtle’s nostril, once pulled from the turtle’s nose the piece of the straw looked to be somewhere around 5-6 inches. This video was not only a reminder to Starbucks, but everyone who viewed it of our effect on marine life. It made us realize that we have a harmful effect on animals when we allow things like this to come into their marine ecosystem. This sea turtle was most likely in contact with this straw as it was laying eggs on the beach. We often don't consider that sea turtles come onto the beaches where we have our summer fun. Beachgoers carelessly leave behind pieces of trash that can affect the new life of these baby sea turtles and certainly their moms’. The trash does not only stay in the sand where it was left. Trash is washed out to sea to create patches of trash. “Plastic concentration is increasing - I think the situation is getting worse” said Laurent Lebreton of the Ocean cleanup foundation, who is leading the research (Briggs). Lebreton and fellow scientist have explored these patches of trash in the Pacific Ocean by sweeping a net through them to collect samples of trash. Wind patterns and currents can create these patches of trash causing them to remain in this area of the Pacific Ocean. This situation has created the highest concentration of plastic ever recorded. Often we as humans only see what is on the surface, we do not consider what is under the surface. Much of this trash that is too heavy to float sinks to the bottom. Multiple species of marine life will have their environments interrupted by these materials. National Geographic produced an article on a plastic bag that was found in the deepest trench, the Mariana trench. This is the deepest point in the ocean, 36,000 feet down in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean (Gibbens). Finding this analysis of the plastic found in the ocean helps readers to see the lasting effects of this pollution. The fact that a plastic bag could reach the deepest depths in the pacific ocean, shows that any sort of trash littered in the ocean can reach any depth.

All that plastic can be a threat...or resource.
If that waste can be recycled.....

Yes I agree, recycling would be very helpful to the issue of Sea Plastic.

5 trillion pounds will take a very long time to recycle. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/06/ ... 10-rivers/

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"With every decision, think seven generations ahead of the consequences of your actions" Ute rule of life.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”― Chief Seattle
“Those Who Have the Privilege to Know Have the Duty to Act”…Albert Einstein

Yes recycling 5 trillion pounds of plastic would be hard. It is certainly a step in the right direction though. Something positive to combat a negative situation.