More Research. Same Results.
More Research into Plastic Pollution. Same Exact Results.
More research into plastic pollution has yielded the same results. Multiple sources of information have pointed to the same conclusion. Data and research from a wide range of contributors have come upon the same findings: The plastic pollution issue is a global concern that requires an intentional and global response.
Different reports and predictions indicate an exponential expansion of plastic and its impacts in our planet’s water sources. Oceans are expected to have more plastic than fish by 2050, with dangerous levels of plastic already being detected in the Mediterranean, the ice of the Arctic, and the East China and Yellow Seas. From massive clumps of trash to microscopic pieces invisible to the naked eye, this plastic is everywhere, and it isn’t staying in the oceans. It’s becoming part of our ecosystem, consumed by the smallest members of the food chain and eventually ending up on our dinner plates.
Sea Life and Plastic
Sea turtles and birds are known to regularly consume plastic, as are mussels and oysters — both commonly consumed whole by humans. There are significant causes for concern when considering the true implications of this plastic in our wildlife and our diets.
But strictly from an ecological standpoint, plastic’s polluting effects are still worth considering and investigating. According to research published by the World Economic Forum in February of 2022, the threat of extinction to wildlife like sperm whales and monk seals is becoming more and more real each year, with many ecologically-rich environments now measuring drastically marked increases in plastic’s presence.
According to the Analysis for the Worldwide Fund for Nature, “2,141 species have so far been found to encounter plastic pollution in their natural environments.”
With more than 100 million tons of plastic having already entered our waterways, taking dedicated and effective steps forward will involve more than a laundry lint filter or a law on the books. It will be a global decision to control plastic’s production and its disposal. It will be a unilateral effort to make responsibility a value in the way we protect our environment for future generations. But it does start with individual decisions — one at a time. And then those decisions take root and take shape into lifestyle changes for individuals and families. Communities are impacted and change goes from being possible to be measurable.