1. Definition:
1.1. "Marine pollution is a combination of chemicals and trash, most of which comes from land sources and is washed or blown into the ocean. This pollution results in damage to the environment, to the health of all organisms, and to economic structures worldwide."
1.2. Marine Pollution
2. Causes (4)
2.1. Oil Spills
2.1.1. "Oil spills that happen in rivers, bays and the ocean most often are caused by accidents involving tankers, barges, pipelines, refineries, drilling rigs and storage facilities, but also occur from recreational boats and in marinas." (Diana Parker) Oil spills are usually caused by illegal dumping, accidents, equipment breaking down, and natural disasters like hurricanes. Oil spreads out quickly and forms a slick layer on the water's surface. As it continues to spread, oil becomes even thinner and eventually forms a very slick sheet over the water's surface.
2.1.2. Oil spills: A major marine ecosystem threat | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2.2. Ocean Mining
2.2.1. "A new study, led by University of Hawai'i (UH) at Mānoa researchers, argues that deep-sea mining poses significant risks, not only to the area immediately surrounding mining operations but also to the water hundreds to thousands of feet above the seafloor,"(UHManoaNews). In the process of ocean mining, large amounts of mud and dissolved chemicals get released into the ocean, which can then be carried around to other parts of the ocean through ocean currents. Additionally, the equipment used for ocean mining produces an extraordinary amount of noise that can be heard from miles away.
2.2.2. Scientists urge caution, further assessment of ecological impacts above deep sea mining
2.3. Littering (Plastic)
2.3.1. "It has been estimated from several studies that about 8 million tons of carelessly managed plastic litter enters the oceans annually, and this would increase by about three times in the upcoming decade." (Ghosh) Plastic products, like plastic bottles and plastic bags, take hundreds of years to degrade, and there is an estimated 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in the oceans. It has been projected that by 2050, the weight of plastic waste will be greater than the fish present in all of the oceans combined.
2.3.2. The Causes And Effects Of Ocean Pollution
2.4. Runoff from Human Activity
2.4.1. "Runoff from human activity comes from two places: point sources and nonpoint sources." (National Geographic Society) Both types of runoff are major sources of ocean pollution (or water pollution in general). Sources that empty directly into the water, like pipes from a sewage treatment factory, are point sources of pollution. Sources where runoff does not empty directly into the water, like car exhaust and crop fertilizers used on farms, are nonpoint sources of pollution. Rainwater and irrigation systems typically wash these chemicals into streams that may eventually make their way to the ocean.
2.4.2. runoff
3. Effects (4)
3.1. Harmful to Marine Animals
3.1.1. "Sea animals are common victims of ocean pollution." (TDS Blog) When looking at oil spills, it is arguable that marine life is most affected by it. Oil spills can suffocate fish by permeating their gills, cause seabirds to stop flying because of the oil that got into their feathers, and cause fur-coated animals to develop hypothermia when the oil coats their fur.
3.1.2. Ocean Pollution: Causes, Effects and Prevention - TDS Blog
3.2. Threat to Human Health
3.2.1. "Pollutants in the ocean make their way back to humans." (TDS Blog) Small toxins enter the food chain and are eaten by small organisms, which are then eaten by larger animals, making their way to our dinner plates. Virtually all of us have toxins in our bodies today. When these toxins make their way to our tissues, it can lead to cancer, long-term health conditions, and much more.
3.2.2. Ocean Pollution: Causes, Effects and Prevention - TDS Blog
3.3. Depletion of Oxygen in Seawater
3.3.1. "As excess debris in the ocean slowly degrades over many years it uses oxygen to do so, resulting in less 02 in the ocean." (TDS Blog) The less oxygen there is in the water, the more marine animals are going to die. Additionally, more plastic in the ocean results in oxygen-producing bacteria producing lower levels of oxygen.
3.3.2. Ocean Pollution: Causes, Effects and Prevention - TDS Blog
3.4. Ocean Garbage Patches Grow
3.4.1. "Garbage patches are large areas of the ocean where litter, fishing gear, and other debris - known as marine debris - collects." (Marine Debris Program) These garbage patches are formed by gyres, which are rotating ocean currents that pull debris in. The center of the gyre often forms "patches" in the ocean. Marine life can be be potentially harmed or killed by certain types of debris in the patches. Additionally, animals may mistake the plastic and other debris for food and eat it. Because they won't breakdown, they will take up room in the animals' stomachs and stop them from eating actual food necessary for their health.
3.4.2. Garbage Patches | OR&R's Marine Debris Program
4. Solutions (2)
4.1. Reduce Ground Leaching
4.1.1. "help reduce the amount of chemicals and toxic materials from leaching into the ground and ultimately, the ocean" (McDermott) There are lots of things you can do to prevent toxins and chemicals from draining into the soil and entering the ocean. You can reduce the amount of fertilizers you use in your yards. You can also opt for organic goods to help limit the chemical pesticides used on crops.
4.1.2. Solutions for Ocean Pollution | LoveToKnow
4.2. Properly Recycle/Dispose of Plastics
4.2.1. "The simple act of throwing something away into a large box marked with a recycling sign is enough to make some of us feel like we’ve done our part... But recycling is a lot more complicated" (Sedaghat) Contrary to popular belief, not everything you put into the recycling bin gets recycled. There are a multitude of requirements a plastic item has to meet before it can be recycled. For example, only clean plastic is recyclable. That means that any plastic material with food residues that you put in the recycling bin will likely not be recycled and might end up somewhere else, like the ocean.
4.2.2. 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Plastic (and Recycling)
5. Current Examples
5.1. #1 - Cause Related
5.1.1. https://www.npr.org/2021/10/14/1046164240/california-oil-spill-25-000-gallons
5.1.2. Just recently, at least 25,000 gallons of oil have spilled into the ocean near Huntington Beach. The source of the spill was identified as a leak in a pipeline owned by a company that transports oil from offshore platforms to the coast. Unfortunately, spills like these will continue to happen until we, as a country, stop using fossil fuels and strictly use clean energy.
5.2. #2 - Effect Related
5.2.1. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch • The Ocean Cleanup
5.2.2. "The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world and is located between Hawaii and California." (The Ocean Cleanup) The GPGP is estimated to be twice the size of Texas, or three times the size of France. Every year, over 1.15 million tons of plastic enter the ocean from the rivers, contributing to the growing concentration of microplastics in the GPGP.
5.3. #3 - Solution Related
5.3.1. This small device can be a big help in combating plastic waste | Greenbiz
5.3.2. Very little of the plastic we put into the recycling bin is actually recycled. Separating the different types of plastic requires a lot of labor, so the plastic ends up in unwanted places like landfills and the ocean. This is where this new device, trinamiX comes it. It is a handheld scanning device that you can use to identify the type of plastic present in an item. This device is extremely helpful for small recycling efforts to properly and efficiently sort through plastic materials and send them to the right recycling facility.
6. CST Connections (3)
6.1. Rights and Responsibility - Cause
6.1.1. We, as human beings and creations of God, have a right to the earth and what it offers. However, with those rights come responsibilities, like maintaining the health and wellbeing of our planet for future generations to live in. As seen through the causes of ocean pollution, we are not being responsible, as we are continuously spilling oil into the ocean, drilling the seabed, littering our oceans with single use plastics, etc.
6.2. Care for God's Creation - Effect
6.2.1. As God's creation, we are obligated to care for God's other creations, like animals and plants. As seen through the effects of ocean pollution, we have not been doing a sufficient job at care for His creation as many sea animals are found dead as a result of oil spills and plastic consumption (most sea animals can distinguish between food and plastic).
6.3. Solidarity - Solution
6.3.1. Nobody can save the ocean on their own; it's going to take the entire world to do that. We all need to work together and stand with one another in order to restore our oceans. We can do this by organizing beach cleanups, educating others on the proper way to dispose of their trash, and switching to biodegradable products.