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Facts About Our Oceans
Dive into the mesmerizing world of our oceans, where 71% of our planet is just waiting to be explored! These salty seas are total show-offs, containing 97% of Earth's water and providing homes to about 230,000 fin-tastic species (not to mention they do their part in holding down a whopping 99% of the Earth's biosphere!). But wait, there's more! So, come on down and ride the waves, as we continue to discover the countless wonders hidden beneath the ocean's surface!
What is the Amount of Plastics in our Oceans?
5.25 trillion pieces of plastic littering the oceans. This is equivalent to one garbage truck full of plastic entering the ocean every minute.
The amount of Plastics in our Oceans from Diapering Waste?
Disposable diapers alone are responsible for over 3 million metric tons of plastic waste entering the world’s oceans each year. That's more than enough to cover the entire island nation of Malta in 6 inches of plastic!
How Does Plastic Affect Marine Life?
It can entangle organisms such as turtles and dolphins or strangle them by blocking their airways or beaks. Secondly, fish often mistake small pieces of plastic for prey when they are searching for food causing them to choke or starve because they cannot digest it. Furthermore, large amounts of microplastics leak chemicals into the water which absorb pollutants like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl) from industrial sources, resulting in ingestion by many species with unknown long term effects on reproductive systems and overall health. Lastly, plastics also form rafts at sea leading to changes in biodiversity allowing spores and diseases to travel great distances without help from humans leading to potential epidemics across many areas’ aquatic ecosystems.
Studies suggest that at least 100 million marine creatures die each year due to ocean plastic wastage. Marine mammals including dolphins, whales and seals often get entangled in discarded fishing nets or ingest indigestible debris - leading to obvious distress and increased mortality rates amongst these species.
The Amount of Plastics Entering our Oceans Each Year?
It is estimated that 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans each year, threatening the health of marine life and marine ecosystems.
On top of this alarming statistic, by 2050 it is estimated that there will be more plastics than fish (by weight) in our oceans if we don't do something about it soon! As such it’s never been more important for us to take action; reducing single-use items where possible and properly disposing/recycling whatever we do use are steps anyone can take towards creating a healthier planet for generations to come.
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