Today’s world is wondrous, no doubt, but also in the throes of serious sickness. It’s up to us to combat this downward spiral. The issue of our polluted oceans isn’t foreign to us. We all know about it, just not in great detail. A lot of people nowadays believe that the ocean is still in pristine condition and from what we can see, for the most part, it is. As it turns out, underwater is where all the pollution and filth collects, killing off our beautiful sea life and poisoning the environment.
There has already been significant damage done. Photographers have reported that it took them hours to get beaches clean enough to photograph and taking pictures of the animals was a downright impossibility. There have been cases of whales washing up dead on shore in large numbers, their stomachs filled with plastic.
Then there’s the downright terrifying statistics- by 2050, it’s expected that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.The sad truth is that ocean pollution is a problem we all face. In a way, that’s a good thing- it means that we have to take action, even if it’s only to save ourselves. Just one of the many ways in which we are affected has to do with the seafood we consume. Humans are top of the food chain, so we eat what our food eats. You can only imagine what that means if our food is consuming plastic and various other poisons! This has been known to make people very sick, causing cancer, diabetes and many other health issues.
As a society we are just starting to become more aware of our eco footprint. Most people take it upon themselves to do their part in ensuring the natural world and therefore, us as a human race, remain in tip top shape for the foreseeable future. Ocean clean ups, recycling, oil spill clean ups, banning single use plastics, boycotting fast fashion- there are endless ways to make a difference, whether through actions big or small. The problem we’re facing is significant and a tough one but it has a sure solution.
Earth is the one and only home we have, so it’s about time we straighten out our priorities and put it first. If that means changing our lifestyle or directing our attention towards matters of importance, then that’s what we’ll do. Adopting an environmentalist mindset is entirely possible- with great focus and determination, we can make these shifts for the better. If our oceans go, so do we. There will be no existence.