The ocean is our planet's most abundant source of life. It's the air we breathe, a natural habitat for some of the world's most amazing wildlife, and a recreational area, or even a second home, for recreational divers. In a nutshell, it is the most important and yet most vulnerable link in the chain of life. Despite this, human activity such as the widespread usage of plastics has recently resulted in the contamination of undersea ecosystems around the world.
We have manufactured more plastic in the last ten years than we did in the entire previous century. Almost every single item of plastic ever created is still here on our planet in some shape or another. Microplastics are small fragments of plastic that float on the surface of any sea and are made up of bigger pieces of plastic that have dissolved over time owing to repeated exposure to the sun, sea salt, and strong waves.
These microplastics' rough and uneven edges allow biochemical contaminants to adhere to them, making them highly poisonous. These microplastics are swallowed along with their poisons when aquatic animals mistake them for smaller fish or plankton. Toxins are subsequently absorbed into the bloodstream, where they collect in the fatty tissue that surrounds important organs.
Toxins are generated when stored fat is used to produce energy, severely impacting the aquatic life's metabolism, reproduction, growth, and hepatic and renal function. Microplastic has been found in the stomachs of more than half of all sea turtles and practically all marine birds, according to researchers.
As a result, we have managed to destructively intrude in the daily lives of aquatic organisms in order to make our lives easier. It is never too late, though, to take action. Every single one of us can help to drastically reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in the ocean. Here are four easy-to-implement strategies that can make an impact right away:
Reduce the use of disposable plastics: While completely eliminating disposable plastic from our lives is unlikely, substituting multi-purpose objects for single-use plastics (e.g., coffee cups, plastic cutlery, plastic shopping bags, water bottles, etc.) can drastically reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in our oceans.
Recycling is the proper form of disposal: If the usage of disposable plastic is absolutely unavoidable, make sure that the garbage is properly disposed of through recycling.
Organize or participate in beach clean-up efforts: Effective change can be achieved through a collaborative effort. Clean-up activities, when properly managed, mobilize and enable people of society to show an interest in the ecosystems of their local beaches.
Support groups working to address the problem of plastic pollution: Education on the problem is a valuable contribution in and of itself. Requesting any extra educational materials can help you gain a better understanding of the plastics problem. In addition, a small donation will help organizations that are pioneering in this field.
Recreational divers continue to serve as a link between the undersea world and civilization, of which they are also a part. It is our responsibility to not only express our support for the conservation of our seas, but also to set an example for others to follow by our own actions. Our knowledge is our most valuable asset. PADI's "Dive course dallas Against Debris" programme, for example, allows us to raise awareness of the importance of developing an environmentally friendly mindset both in and out of the sea.
As you can see, appropriate sea conservation can be achieved not only via a communal effort, but also by individual actions that can lead to a beneficial shift in our collective behavior.