Ways to Protect the Environment

Overview | Marine Debris

Overview

Anything added to water, land, or which affects the health of living things is called pollution. Pollution can be solids, garbage thrown on the street; liquids, chemicals that leak into the soil; or gases—bad smells that come from a garbage dump. Pollution can also be in the form of unwanted energy-like light coming from a neon sign disturbing sleep, loud noises from a construction site, or excess heat being released into the environment from a power plant. Living things themselves can also be pollution. For example, bacteria that accidentally get into drinking water can pollute the water and make people sick.

Although there are natural forms of pollution, i.e. volcanoes that release dangerous gases into the air, most pollution is the result of human activities. Marine animals are frequently affected by pollution that comes from human beings.

Some pollution comes from an obvious source. The source, for example, could be an oil tanker ship that crashes into rocks and spills oil into the ocean, or a smokestack spewing thick black smoke into the air. Pollution that comes from an identifiable source is called point source pollution. It is very hard to identify the sources of most pollution. For example, fertilizers or pesticides sprayed on a farm may enter the ocean thousands of miles away because when it rains, these chemicals are carried downhill and downstream. Pollution that comes from sources that are hard to identify is called nonpoint source pollution. Most pollution comes from nonpoint sources.

Plastics are both point and nonpoint source pollution, but are another serious problem in the ocean. The reason that plastics are such a concern is that they do not break down, or biodegrade, on their own. A piece of plastic will remain floating in the ocean for thousands of years.

What can we do?

Many people do not realize that their everyday activities can pollute the ocean. However, we can make good decisions and prevent point source and nonpoint source pollution.

Here are some things that students, their teachers, and their families can do at home and school to prevent water pollution. Can you think of more?

At Home:

• Choose products with less packaging. Less packaging means less chance of waste ending up in the wrong place.
• Clean up after your pet. Pet waste can carry diseases that affect marine animals.
• Dispose of waste properly. Do not litter the streets or throw waste down storm drains. Be sure to recycle plastics, paper, glass and metal products.
• Reuse items rather than dispose of them.
• Consider whether fertilizers and pesticides are necessary in lawns and gardens, or choose natural alternatives.
• Do not wash the car in the driveway-detergents in waterways are harmful! Car washes usually must treat and recycle water.

At Schools:

• Form recycling programs for paper, plastics and cans.
• Bring awareness to students, teachers and parents. Create a newsletter to be distributed to the school and surrounding community.
• Examine your cafeteria and determine what changes can be made to make the waste products more environmentally friendly (i.e. Do you use plastic or Styrofoam trays? Can the cafeteria reuse trays?)
• Pick up litter.

In Our Communities:

• Participate in neighborhood and coastal clean-ups.
• Encourage neighbors, the town, and others to plant flowers, trees, and plants native to the area. Using native plants means less fertilizers and less watering.
• Encourage community members to consider what they put on the ground. For example, when changing oil in the car, do not dump the oil in the street, it will simply run off into the nearest river or stream.
• Educate people about what you have learned.

Research Links Related to Exploring Pollution Solutions:

• Alaska Native Harbor Seal Commission
  Native Alaskan programs for conservation and preservation of Harbor Seal.
   
• Birds of New Zealand - 'Titi' Sooty Shearwater
  Good color illustrations and fact sheet.
   
• Caribbean Conservation Corporation -- Loggerhead Turtles
  Fact Sheet plus global map of nesting sites
   
• Cornell Lab - Bird Migration Record (Sooty Shearwater)
  Map showing migratory patterns of a breeding pair from their south Pacific colony to the north Pacific feeding ground.
   
• Monterey Bay Aquarium - Seafood WATCH
  This site allows you to print a 'wallet card' which you can carry with you and share with your friends and family.
   
• National Geographic -- Loggerhead Turtles
  Sea turtle profile, photos and video on the lifestyle of the Loggerhead Turtle.
   
• National Marine Sanctuaries 2008 Accomplishments Report
  This is a really cool 2-minute animation on ocean action and a way to participate in the drive to "sea" change.
   
• National Ocean Service: NonPoint Source Pollution
  This link has great background information about nonpoint source pollution.
   
• NOAA -- Arctic Theme Page -- Polar Bear
  Discussion of how climate change is affecting Polar Bear populations.
   
• NOAA -- Marine Debris Program
  Outreach program and education (Marine 101 class) about marine pollution and clean up off New Hampshire coast.
   
• NOAA Fisheries - Office of Protected Resources - Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs)
  Information on Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs)
   
• Nonpoint Source Pollution - A Brief History of Pollution
  An article from NOAA's National Ocean Service
   
• Oil Spills at the Water Surface
  An article from NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration
   
• Penguin Science
  How giant icebergs, disappearing sea ice, and shifting weather patterns are affecting penguins. Has a penguin cam plus video and lots of images.
   
• Pinnipeds.org -- California Sea Lion
  Covers distribution and numbers, status and lifestyle. Great photos.
   
• Pinnipeds.org -- Harbor Seal
  Covers distribution, status and lifestyle. Great photos.
   
• Pinnipeds.org -- Harp Seal
  Covers distribution, status and lifestyle. Great photos.
   
• Pinnipeds.org -- Hawaiian Monk Seal
  Covers distribution, status and lifestyle. Great photos.
   
• Pinnipeds.org -- Walrus
  Covers distribution, Status and lifestyle. Great photos.
   
• Prince William's Oily Mess: A Tale of Recovery
  A story with pictures about how the Prince William Sound ecosystem recovered from one of the most infamous oil spills in history.
   
• Sooty Shearwater tracking
  Show migration routes of 19 Sootys throughout the north and south Pacific Basin. Also shows photo of the tracking tag.
   
• The Problem with Marine Debris
  An article from the California Coastal Commission, Public Education Program
   
• Trash in our Oceans--You Can Be Part of the Solution
  An article from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
   
• WWF Loggerhead Turtles
  Physical description, ecology & habitat, Population & distribution, threats (bycatch) and importance to marine ecosystems.