2. Marine debris is any item that does not belong in the ocean
and is mostly man-made. From the EPA website (United States
Environmental Protection Agency)
http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/marinedebris/md_impacts.cfm
3. Direct Impact Ingestion and entanglement can cause injury or
death. Ecosystem can be harmed; coral reefs damaged or suffocated,
plants smothered by plastic and fishing nets, ocean floor
ecosystems damaged by abandoned vessels or debris.
4. Indirect Impact Mechanical efforts to cleanup can harm the
ecosystems, aquatic vegetation, nesting birds, sea turtles, and
other types of aquatic life, and beach erosion Floating debris can
carry invasive species Economic impacts Tourism, fishing,
navigation
5. Human Health and Safety Injuries on the beach by coming into
contact, in the water by entanglement, in vessels that strike large
floating or submerged debris or are damaged by becoming
entangled
6. Individual-direct dumping at the beach or in the water,
improper inland dumping which finds its way to the ocean through
storm drains, rivers, waterways. Industrial-improperly managed
construction and demolition sites, by-products such as plastic
pellets can be lost during transport or disposal Even inland trash
eventually makes its way to the ocean. Wind and rain carry it to
storm drains or directly to water bodies which makes its way to
rivers and then to the ocean.
7. Municipalities-landfills, combined sewer systems and storm
water systems, lack of waste management options lead to improper
dumping. Natural Events-tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, tsunamis.
Ocean based sources-improper waste management, failure to secure
items by recreational and commercial vessels.
8. For all locations-Dispose of trash properly At home-reduce,
reuse, recycle (see links at the end), secure receptacles, spread
the word. At school-reuse old school supplies, pack a waste-free
lunch, encourage your school to become involved. At the
office-reduce paper consumption, use reusable containers and cups,
purchase recycled and reusable office materials. On the go-purchase
recycled, reusable, and smart packaging items, use reusable
shopping bags, limit use of disposable items (Packaging and
containers made up the largest portion of trash generated in 2007,
nearly 78 million tons!). At sea-Properly stow and secure all
equipment and trash, Support environmentally friendly marinas and
ports, Participate in fishing gear incentive programs. Events-adopt
your watershed, International Coastal Cleanup, Project AWARE
foundation events, United Nations Regional Seas Program .
http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/marinedebris/what_index.cfm
9. BECOME AWARE OF HOW MUCH WASTE YOU HAVE. TAKE STEPS TO
REDUCE/REUSE/RECYCLE Buy and use less. Buy items that are made from
recycled materials. Buy in bulk. Buy only what you need. Donate
what you dont need. Select products with less or smart packaging to
reduce waste. Buy reusable products such as containers, bamboo
utensils, grocery totes, diapers, cloth gift wraps, cloth napkins.
Have or buy from garage sales. Use Craigs List. Use Free Cycle.
Borrow movies, CD, and books from libraries. Shop from Thrift
Stores. Borrow seldom used items such as tools, party goods, etc.
Frequent your local farmers markets and businesses. Most produce is
package free so bring your own reusable totes. Cook from scratch.
Make your own household cleaners to save on toxic chemicals,
packaging, and energy to transport. Use half the amount of
commercial detergents and wash full loads only. Learn about herbal
or essential oil home remedies for minor health problems to save on
Over-the-Counter medicines.
10. Repair broken items or trade with someone that can. Buy
durable equipment. Recycle e-waste properly-search for local places
at Earth911. Remove yourself from bulk mailing lists such as
catalog companies. Use their online services. Ask the credit
bureaus to remove you from the pre-approved credit offers.
Immediately dry disposable razors and dip in alcohol to prevent
rust. One razor can last 6 months to a year. If using a reusable
safety razor, dry the disposable razor blades the same way to
increase its life. Reduce plastic use in the kitchen by switching
to glass jars or stainless steel. Use stainless steel lunch
containers or reusable lunch bags for on the go. Use cloth napkins
and towels. Limit the use of paper products. Reuse any plastic as
many times as possible before tossing. Reuse food jars (pickles,
jelly, etc .) Use online banking. Read the news online. Print only
what you really need. Get creative with trash. Before you throw
away, decide if it can be repurposed by you or anyone else. Use the
internet for ideas. Sign up for newsletters, Facebook pages,
YouTube channels, or other online resources that promote
conservation, preservation, and going green. Its a long process to
educate ourselves and change our decade-long habits, so take it one
step at a time. Share what youve learned. Dont keep your hard work
and efforts to yourself. We all must work together.
11. Story of Stuff-educational videos about how we make, use,
and throw away stuff. Has educational and how to get involved
resources. Website http://storyofstuff.org/ Find on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/storyofstuff Mission Blue-Oceanographer
and eco-activist Dr. Sylvia Earls exposes the dire condition of our
oceans and what needs to be done. The Movie on Netflix
http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70308278 Mission Blue website-get
involved http://mission-blue.org/ Find on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/missionblue Free Cycle-a free service to
keep stuff out of landfills. Offer or receive free items in your
community. Website-https://www.freecycle.org/ Find on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/freecycle
12. Earth 911-Recycling help. Has guides and local resources to
recycle just about anything. Website -http://www.earth911.com/ Find
on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Earth911 Quick Search for
local recycling places http://search.earth911.com/ Natural
Resources Defense Council-Environmental Action Group combining
grassroots power and online activists. Website-
http://www.nrdc.org/ Find on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/nrdc.org The three Rs-Reduce, Reuse,
Recycle links http://www.nrdc.org/thisgreenlife/0802.asp Household
cleansers information and links-
http://www.nrdc.org/thisgreenlife/0405.asp
13. Find Local Farmers Markets-buy local to reduce packaging
(cleaner air and water), reduce transportation energy (reduces our
carbon footprint), to keep your money in the community, and find
fresher produce and food. Website
http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/ Zero Waste: The Choice
for a Sustainable Community- To become involved in the bigger
problem. For every can of garbage at the curb, there are 87 cans
worth of materials that come from the extraction industriessuch as
timber, agricultural, mining and petroleumthat manufacture natural
resources into finished products. Source: World Resources
Institute. Website http://www.ecocycle.org/zerowaste/ Find on
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ecocycle.zerowaste/timeline
