Written Statement

Since the 1940’s, marine pollution has been increasing more than ever. Animals get caught in the marine debris and it causes crucial health problems. These animals eat and ingest the debris thinking it is food and it either ends up blocking the entry way to the animal’s stomach causing him to starve to death or it blocks the breathing passages and causes the animals to die because they cannot breathe. Marine Animals require very low amounts of chemicals such as copper, zinc, manganese, and cobalt. These chemicals are usually found in very low concentrations under water so marine animals have adapted to be able to obtain these chemicals in low doses and keep them on-hand so they can be used when needed. Some pollution contains these same chemicals only in extremely high concentrations which is too much for the marine animals and in some cases toxic. The chemical pesticides farmers use which are used to kill off insects and animals that might eat the plants come off the plants when it rains and make their way to the ocean and cause harm to fish as well as polluting and contaminating the water. The pesticides used at farms, gardens, orchards, and on crops, make their way to the ocean. The fat in the marine animals absorbs the pesticides and stays there which causes health problems, the inability to reproduce, and can even be fatal. Similar to agricultural pollution, cars also produce dangerous pollution as well. Whenever your driving your car around, there is smoke coming out the back. This smoke comes back as acid rain. Acid rain is rain that is mixed with pollution. When it gets into the ocean, it contaminates the water and kills a lot of the the organisms and fish beneath the water. Sometimes, when there are too many unwanted pesticides or toxins in the water where there is algae, the algae will rapidly reproduce and cover the water creating something known as an ‘Algal Bloom’. An algal bloom is a huge area of algae on top of the water which continues to grow rapidly, but each algae cell’s life is extremely short lived so the top of this algal bloom is covered in decaying matter. When matter decays, it sucks up the oxygen from the water leaving the body of water underneath the algal bloom without oxygen or with very little amounts. This causes many organisms under the water to die as well. Coral Reefs are being destroyed extremely quickly as well. Out of all the reefs in the world, 10% of them have already been destroyed. But, in such places such as the Phillipines, over 70% of their reefs are now gone while only 5% of their reefs are actually in good condition. We as humans, by polluting, have completely destroyed their environment. Coral Reefs had very specific needs of a specific temperature and a specific cleaness, water pollution causing both as well as global warming causes the huge increase in temperature under the water. The ocean makes up 70% of this planet in which we all live, so why don’t we care more about contaminating and polluting the ocean and everything beneath?

FAQ's

1. What kind of pollution is found in the ocean?

Sewage, animal wastes, fertilizers, oils from oil spills, metals, plastic and glass litter, boxes, bags, caps, lids, even medical wastes

http://www.pollutionissues.com/Ve-Z/Water-Pollution-Marine.html

2. How are cars polluting the ocean?

Whenever your driving your car around, there is smoke coming out the back. This smoke comes back as acid rain. Acid rain is rain that is mixed with pollution. When it gets into the ocean, it contaminates the water and kills a lot of the the organisms and fish beneath the water.

http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215471/ocean_pollution.htm

3. How does farming pollute the ocean?

The chemical pesticides farmers use which are used to kill off insects and animals that might eat the plants come off the plants when it rains and make their way to the ocean and cause harm to fish as well as polluting and contaminating the water.

http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215471/ocean_pollution.htm

4. What is an Algal Bloom?

An algal bloom is a huge area of algae on top of the water which continues to grow rapidly, but each algae cell’s life is extremely short lived so the top of this algal bloom is covered in decaying matter. When matter decays, it sucks up the oxygen from the water leaving the body of water underneath the algal bloom without oxygen or with very little amounts. This causes many organisms under the water to die as well.

5. Are oil spills water pollution?

YES. Oil spills are defenitly considered a main part of water pollution.

6. What can you do to help?

-don’t litter

-choose to use nontoxic chemicals

-Use proper disposal of chemicals

-Decrease your use of pesticides/fertilizers

- don’t flush toxic wastes, medication, or chemicals

-reduce oil leaks by maintaing your cars and boats

-don’t dump oil down the drain!!

http://pollution-control.suite101.com/article.cfm/ocean_pollution_facts

7. What is water pollution?

Water pollution is the result of industrial waste and environmental accidents.

http://www.keepbanderabeautiful.org/keepearthpollution.html?gclid=CLys7LPM7aECFYNd5Qod9DjKIw

8. Where does water pollution come from?

As well as those two things, water pollution is also the result of humans being careless and littering and or leaving things behind when they go out on their boats such as nets and fishing line.

http://www.lenntech.com/water-pollution-faq.htm

9. How is water pollution detected?

Scientists take small samples of water from different places and they are tested and analyzed for a variety of different toxins and contaminants to see if any of them are present. You can also test a body of water’s cleanliness by testing a fish from that water for specific contaminants.

http://www.lenntech.com/water-pollution-faq.htm#ixzz0oxJ9cFdU

10. Do things other than debris pollute the water?

Yes. While litter and debris are a main part of marine pollution, its defenitly not the only part. Things such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, poisounous toxins, and parasitic worms also can contaminate and pollute the water.
http://www.lenntech.com/water-pollution-faq.htm#ixzz0oxKknzNW

Coral Reef Destruction and Conservation

Out of all the reefs in the world, 10% of them have already been destroyed. But, in such places such as the Phillipines, over 70% of their reefs are now gone while only 5% of their reefs are actually in good condition. We as humans, by polluting, have completely destroyed their environment. Coral Reefs had very specific needs of a specific temperature and a specific cleaness, water pollution causing both as well as global warming causes the huge increase in temperature under the water.

http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral5.htm

Water Pollution in China

In China, more then 500 million people use contaminated water which is approximately 2/3 of the population of China. As a result of this, gastrointestinal cancer is the number one killer in people living in the countrysides. A lot of the time people drink water that is poisoned with arsenic. When nearby factories realease all their toxins and wastes into the water, it affects not only the organisms who live underwater, but the humans who live above it as well.

http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=391&catid=10&subcatid=66

Dirty Water Cashing in on Ocean Pollution

Picture: Sewage container on Cruise Ship

This case is a first hand account of a inexcusable sighting off the coast of Puerto Vallarta while on a cruise. This married couple on vacation were out snorkeling one day when they saw a ship empty their septic tank less than a mile a way from where they were on their snorkeling excursion. The wife says, ““As it was passing, the water behind it was bubbling up out of the back with almost like a sick green algae substance. It looked like sewage, and you could smell it – like it was treated with chemicals, almost like it smells in a porta-potty.” They were forced to stop snorkeling and get out of the water because it was ‘unsafe’. The cruise ships make all their money off of the beautiful seas, yet they are dumping their sewage and waste out in the middle of it?

http://dcbureau.org/20100118305/Natural-Resources-News-Service/dirty-waters-cashing-in-on-ocean-pollution.html

Article Summaries

Title: Earth Day, Are We Destroying the Oceans?	Summary: This article is about the harmful affects of Ocean Pollution. It talks about how everyone looks in the ocean and its big, blue, and beautiful, but no one ever notices or thinks about how there are so many organisms underneath the water dying and struggling to survive due to this awful marine pollution occuring below the surface. The article talks about how, today, we only have 10% of the fish we used to have due to over fishing and now, many species of fish are endangered. It talks about how the climate changes are also affecting the environment in which these species are used to. It says that the ocean makes up 70% of this planet in which we all live, so why don’t we care more about contaminating and polluting the ocean and everything beneath?
Author: Bryan Walsh
Date Published: Wednesday April 14, 2010
Source: TIME Magazine
Web Link: http://www.time.com/time/health /article/0,8599,1982015,00.html

Title: Mass Pollution of earth’s oceans reaches alarming levels	Summary: This article talks how humans are destroying the oceans with extreme amounts of pollution that ultimatly killing organisms and damaging crucial ecosystems. It talks about this group/organization called the ‘Seaweed Rebels’ who are trying to do something about this crisis. It talks about how we also pollute our oceans with a lot of damaging noise pollution that effects how the underwater organisms communicate with each other. It says that humans use the ocean as a go-to dumping site for things such as toxic waste, testing of nuclear bombs, human waste, and trash.
Author: Mike Adams
Date Published: Saturday August 7, 2004
Source: Natural News
Web Link: http://www.naturalnews.com /001698_environmental_ protection_pollution.html

Title: Shellfish suffering in polluted marine environment	Summary: Shellfish of the coast of Beijing have been recorded as being extremely toxic due to toxic pollutants. Most shellfish contained toxic chemicals such as lead and cadmium and a common chinese pesticide called DDT. The amount of lead found in the shellfish was 50% higher than the standard amount that shellfish usually contain. The cadmium and DDT levels were 40% higher than they usually are as well. If consumed, lead can cause blood and brain damage as well as affecting the entire nervous system. As a result of extremely fast economic growth, more and more garbage and pollution is being dumped into the ocean.
Author: Wang Qian
Date Published: May 12, 2010
Source: China Daily
Web Link: http://www.chinadaily. com.cn/china/201003/12/content_ 9576919.htm

Title: Vast area of waste plastic found in the north atlantic	Summary: In San Juan, Puerto Rico, they found a swirl of plastic debris in the ocean. It was hard to see from the surface, but scientist went through and documented it all. They sifted through the entire stretch between Bermuda and Portugal’s mid-Atlantic Azores islands. The officials say that since theres no real thourough way to clean the oceans, the solution is to raise awareness across the world and to use more biodegradeable products.
Author: Mike Melia
Date Published: 4/16/10
Source: The Star
Web Link: http://www.thestar.com/news/ sciencetech/article/796446--vast-area-of-waste-plastic-found-in-north-atlantic

Title: Inspiring Ocean Advocates of Tomorow	Summary: On Thursday and Friday the 13th and 14th of May, about 830 middle school students and teachers from 27 different surrounding schools in central and north jersey participated in Clean Ocean Action’s two-day Annual Spring Student Summit. They participated in several hands-on activities such as learning about horshoe crabs, identifying different sea shells, and learning the dangerous affects that litter has on the ocean.
Author: Clean Ocean Action
Date Published: 5/15/10
Source: Alternative Press
Web Link: http://www.thealternative press.com/article.asp?news=12891& Inspiring-Ocean-Advocates-for-Tomorrow