Plastic was a game-changer when it first came out. The problem is, our love for it led to a lot of cheap, disposable products. Now we're facing a major environmental issue, especially when it comes to our oceans and waterways. And nobody really anticipated the impact all that plastic would have on marine life.
Each year, around 12.7 million tons of plastic end up in our seas, that's like dumping a garbage truck full of plastic into the ocean every single minute. At this rate, experts are predicting that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.
The real issue is that plastic doesn't just break down and disappear. It sticks around, accumulating in our seas and harming marine life.
How Is Plastic Actually Affecting the Ocean?
Well, the ocean is probably the most at-risk environment when it comes to plastic trash. Once plastic gets into the sea, it can go anywhere. Waves and storms can carry it super far, even to really remote parts of the ocean. It piles up in big swirling areas out in the open sea, or it gets stuck on shorelines and in sensitive coastal areas. They've even found it on islands where nobody lives.
After floating around for a while, the plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller parts from the waves and storms, until it's tinier than a grain of sand. This makes cleaning up the plastic in the ocean really, really hard – practically impossible.
Where Does All This Plastic In the Ocean Come From?
One of the primary sources of plastic pollution in our oceans is simply litter. Plastic waste carelessly left on beaches, illegal dumping in rivers, and refuse blown from streets all contribute to a significant problem.
Much of this waste originates from single-use plastics such as snack wrappers, coffee cups, straws, bottles, bags, stirrers, and yogurt containers, to name a few. A substantial portion of our waste stream consists of plastics used only once before disposal. While some of this waste is properly discarded, a significant amount finds its way into our seas. Furthermore, these single-use items are often difficult to recycle effectively.
Consider the example of disposable coffee cups, an estimated 2.5 billion of these cups end up in landfills each year. While many believe the paper exterior makes them recyclable, the plastic lining that provides heat resistance and waterproofing is often bonded to the paper in a way that prevents effective recycling. Next time you're getting coffee to go, think about bringing your own reusable cup and eco-friendly reusable straw – it's an easy swap.
What Does Plastic Do to Marine Life?
It's estimated that plastic in the ocean contributes to the deaths of over 100,000 marine mammals each year. Plastic can harm marine life in many ways, from eating it and suffering from toxic chemicals to actually becoming entangled and harmed. The size of the plastic is a big factor because different sizes can affect different animals in different ways and over different amounts of time.
Larger pieces of plastic, anything bigger than about 20mm (plastic bottles, fishing gear, or those plastic rings that hold six-packs of drinks together), can trap marine mammals and fish, preventing them from escaping. This usually leads to starvation, injuries, and makes them easier targets for predators. Old fishing nets can also suffocate and damage coral reefs, which prevents them from growing properly.
Then you have medium-sized pieces of plastic, between 5 and 10mm. These could be things like plastic pellets or pieces of larger plastic that have broken apart. These smaller pieces can float on the surface of the water and be mistaken for food by seabirds and other marine animals. This can lead to suffocation, starvation, and toxic contamination over time.
Finally, there are the extremely small pieces of plastic, called microplastics, which are smaller than 5mm – basically microscopic particles. These can come from the little beads in face scrubs and toothpaste, microfibers from clothing, or the breakdown of larger plastics. These microplastics are so small you can't see them, which makes it easy for wildlife to eat them.
They can also absorb toxins, meaning they end up in the bodies of the animals that eat them and are stored as fat. Because microplastics are a relatively recent discovery, we're still learning about the long-term effects they have.
The Long-Term Consequences of Plastic in Our Oceans?
As we've discussed, plastic doesn't decompose. It endures indefinitely – even as it fragments into smaller pieces, potentially increasing its harmfulness over time.
A recent social media post gained widespread attention, showcasing a Mars Bar wrapper from 1986 discovered on a beach in Cornwall. Numerous users shared similar accounts of finding aged plastic waste in marine environments, such as beaches, and even in terrestrial environments like forests.
If current trends persist, the ocean will contain more plastic than fish. What implications will this have for our ecosystem, our food supply, our way of life, and our health? The truth is, no one can say for sure.
A study conducted last year detected microplastics in human stool samples for the first time. Furthermore, microplastics have been identified in a significant portion of drinking water, indicating that plastics are infiltrating our food chain. The precise effects of these plastics on human health remain unknown, but some researchers suggest they could impact our immune system or our ability to process toxins.
What Can We Do to Decrease Pollution in Our Oceans?
Shaka Love believes that the most effective approach is to address the problem at its root, this means prioritizing solutions that prevent waste from entering the environment in the first place. One key strategy is transitioning to eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives whenever possible.
We also need to ensure that the materials we use are safe for the environment and that they can be easily reused, repurposed, or recycled. Ultimately, we need to shift our mindset and see these materials not as disposable items, but as valuable resources to be managed responsibly.
What Steps Has Shaka Love Taken So Far?
Shaka Love had some real success in our mission to create eco-friendly beach gear, say no to plastic, and promote a more environmentally conscious lifestyle.
As members of the global environmental movement, we're doing our part to help end the plastic problem. We're committed to running an honest and fair business, donating 10% of our profits to protect the planet, and following Hawaiian values like respect, loyalty, and love for family, community, and the environment.
Take our Turkish towels, for example. They're made using only upcycled cotton and sustainable methods. We save thousands of gallons of water with each towel compared to making regular beach towels. We also significantly reduce CO2 emissions and avoid the harmful chemicals often used in the textile industry.
Shaka Love also offers tote bags made from 100% organic, sustainably sourced cotton, and eco-friendly reusable straws in materials from glass to handcrafted bamboo that are BPA, Lead, and Toxin FREE.
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