Finding nemo
- 2. Marine pollution occurs when harmful substances enter the water in the form of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, or by the spread of invasive organisms. Today, plastic is one of the major toxic pollutants of water. Being a non- biodegradable substance and composed of toxic chemicals, plastic pollutes water and harms the marine life. One of the major cause is micro plastics, which are small plastic particles in the environment and have become a paramount issue especially in the marine environment. There are two main sources of micro plastics: 1. Produced for direct use, such as for industrial abrasives, cosmetics or rot milling or for indirect use as precursors for the production of manifold consumer products. 2. Micro plastics formed in the environment as a consequence of the breakdown of larger plastic material, especially marine debris, into smaller and smaller fragments. The breakdown is caused by mechanical forces (e.g. waves) and/or photochemical processes triggered by sunlight (especially UVB)
- 3. It is not uncommon to find albatross, platypus and other animals, strangled from getting jumbled in plastic bags and not being able to twist their way out. They are dying from litter and uncontained trash improperly discarded by humans. A step need to be taken to save the marine life.
- 4. Conducting awareness programs Ex-plastic pollution campaigns like rally; skit etc calling for an outright ban on use of plastic products . Creating web portals To discuss the problems and bring various information together.
- 5. Collecting funds with environment related NGO’S,socialists and team up with celebrities, environmentalists and advertisers. Pressurizing governments regulatory bodies to tighten regulations on industrial, agricultural and domestic
- 6. Action plan for saving marine life as a community 1). Minimize the usage of plastics by following the three R’s- Recycle Reuse Reduce For Example: *Don’t use cosmetics that contain plastic micro beads (particularly face wash containing polyethylene). *Take part in beach cleanups. *Reduce you carbon footprint by reducing consumption.
- 7. 2) Support research projects aimed at understanding pollution better and finding ways to reduce the amount of pollution in our oceans.
- 8. 3) Be a wise consumer. Support companies that are environmentally conscious. Buy organic foods as these minimize agricultural impacts from chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
- 9. 4) Usage of proper disposal method should be encouraged like Segregation Effluents from distilleries, and solid wastes containing organic matter should be sent to biogas plants for generation of energy. Incineration burning Land filling
- 10. 5) Using biodegradable laundry detergent and washing-up liquid trims down the detrimental effects of waste water.
- 11. 6) Surplus cooking oil and toxic liquids, such as paint thinners and motor oil, should never be poured down the drain. They should be engrossed with paper towels or newspapers and put into the debris bin.
- 12. 7) Correct disposal of the hazardous products in your household eg- paints, used oil, cleaning solvents, polishes, pool chemicals, insecticides, etc. out of the drains, sinks, and toilets in your household as most of the products contain: sodium hypo chlorite, petroleum distillates, phenol, cresol, ammonia, and formaldehyde, which aren't healthy for the water bodies.
- 13. 8) Never dispose non-degradable products by flushing them down the toilet; they can damage the sewage process and can end up in beaches or some type of body of water.
- 14. 9) Oil slicks should be skimmed off from the surface with suction device. Sawdust can be spread over oil slicks to absorb the oil components
- 15. Remember: To humans, these are items of comfort, if not necessity. But to marine animals, they can be a floating minefield.