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A guide on trash in our oceans

  • by JW

“What Can We Do To Solve the Problem of Ocean Trash”

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Following on from this posting on doing things with plastic pollution:

Turning plastic into housing – Vision Group for Sidmouth

… the VGS was contacted by Jen who runs “a junk removal company in Denver called ClutterTrucker.com, where we help remove junk and provide hoarding help”.

She goes on:

“I recently put together a very thorough guide on trash in our oceans. I’ve been doing this for 12+ years, and along the years researched every aspect to ensure we are as accurate and as up-to-date as possible.”

Jan asks if a link to this article could be included as “I think it would make a pretty valuable addition to your already fantastic article and your audience would really appreciate it.”

Well, here’s the opening and the conclusion of Jan’s excellent, informed piece.

Click on the link below for the complete article:

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An Ocean of Trash, and a World of Trouble

The Problem of Trash in Our Oceans

By  | Extreme Cleaning

Most of us have had the sad experience of walking on a beautiful beach and being shocked to discover several large pieces or piles of trash. These randomly located chunks of debris often contain a large amount of plastic, rubber, paper, and other assorted items that people all over the world throw into the water.

Just to cite one representative example, an organization called The Ocean Conservancy that works for clean oceans has retrieved more than 220 million pounds of trash from our world’s seas in just the past three decades. Keep in mind, that’s just what they’ve picked up. It represents a small fraction of the total amount of trash in the oceans.

How Bad Is the Problem?

According to the best estimates by ocean pollution experts, there are something like 8,000,000 metric tons of plastic that enter into the ocean every single year! What, then, is the price we pay if we don’t do something now to stop the flow of trash and other pollution into the oceans? It could very well mean that in the near future, the ocean would hold about one-third as much trash as it does fish. The consequences of dirty oceans are severe and pose a serious health challenge to the entire human race.

What Can We Do To Solve the Problem of Ocean Trash

Here are some simple ways that anyone can begin to solve the problem of trash in the world’s oceans:

  • Become an activist by joining one of the many organizations that work to keep oceans clean.
  • Don’t use harmful chemicals on your lawn. They can end up in the groundwater and eventually make their way to the ocean.
  • Don’t litter.
  • Reduce your personal use of plastic, especially straws and single-use bottles.
  • Donate to one of the hundreds of worldwide charitable organizations that work for cleaner oceans.
  • Donate your personal time to local trash cleanup organizations.
  • Don’t waste water.
  • Hold corporations accountable by avoiding those that do not work to protect the oceans during their international manufacturing processes.
  • Stay informed and find out your local and national politicians’ positions on issues related to ocean trash.
  • Educate others about what you learn in your own research on this important topic.

Remember, every small effort helps, so don’t delay. Begin now. Make the oceans cleaner with your actions and advocacy.

An Ocean of Trash, and a World of Trouble | Clutter Trucker

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photo: “Cleaning the beach”: Clutter Trucker