2021 Teens Dream- The Global Plastic Problem

My dream is for plastic pollution to go down drastically, and for marine life to stop suffering and dying at the hands of plastic pollution, and ocean waste. At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year, and plastic makes up 80% of all marine debris found from surface waters to deep-sea sediments. Marine species ingest or are entangled by plastic debris, which causes severe injuries and death. If garbage is dumped into the ocean, the oxygen in the water could be depleted. This results in poor health for marine life due to lack of oxygen. Animals such as seals, dolphins, penguins, sharks, whales, and herring could all die. Bottles and other plastics including bags can suffocate or choke sea creatures. Marine debris can also interfere with navigation safety and potentially pose a threat to human health. As you can see ocean pollution is detrimental to marine life, as well as human health and productivity. This is why it is my dream to limit plastic waste and bring people one step closer to keeping our oceans clean.