Stop Ocean Pollution
Plastic Bottles gathered in one year by one person on Pt. Reyes National Seashore Photo by Susan Osborne
Watch this interesting mockumentary:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLgh9h2ePYw&feature=youtube_gdata_playerOcean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup tells us‘10 Things You Can Do To Stop Marine Debris’.1. Join Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. 2. Clean up your trash. Throw all trash away in proper receptacles, even when you’re not on the water. Pick up any debris you see while out. 3. Collect your monofilament fishing line. Don’t leave fishing line behind and retrieve any other line you may find while fishing, but be careful not to tug on snagged lines, which could be caught on habitat below the surface. 4. Contain and properly clean spills when boating. Use oil-absorbent rags and materials to clean spills. Check Ocean Conservancy’s Good Mate manual for helpful tips on reducing your negative impacts on the water. 5. Recycle used motor oil and oil filters. Local gas stations should have appropriate facilities for recycling these materials. NEVER pour oil, paint, antifreeze or other household chemicals into an open sewer or down a storm drain. 6. Consider organic alternatives to household detergents and cleaners. Use lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda for household cleaning. Avoid using fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and harsh chemical cleaners that can wash into waterways. 7. Choose reusable items and use fewer disposable ones. Use fewer disposable bags when shopping or bring your own reusable ones. 8. Properly dispose of used batteries and electronics. Use your local recycling center. Don’t dump them in landfills. Electronics leach harmful chemicals into the environment that take a long time to disperse. 9. Keep streets, sidewalks, parking lots and storm drains clear of trash and debris – they empty into our ocean. 10. Contact your elected representatives and let them know you care about marine debris – and that they should, too. Vote for candidates who support marine debris prevention and policies that protect our environment.
General Information on Marine Debris: NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration): Marine Debris Program: http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/welcome.html
Scripps Oceanography: SEAPLEX (Scripps Environmental Accumulation of Plastic Expedition/ Seeking the Science of the Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch): http://seaplexscience.com/ and http://sio.ucsd.edu/Expeditions/Seaplex/
Plastic Pollution/Coastal Care: http://coastalcare.org/2009/11/plastic-pollution
The Marine Mammal Center: www.marinemammalcenter.org (and www.marinemammalcenter.org/patients/success-stories/cujo.html)
Information about the Monterey Bay Sanctuary: National Marine Sanctuaries and Monterey Bay: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/conidition/mbnms/pressures.html
Plastic Pollution Information from the Monterey Bay Aquarium: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/oceanissues/plastics_albatross/
Dangers to Wildlife from Personal Care Products and Pharmaceuticals: http://seagrant.psu.edu./publications/fs/Dose_of_Reality_Publication.pdf
How Long Does it Take for Trash in the Ocean to Decompose? http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/Get-Involved/awareness-campaigns/stop-trashing-our-oceans.html
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