Introduction

Plastic pollution is an increasing threat in our society. Massive amounts of plastic are littered daily and most of it ends up in our waterways, and ultimately the ocean. Over multiple years the sun breaks down plastic bottles in the ocean into smaller bits. These smaller bits end up soaking in toxins from the water. That means that the more bottles we produce and litter, the more that ends up in oceanic gyres and become toxic. For example the Great Pacific Gyre has a slush layer of plastic debris the size of Texas! Filter feeders, who come to the surface for zooplankton and algae, can suck in the plastic slush and can suffocate, choke, and die. Not only is it a threat to wildlife, but also boats traveling through the slush can get clogged up in water intake systems and propellers. 50 million in insurance claims were filed in Japan due to plastic in the ocean. Plastic in the ocean, that does biodegrade, can also leech chemicals into the ocean, disrupting the ecosystem. There is hope, however, because global awareness along with education about plastic pollution and the importance of recycling can greatly cut down on the amount of waste. As the immortal Notorious B.I.G. once said, “You can’t change the world unless we change ourselves.”