POLLUTION IN THE OCEANS: FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW

POLLUTION IN THE OCEANS: FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW
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The oceans and seas, which account for more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, are key to the health of the planet and its inhabitants. However, increasing pollution and the climate crisis are endangering marine ecosystems, and thus threatening biodiversity.

One of the ways in which the oceans contribute to the environmental balance is through the production of oxygen to the planet, even more than forests and jungles. According to National Geographic, phytoplankton generate between 50% and 85% of the oxygen released into the atmosphere each year.

In fact, if the planet has not warmed more, it is also because the oceans have absorbed more than 93% of the extra heat produced by greenhouse gases, according to Greenpeace. However, the activity of various industries (from oil to fashion) is threatening the delicate balance in the seas.

In recent years, concerns have been raised about the increase of microplastics in the water. But pollution comes from many different sources, even in tasks as simple as washing clothes. That’s why we’ve put together some important facts about ocean pollution xnxx.

 

MARINE POLLUTION IN FACTS

MARINE POLLUTION IN FACTS

PLASTIC: ENEMY NUMBER 1

According to the UN Environment Programme, every year 8 million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in the ocean. At this rate, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Furthermore, the amount of rubbish in the sea is so large that several “plastic islands” have already formed.

There are five in total, but the largest is in the Pacific, which is twice the size of Texas. It is estimated to be made up of about 1.8 billion pieces. Although there are several projects to clean up this island, which was discovered in 1985, it still remains, and is growing by the day. China, Indonesia and the United States are among the biggest contributors to the sea’s pollution.

However, it is not only the plastic that is visible that is of concern. Microplastics, which are the waste that degrade to millimetres, are ingested by animals and end up in the human food chain, which can have significant health risks.

 

NOT ALL POLLUTION IS VISIBLE

In addition to the fact that 70% of litter ends up on the seabed, making it very difficult to remove, there are other “invisible” forms of pollution, such as noise pollution. Noise generated by shipping can cause damage to species such as jellyfish and anemones.

On the other hand, much of the rubbish, including oil, that ends up in the sea is not from events such as spills, but from everyday activities such as washing clothes. According to several studies, synthetic fibres do not decompose. Also, oil spills only account for 12% of this material in our oceans, three times as much is carried through drains, roads and rivers.

 

DEAD ZONES, A SILENT PROBLEM

So-called “dead zones” are those with a very low concentration of oxygen, which means that very few species can live in them. According to the journal Science, the size of these zones has quadrupled since the mid-20th century.

In 2017, oceanographers discovered a dead zone the size of New Jersey, the largest known so far. The causes are believed to include climate change, as well as pollution from nutrients used in agriculture. The growth of these areas, which exist naturally in the ocean, can lead to species extinction.

As we can see, between climate change, pollution, human activity and the excessive use of plastic, the oceans are in grave danger. Action must be taken to stop these changes before the consequences become irreversible.

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THE PACIFIC OCEAN IS IN DANGER

THE PACIFIC OCEAN IS IN DANGER
THE PACIFIC OCEAN

In front of him, we are insignificant. tiny. Precisely for this reason, it seems hard to believe all the damage we have done and continue to do to the Pacific Ocean with each passing day.

Species close to the danger of extinction, ecosystems in imminent collapse, pollution increasing in proportions difficult to imagine; These are some of the consequences that human activity, with its carelessness and lack of awareness, have caused.

As part of the commitment that every human being has to solve this problem, today we share key data about how and why our Pacific Ocean is in danger.

 

PLASTIC, PLASTIC AND MORE PLASTIC

It hurts to admit, but there is nothing new or recent about this wake-up call. Since the 1960s, scientists around the world have been warning of the alarming amount of plastic in our oceans. According to studies of the time, at least 75% of albatross chick carcasses died or were affected by plastic fragments in their bodies, just to give an example.

Turtles and seahorses are also among the most affected species, dying dozens year after year from suffocation with various plastic debris in the sea (bags, plastic rings for cans, xxx,  etc.).

PLASTIC, PLASTIC AND MORE PLASTIC
The new and gigantic net that captures plastics in the ocean (El Universo)

And perhaps the scariest part of the case is to think that these drownings are not something occasional or an exception to the rule. They are a frequent and horrendous reality, which is made possible thanks to the 15 million tons of plastic garbage that accumulates on coasts and rivers.
A number that, moreover, seems to double by 2025.

ISLANDS OF GARBAGE

Plastic is not the only human waste that endangers our planet’s marine ecosystem. Every year, millions and millions of tons of garbage are thrown into the sea, polluting the oceans and destroying marine life in its path.
In the year 2000, for example, Captain Charles Moore discovered an island of 1.6 million square kilometers of plastic and other human waste off the coast of Valparaíso (in Chile). He named it “The Great Pacific Garbage Island”. At least 45% of its mass was made up of discarded fishing nets.

WILDLIFE DYING

After everything you’ve read so far, if you think that the worst thing we do to our ocean is waste in it… you’re wrong. Because yes, the countless garbage causes irreparable damage, but our true absolute sin is everything that we indiscriminately and uncontrollably take from it.

Every month, countless numbers of marine animals are removed from our ocean. Fish and other marine species are victims of overfishing, causing fractures in the food chain and the degradation of countless marine habitats.
Countries such as Canada, Japan, China, Australia and Indonesia are among the countries with this trend, due to few or no regulations that protect the marine ecosystem.

Painful as it sounds, this is just part of what humanity does to the ocean indiscriminately. What measures do you think are necessary to stop the deterioration of our Pacific Ocean?

 

Interesting fact about the pacific ocean

 

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Energy with Sea Waves?

Energy with Sea Waves?

Can ocean and sea waves be harnessed to provide global energy? Yes, if scientists have estimated correctly, these forces are enough to generate 66% of electricity demands in the United States alone! Many countries around the world, including Australia, China, Denmark, Italy, Korea, Portugal, Spain, the UK, and the US, will soon start developing this new form of renewable power source because it’s not only cost-effective but also more sustainable than solar panels or wind turbines tukif.

 

What Is Wave Energy?

What Is Wave Energy?
What Is Wave Energy?

Waves are the most powerful renewable energy source on Earth. They can be tapped into by various methods and used to power our world, but only if we know how! The first step would involve capturing their raw potential from being fully utilized. Unfortunately, there is a challenge because the necessary technology is not available. There’s no way for them all just come together at one place without getting lost among other sources or absorbed before reaching an outlet like the wind does where you get electricity generated through turbines. However, these same waves contain tons upon tonnes worth of frequency vibrations that could drive underwater generators were

 

How Does Wave Energy Work?

The ocean is a renewable energy source, and its potential for the generation of electricity could power swaths of homes across America. 

The waves that wash ashore on shores, pound against cliffs, or lap at our feet contain immense amounts of tension, which can be harnessed by converting them all together into wave power with an innovative device known as “the WAVE ENERGY CONVERTER.” This machine has been developed so far through research conducted under federal initiative stimulus program grants worth 2 million dollars over two years – not bad considering they were only looking at how best to handle this type of problem when there was a shortage of data. 

 

Will Wave Energy Save the Power Crisis?

Will Wave Energy Save the Power Crisis?

With the world’s population growing, fossil fuel shortages are heightening. Renewable alternatives like wave energy offer an attractive option for those who need power without relying on unstable sources that may be periodically unavailable or too costly due to the high initial costs of installation and maintenance.

A combination of factors is pushing prices higher, including COVID 19. This has led many countries around the globe into a global crisis within renewable energies which supplies have faltered because there isn’t enough production going up. At the same time, demand remains high, especially with China’s low coal output causing problems across all related industries. 

 

Wave Energy: The Future

Why is it so hard to harness this renewable energy? The cost and environmental risks involved in building wave power plants make them pricey, not just for their construction but also throughout operations. Fish can swim through cabling or turbines without being harmed; however, there’s no way out if they get trapped inside! 

Ocean waves are often located nearshore close to cities, which means that these locations may prevent whole populations from utilizing ocean-based electricity generation because people would be afraid of getting stranded on an island with nothing else around to provide the power they need to save their lives. 

 

 

 

Estuaries: the Ocean’s Nurseries

Ask anyone and they would tell you that water is one of the most important resources for everybody. So why does nature need water? Fishes need water to swim in and lay eggs, plants need water to grow, and some organisms live solely in water and depend on the moisture to survive. Why do we need water? Water is important to help us live, regulate our body temperatures, and grow sex video.

Often viewed as muddy, smelly, mosquito-filled swamps, estuaries and their associated salt marshes and tidal flats are among the most productive habitats in the world. They are mixing zones, where freshwater, delivered by rivers and streams, flows into water from the sea. Animals and plants in this habitat must be able to tolerate wide ranges of salinity and temperature, as well as fluctuating water levels. Nutrient-rich estuaries protect and nurture a variety of shrimp, oysters, crabs, and fishes. Over 490 species of birds live in or migrate through the Coastal Bend of Texas, and many use the estuaries to feed, rest, and find shelter.

Background
Seagrasses are plants that root, pollinate, and spend their entire lives submerged in shallow waters. Special adaptations allow for their survival in the fluctuating conditions of coastal bays and estuaries. The estuaries in the Coastal Bend of Texas contain 40% of Texas’ total seagrass acreage. Seagrasses provide oxygen, nutrients, anchorage, food, habitat, cover, and places for attachment.

SEAGRASS COVER

Bay System Seagrass
Meadow Area* Area of
Bay Bottom* Percent Seagrass
Galveston Bay _____ 391 _____143,153 _____ _____
Matagorda Bay _____ 1,096 _____ 101,368 _____ _____
San Antonio Bay _____ 2,743 _____ 54,335 _____ _____
Aransas Bay _____ 2,455 _____ 47,267 _____ _____
Corpus Christi Bay _____ 5,249 _____ 43,550 _____ _____
Upper Laguna Madre _____ 24,900 _____ 33,100 _____ _____
Lower Laguna Madre _____ 48,200 _____ 68,400 _____ _____

* All measurements are in hectares.

Exercises

The Texas bay systems above are listed in order from north to south. Use the measurements provided to calculate the percent seagrass coverage in each bay.
Rank the measurements in each category. Number one through seven from largest to smallest. Record the rankings in the blanks to the left of each measurement, including percent seagrass coverage.
Examine the rankings. Do you see any relationships between the measurements provided and percent seagrass coverage? How about location north and south? If, so, explain.

Seahorses are among the most unusual-looking animals in the world. Unlike most fishes, they lack the caudal, or tail, fin. Most fish species use the caudal fin to propel themselves through the water. Lacking that, the seahorse uses its dorsal and pectoral fins to propel itself.
The seahorse has a unique tail in that it is prehensile or grasping. Just as monkeys are able to use their prehensile tails to grasp and swing from trees, seahorses are able to use their tails to grasp seagrasses, algae, and other stationary objects.

Humans have thumbs which similarly allow them to grasp objects. This is one adaptation that has contributed to our ability to use tools and manipulate objects easily.

Procedure

Gather a collection of at least ten tools and objects (screwdriver, hammer, coins, etc.).
Divide a sheet of paper into three long columns. List the tools and objects down the page in the first column. Label the second column “with thumb” and the third column “without thumb.”
Manipulate each tool and lift each object. Rate the effort required to perform each task on a scale of one to ten, with ten being very easy and one being very difficult. Write your rating in the second column.
Fold your thumb across your palm. Using the masking tape, tape your thumb in place.
Re-do each of the tasks that you performed earlier. Rate the difficulty of each task on the one to ten scale.
Compare your ratings with and without the use of your thumb. List other tasks that would be affected by the presence or absence of thumbs