Despite common misconceptions, the great pacific garbage patch is not a giant island of garbage. In fact, the garbage patch is 92% microplastic and isn’t visible to the human eye. However, the garbage is definitely present and its effects can be seen in the environment around.
Marine life is being killed by the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and plastic pollution. Every year, 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine animals, as well as many other species, are harmed. Turtles, for example, frequently mistake plastic bags for prey like jellyfish. As microplastics pollute animals, they also get into our blood systems too. In a study published in the journal Environment International, they found 80% of the participants to have microplastic in their systems and organs. When these plastics enter your body, chemicals inside the plastic cause hormone-related cancers, infertility and neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD and autism.
Whenever you throw away a small piece of plastic or litter “just once” the consequences for your actions are not always obvious. But when you look a little deeper, many drastic consequences can be found just underneath the surface.
Daniel (June 2022)