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The AMC students are denouncing the dangers of plastic pollution, controversial fishing methods and 'so-called "renewable" energies. Support their action by reading their posts...

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The problem of plastic in the oceans is a major environmental crisis threatening marine biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Millions of tons of plastic are dumped every year, polluting waters and affecting marine wildlife, ranging from the smallest organisms to large marine mammals.

Solutions are essential:

-reducing the production of single-use plastic,

-promoteing recycling and sustainable alternatives, like cardboard or pasta straws

-as well as actively cleaning up plastic debris already present.

Acting now is crucial to protect our oceans and ensure their preservation for future generations !!

Together we can make a difference.

#StopPlasticPollution #ProtectOurOceans

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I'm concerned about the solutions we propose to fight against the climate change, because it shouldn't put in danger ecosystems.

The goal is to protect the planet from the changes because of human activities, but animals are part of our world and don't deserve

suffering from mecanic installation under the ocean. The offshore renewable power has impact on ecosystems causing head trauma, hearing loss to the most fragile species. I think the solution is to continue to create wind

farms on the earth and not under the ocean, because no one would be in danger The only problem we could mention is the aesthetic but I think it's more important to save and protect animal then have a beautiful backyard on a planet which is dying. And there are many other ways to use natural resources like solar pannels, which would be beneficial for everyone, even animals.

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Industrial ocean fish farming is causing destruction of marine ecosystems, polluting water, and threatening wild fish populations. from habitat destruction to disease spread, the impacts are devastating. it's time to prioritize sustainable alternatives like land-based aquaculture and better fishing practices to protect our ocean for future generation

#SaveOurOceans #SustainableSeafood

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What is aquaculture ? Aquaculture is the practice of raising fish or ocean plants for food or resources. Today, many species of fish are raised in contained fresh water or ocean water environments, including salmon, catfish and others.

At first it was for the economy , health and it was supposed to be benefic for the environment and I believe in that but we were all wrong about fish farming / aquaculture .

There are many problems about fish farming like :

LOCATION. The location is not respectful of the different fishes and biodiversity

INTERBREEDING . Interbreeding is the act of mixing different species or varieties. This lead to genetic modification and degradation . Interbreeding creates competition between species and food

POLLUTION . This density of fish creates problems like disease and pollution. The biggest source of pollution is the accumulation of fish waste and uneaten food which can degrade the quality of the surrounding water.

The impact on the BIODIVERSITY . Farmed species are being introduced into the wild and therefore changing the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. Even when measures are taken to prevent escapes , complications mean that escapes of farmed fish are inevitable.

DISEASES. Diseases and sea lice . Non-native species also spread new diseases and parasites such as sea lice . This is becoming an increasingly big problem.

Here are some solutions for overfishing that is not fish farming:

Apply Regulations on Fishing Nets. The gigantic nets trawled around the world’s oceans everyday catch thousands of untargeted marine species, including sea turtles, birds and sharks.

Increase Marine Protected Areas and Enhance Controls. Indeed; there here are more than 15,000 Marine Protected Areas in the world, comprising approximately 27 million square kilometres

Impose A Ban on Fishing in International Waters. 99% of international waters that do not belong to any single country also called ‘high seas’ are unprotected. Introducing a ban on fishing in open seas would be an extremely effective overfishing solution .

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Plastic pollution is really bad for our oceans and hurts sea animals. They can get tangled in it or eat it, like turtles are often stuck with straws inside their nostrils, or like seals who get strangled by fishing nets and it messes up their homes. We need to do something about it. Using plastic that breaks down easily (biodegradable) can help. Let's work together to keep our oceans safe and protect the creatures living in them.

#LessPlastic #SaveOurSeaLife

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Offshore renewable power has drastic consequences on marine biology. It seems very paradoxal that switching to environmentally friendly forms of renewable energy would be in conflict with conservations effort. I think that just because we can solve one problem by reducing—or better yet eliminating—our use of fossil fuels does not mean we won’t be simply trading one evil for another.

I find that outrageous that everyone seems to not care about the dangers caused by the offshore renewable power just because it is benefic for our environment. When you think about a new innovation, even if it is for a greener futur, you have to think about all the possible damages !!!

Do you find this normal that no one is doing anything to protect our ocean of those new wind farms? We have to do something and very quikly. A marine biologist who has spent years studying the impact offshore wind farms have on marine life, maintains that the construction phase has the biggest impact on marine life, as the pulses during construction can affect some species up to 12.5 miles away and the continued noise, which lasts for weeks or months on end, can permanently push out marine life from their natural habitat. Moreover, impact pile driving for wind turbines can generate sound that reaches up to 24 miles from its source, pushing out an even greater number of animals.

This construction noise could permanently damage the hearing of animals close by and will displace marine animals from this critical area and force them to risk starvation by moving into unfamiliar territory. Marine animals rely on noise far more than vision to communicate, navigate, and hunt because noise travels much farther than light in the water. Human noise pollution risks drowning out all the natural sounds from the ocean on which these animals rely.For example, crustaceans lose their ability to eat but gain the ability to swim when transitioning from being a juvenile to an adult, and it is critical for them to hear the sounds of the coast in order to reach the shore before they starve to complete the transition to adulthood.

With too much noise drowning out the natural sounds of the ocean, the crustaceans will never find the coast and will starve.

I think that one thing to do to act against this problem is to force company to reduce the time they spent building those wind farms, scientits have to find the perfect timing to endanger less species in the optic to endanger none of them in the next few years. This danger of offshore renewable energies is not well-known enough by our society.

Please... spread the message to your friends, family … !! The more we are, the more things may change.

#protectourocean #marinelife

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Offshore energy sources is not the solution. 

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Offshore energy sources is not the solution. 

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More and more countries are choosing renewable energies. To produce it they use offshore energy sources such as wind turbines or wave energy converters which are disaster for marine species. Marine life is in danger and we accept to sacrify fishes to look eco-friendly. The construction of those devices is extremely loud. Some species such as dolphins are suffering because they can't communicate which is leading to the disturb of the reproduction process so the nature. If the only problem was the noise of the construction...those technologies are still disturbing marine life after being built because of the low-frequency they emit. Because of selfish inhabitants that can't accept to have "ugly" wind farm next to their houses, animals suffer from hearing loss, chronic stress or can even be hit by the turning blades causing blunt-force trauma. We have to change that by reinforcing terrestrial renewable energies instead of building new offshore energy.

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Wind turbines are unreliable !!

Disadvantages ??

Wind turbines!!

-imprevisible : wind turbines can’t produce a regular électricity production. It is therefore impossible to rely entirely on them to power a home or an industrial installation.

- pollution : this create visual and noise pollution

- threat : their presence threatens many bird species

-the cost : What's more, the cost of building a wind turbine is still significant, as its installation requires the use of special machinery and therefore has a civil engineering cost to take into account.

Solutions ??

Solar panels!!

-Solar energy is becoming an increasingly profitable form of energy, with costs and installation becoming cheaper all the time and offering real energy savings.

- it's more efficient and environmentally friendly. An inexhaustible source of energy and 100% clean, it can be used for self-consumption and energy independence as soon as solar panels are installed.

- Thermal solar panels convert the sun's rays into heat. This simply heats the water in the pipes.

-Photovoltaic solar panels : these simply convert the sun's rays into electricity. This electricity can then be consumed directly, stored in suitable batteries or fed into the distribution network operator's electricity grid.

- As a renewable energy, they play a key role in the energy transition. It is therefore essential to promote their development to combat global warming.

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The problem of plastic bottles poses significant environmental, health, and sustainability challenges :

Most plastic bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a material that takes hundreds of years to decompose. This leads to long-lasting pollution in landfills, oceans, and ecosystems.

The production of plastic bottles relies heavily on fossil fuels, contributing to resource depletion and greenhouse gas emissions. Extraction, transportation, and manufacturing processes all consume significant energy.

While some plastic bottles are recyclable, the overall recycling rate is low. Recycling itself requires energy and resources, and many bottles end up in landfills or incinerators.

Some plastics can release harmful chemicals into the contents of the bottle, especially when exposed to heat or over time. This can pose health risks when consumed.

Over time, plastic bottles can break down into smaller particles called microplastics, further complicating waste management and potentially entering the food chain.

Although alternatives such as biodegradable or reusable bottles exist, their widespread adoption is still limited, and issues such as cost and convenience hamper their uptake.

Now let's talk about the solutions we can propose to limit plastic bottle :

Enact and enforce regulations that restrict the production and use of single-use plastic bottles.

Bio-based = the raw material source (has been producted from a plant/ starch) of plastic.

Invest in and expand recycling facilities to ensure efficient collection and processing of plastic bottles.

For example the brand Coca-Cola who's goal is to make 100% of their packaging recyclable globally by 2025 and to use at least 50% recycled material in their packaging by 2030. And 61% of the equivalent bottles and cans they introduced into the market in 2022 were collected and refilled or collected for recycling.

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I've always thought that windturbines were a very "perfect" energy that causes no harm to the planet. I was therefore really shocked when I learn on the Internet that the offshore ones had huge negative consequences on marine life. People decided to move these windturbines on the ocean because some people said they were ugly and that they didn't want to see them in their back yard, without thinking that they could be a big source of danger for marine wildlife.

Indeed, they're physically dangerous because some marine mammals such as dolphins and porpoises can be hit by turning blades, causing blunt-force trauma. Moreover, the construction of these windturbines is very loud, which can disrupt the echolocation that many marine mammals use for hunting and navigating and some of them like the Taiwanese white dolphin can even suffer from hearing loss and chronic stress. And even after their construction, offshore windturbines are very noisy because they can cause low-frequency sounds, that obscurs the sound of some animals who rely their ears to explore the world.

I therefore invite everyone to take actions such as signing petitions to save marine species. Wind turbine companies also need to find a way to build these wind turbines with as little noise as possible so that it does not affect animals.

Yes windturbines are a green energy that don't really affect the environment and I agree that climate change is a big problem that needs to be solve but we can't pretend to want to make efforts to save our planet if we then destroys marine wildlife. Animals are also part of the planet and they also need help and respect.

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Nowadays, when you see the word "biodegradable" on a thing made with plastic, you will be more likely to buy it, thinking you are doing a great thing for the environment. But many brands use this type of allegation only to sell more and keep a "good image" which is greenwashing. Because when you look at it more, we can affirm that biodegradable plastic, the conditions for biodegradable plastic to decompose are in industrial ways, it is not by throwing it in our garden or compost that the plastic would disintegrate. This is why I find it revolting, nothing is really made for the environment. When we think we are ecological, we are destroying as much the environment. However, several alternatives exist such as stainless steel water bottles to replace plastic bottles, using wood for single-use dishes or even fabric bags for shopping.

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Problems of Fish Farming and Solutions:

Disease:

Problem: Diseases can spread quickly in crowded fish farms.

Solution: Regularly check fish health, separate sick fish, and use antibiotics responsibly. Develop disease-resistant fish.

Environmental Pollution:

Problem: Farm waste can harm surrounding water.

Solution: Manage waste properly, use water treatment, and choose farm locations with strong water flow.

Escape of Farmed Fish:

Problem: Escaped fish may harm wild populations.

Solution: Improve containment, place farms responsibly, and consider using sterile or modified fish.

Overuse of Fishmeal and Fish Oil:

Problem: Fish farming relies too much on wild fish for feed.

Solution: Find alternative feeds like plants or insects. Support sustainable feed sources to reduce pressure on wild fish.

Water Resource Depletion:

Problem: Intensive farming can use too much water.

Solution: Recycle water, use it efficiently, and explore closed-loop systems to minimize water use.

Poorly Managed Aquaculture Practices:

Problem: Bad practices harm the environment.

Solution: Follow responsible farming guidelines, enforce regulations, and support certification programs for sustainable practices.

Social and Labor Issues:

Problem: Unfair treatment of workers.

Solution: Implement fair labor practices, ensure fair wages, and support social responsibility. Choose products with certifications like Fair Trade.

Genetic Concerns:

Problem: Farming can reduce genetic diversity.

Solution: Practice responsible breeding, maintain genetic diversity, and avoid using genetically modified organisms that could harm wild populations.

Regulatory Challenges:

Problem: Inconsistent or weak regulations.

Solution: Strengthen and enforce regulations, encourage international cooperation, and promote transparency in the industry through collaboration between governments, NGOs, and the private sector.

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France :

Last year , the use of plastic bottles has risen up to 4% but today only 23% of plastic wrappings are collected and recycled. By 2029 , we will have to consume twice less plastic bottles and recycle practicaly the totality of them (90%).

The production of plastic wrappings (ex: bags ) in France made by oxodegradable plastic was banned on the 1st of January 2022. one of the reasons why France is banning plastic bottles is because a recent study showed us that plastic bottles contain an enormous rate of bacteria. It's preferable to use reusable bottles that can be cleaned and washed regularly. Studies also show that the use of a straw or a glass is preferred to not contaminate the water to avoid germs.

In my opinion . France is doing a good job and is actually ahead of alot of countries for the ecology but the country and the government can still make a better effort and be more strict on various things.

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The Green packaging industrialists are selling us doesn’t exist !

The « biodegradable plastic » name tag is wholly misleading because there are multiple types of bio plastic and none of them are perfect.

Some biodegradable plastics are made from natural components such as plant and corn starch (amidon) but that only makes them bio-based not biodegradable even brands like Coca Cola have caught up to this trend so don’t consider a brand sustainable just because their plastic packaging is bio-based !

The worst lie they’re telling you is that biodegradable means, not harmful to the environnement.

WRONG ! Most of those packagings break down in micro plastics so it’s just as harmful for the ocean’s marine species. The micro plastics will make their way into a fish organism possibly damaging tissues and organs along the way. Most of them can’t even degrade in natural environment.

With 1/3 of the plastic, trashed into the ocean each year, I think it’s about time for us to realise our oceans are not our dumpsters. But unfortunately brands seem to be sending us an incoherent message : « pollution is bad but it’s okay to throw plastic into the ocean now! »

This is GREENWASHING a marketing technique in which brands brag about meeting the sustainable standards, obscuring the real issues behind it. It’s purposely misleading, if we look at a German survey from last year we discover that 60% of people thought bio plastic was compostable.

These criterias NEED to be revised drastically for example did you know that a bio-based plastic can be up to 75%  fossil-based and still be called « bio-based » ? some of theses criterias are utterly risible.

« But what can we do right ? it’s not like we can invent a miraculous clean plastic right now ? »

EXACTLY so lets make use of the solution that we already put in place yes ?

Single use packagings can be avoided ! It not rocket science:)

In 2018 only 4.4 % of us plastic was properly recycled. There needs to be more state initiatives towards recycling but also individual efforts to be mindful of when its possible to buy a non plastic product. refillable containers used to be a thing in 50s markets so lets bring it back!

Other materials should be priviledged for packgings such as glass for re-usable products and cardboard for disposable products.

It's mindblowing that in 2024, there are still individually-wrapped consumer goods in an even bigger plastic container, it just goes to show how little we actually care.

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@user159876544236856

I still don't understand why, as soon as I go shopping, the prices have suddenly gone up but the quantity has gone down. The biggest problem in all this is that the size of the plastic packaging has remained the same but the internal quantity has been significantly reduced. It's still unacceptable, today, to pay more plastics than the inside of the package! ! We are being deceived by some companies: One in four companies is greenwashing. A survey conducted by the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) in 2021 and 2022 shows us the lack of honesty of many brands that promote a sustainable, responsible and environmentally friendly image.

The services of the Ministry of the Economy conducted a survey of 1,100 establishments to verify the environmental claims used to enhance the value of non-food products and services. DGCCRF investigators issued 141 warnings, 114 injunctions and 18 criminal or administrative reports.

In addition to greenwashing, these companies do not respect the rules of green packaging. Most of the time, packaging is disposable for reasons of hygiene, cost, speed and service economy, among others. The single use of packaging is harmful to the environment, but other solutions are possible to make packaging more sustainable and eco-responsible.

-Bulk is a method of marketing a product without packaging and packaging.

- It allows the consumer to buy the product again without necessarily buying its packaging again.

- Creation of packaging that can be recycled and/or packaging made from recycled materials.

The goal is to make all packaging recyclable by 2030.

#activism #greenwashing #ecology #greenpackaging #greenpeace

Published on 02/14/2024 at 12:00 PM on X

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I thought biodegradable plastic was good for the environment but actually it is not at all. But in fact, biodegradable plastics serves no purpose other than to improve the image of brands. I thought that biodegradable plastic just disapers after a certain time but it’s will only break down into very very small particules of plastics. So fishes can eat them. But the issue is that after we eat fish ! So it’s mean that we eat plastic !!!

In France, we should take greener initiatives to protect our oceans. For example, I've seen that a British guy is able to recycle plastic into asphalt-like material for the road.  As a result, plastics end up on our roads instead of in our oceans. We are therefore a winner because we produce less cement, the creation process of which is one of the most polluting. As a result, we can reconcile economic benefits and ecological impact.

Of course, it feels like we're just shifting the problem. But in any case, we're going to keep building, so we might as well reduce the impact of plastics in the oceans.

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What’s your favourite marine animal ? To my mind, it’s the turtle because it represents freedom for me. But you must be aware that they are threatened by the same issue that ecosystem and the whole marine life are threatened. PLASTIC !!!

You must have heard of the plastic continent. A continent human activity is responsible for and this is the most representative image of the plastic threats in oceans. 75 to 195 millions tons of plastic can be found into the ocean. It represents 85% of the marine rubbish. The whole marine life is being threatened and turtles are not let out the issue. In Israel, on 1443 turtles moved to the Center, 556 are hurt, and some of them died because of plastics. Turtles can absorb plastic products because while they are hunting, they confuse jellyfish with plastic bags . Or when turtles want to leave beaches, then they can be trapped by plastic packaging and consequently be hurt. Unfortunately, it's not only turtles who are touched by this problem but the whole marine life and the ecosystem. Some NGO are taking actions with safety operations like Sea Shepherd for example.

In order to have less impact on the ocean and globaly, everybody at its own level has to act greener. Mcdonald’s has begun to replace unsustainable product like plastic with papercraft while also promoting reusable cutlery to avoid consumers letting rubbish everywhere. We can act greener too.

Reclycing, using more reusable products or just avoiding to buy products that use plastic packaging.

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Why can fish farming destroy the ocean ? 

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Why can fish farming destroy the ocean ? 

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First, I thought that fish farming was the solution to stop trawling fishing, that by gathering the fishes in the same place it would reduce normal fishing, but then I figured out all the problems it can cause, and it shocked me.

First, the fishes can escape into the ocean and become a threat for the other species, it already happened in Washington State where 160 000 farmed Atlantic salmon escaped into the Pacific. It is dangerous for the environment because it can interbreed with other species and cause genetic modifications, it can also cause modifications of the environment by entering the chain of alimentation. Also, it can reproduce and cause a lot of problems, or even cause a competition for foods or habitats between the various species.

To solve the problem, species should be determined by the location of the farm, we should implement species that correspond to the natural environment around the pond, so if fishes escape, they will not disturb the ecosystem and could continue to live normally.

Then, aquaculture often relies on fishmeal made from wild marine fish, contributing to overfishing, so even if aquaculture is supposed to reduce overfishing, it doesn't: it is the opposite.

I think that we should reduce dependence on fish meal by replacing it with plant-based meal or insect-based meal.

Moreover, aquaculture can impact local communities, especially when largescale operations displace small-scale fishers.

To tackle the issue, we should involve local stockholders, ensure equitable access and support sustainable livelihoods.

Also, aquaculture requires a lot of water, cleaned by filters, and resources that we don't need with normal fishing so it can also cause environmental problems, even more if we need to relocate agriculture's lands to build fishing ponds.

We need to optimize land use by integrating aquaculture with agriculture, and optimize the use of water, calculate if it is not more dangerous for our environment.

All these problems made me wonder if aquaculture is a real solution to stop trawling fishing and I still don't have the answer because we can see that many of these problems can not be solved.

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PLASTIC BOTTLES AND BRANDS

Minds are waking up, people start to realise the problems with plastic bottles. But are brands ready for a change ?

Today, most brands prone an eco-friendly lifestyle, through advertising, they show a green and sustainable image, which is rarely accurate and mostly just a corporate identity.

These brands are shown as green and are therefore trendy.

But we must not forget that their main goal is profit, sometimes what they claim is not what they really do. Brands still use plastic bottles because it coast less than sustainable ones.

Recylcling is still difficult and uncomplete.

We must find a way back to use only reusable bottles, back in time that was what Coca-Cola did.

Indeed, Coca-Cola were using glass bottles and used to refill them before plastic bottles but they stopped because of the cost.

Financialy, it seems difficult to go back to that system. But yet, the brand announced in 2023 they would try to make 25% of their bottles refillable (even if some of them would be in plastic) by 2030.

For now we are not sure if we must believe them or not but still, ideas are there. Our job it is now to encourage action and to be aware that these solutions might be only short-term ones.

We better look forward for broader solutions in the future.

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Marine plastic pollution : Why it has to stop ?

On the 400 million tons of plastic produced each year, at least 14 million tons end up in the ocean. Sad news isn’t it ? More than 85 % of marine wastes are made of plastic, but the

biggest issue is that more than 24400 billions of micro particles are floating at the surface.

Since they are extremely tiny, they are completely invisible with a naked eye.

Isn’t that shocking ? If you find it appalling too then you need to make things change !

We need to act quickly otherwise it’s going to be too late !

Why is it a problem ?

⁃ Marine animals are dying strangled by plastic wastes ( like fish nets ), starving because they can’t feed themselves anymore due to plastic stuck in their throat ,or stuck into plastic bags that are deadly injuring them.

⁃ Plastic wastes are carrying many invasive species like algae, far away from their original habitat. Plastic is then impacting the whole marine ecosystem.

⁃ Many animals are taking plastic wastes for their prey ( lot of sea birds are taking the micro particles for small fish and are then eating them )

⁃ We’re eating approximately 121 000 micro-particles per year by eating seafoods.

( since a huge majority of the marine animals we’re eating has already ingested plastic and micro particles )

⁃ Plastic has dangerous effects on our health / it engender many diseases.

⁃ Even when plastic wastes degrades, they are still releasing greenhouse gases in the ocean and in the atmosphere, which are one of the main causes of global warming and climate change.

I believe that the only real solution to this burning issue is to stop completely to produce plastic supplies and products.

Plastic is dangerous and industrials need to be conscious of their massive impact on earth by continuing to produce plastic packaging and stuffs !

It must stop, it has to change.

Together, we still have the power to put and end to this destructive industry.

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Plastic in the ocean is a major issue that has an impact on the marine wildlife and ecosystems.

It has an impact on many species and we have to take actions to stop before it is too late this problem.

Here are some solutions about this issue :

Reduce Your Use of Single-Use Plastics -> Single-use plastics include plastic bags, water bottles, straws, cups, utensils, dry cleaning bags, take-out containers,and any other plastic items that are

used once and then discarded.

Support Legislation to Curb Plastic Production and Waste -> We need legislation that reduces plastic production, improves waste management, and makes plastic producers responsible

for the waste they generate.

Recycle Properly -> At present, just 9% of plastict is recycled worldwide. Recycling helps keep plastics out of the ocean and reduces the amount of “new” plastic in circulation.

Participate In (or Organize) a Beach or River Cleanup -> Help remove plastics from the ocean and prevent them from getting there in the first place by participating in, or organizing a cleanup of your local beach or waterway.

Spread the Word -> Stay informed on issues related to plastic pollution and help make others aware of the problem

#helpourocean #stopplastic