The most important causes of pollution on the sea are:

Residual water: they proceed mainly from houses, shops and industries. Before being poured  to the sea they treated to remove the major contaminants, but it is usually not enough to purify them completely.

Toxic chemicals: It is the main cause of ocean pollution. Chemical substances come mostly from industrial activities and directly affect the health of marine and terrestrial beings.

Rainwater: They are used in growing areas and usually contain herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers that will end up seeping into groundwater and rivers to finally end up in the sea.

The dumping of plastics: Plastics can take between 150 and 1000 years to degrade. All plastic waste dumped into the sea directly affects marine fauna, since they mistake this waste for food or get trapped.

Plastics that are dumped into the sea can be divided into macroplastics (bottles, bags or all those objects larger than 5mm), microplastics and nanoplastics (tiny spheres found in some cosmetic products).

Oil spills: As a general rule, these spills are usually accidents, but this does not reduce the damage it causes to living beings in the area.

Mining activity in the high seas: It causes acoustic pollution in the sea, harming the species that are most sensitive to acoustic waves, since they can confuse and disorient them.

Climate change: It is not a directly polluting factor, but it does influence the ocean. The increase in temperatures causes the thawing of the poles, the increase in sea level and its temperature, modifies the migratory routes of the species and can even acidify it.

All these substances cause a great environmental impact that damages the biodiversity of the oceans, but the truth is that they also harm public health. Many of the polluting substances dumped into the sea end up being ingested by marine species that will later be consumed by people. Pollution becomes a wheel that gradually destroys everything it touches.

1. Use less plastic products

Plastic is one of the main threats to the ocean. In order not to pollute the sea, you can stop using pet bottles and replace them with thermos, and use cloth bags to transport your purchases.

2. Make sustainable purchases of seafood

Many species are being depleted due to demand and poor fishing practices. It is important to look for brands or businesses that sell certified marine products with sustainable practices.

3. Use biodegradable products on the beaches

There are biodegradable sunscreen and sunscreen that do not harm marine species; try to buy these types of products, which indicate on the label that they are friendly with the environment and with which you will ensure that you do not pollute the sea.

4. Don't litter the beaches

During your vacations it is important to take care of the waste you generate and not wait for someone else to take care of it. Show your culture of respect for the environment and, if you find any rubbish on your way, you can help to collect it. With this simple action you will be helping to reduce the presence of waste in the water and avoid the consequences of contamination.

5. Travel the sea responsibly

If you practice sports such as kayaking or other activities that are carried out in the water, do not throw anything overboard and be aware of the marine life that inhabits the waters that surround you. If you are planning to cruise, choose the option that is most environmentally friendly.

6. Do not buy products that affect marine life

Avoid buying products that harm the marine ecosystem, such as coral or shell jewelry or accessories made from hawksbill or shark turtles. A good way to avoid polluting the sea is to avoid buying products that come from it.

7. Reduces CO2 emissions and energy consumption

The effects of climate change on the oceans can be reduced by reducing CO2 emissions with small actions such as stopping or reducing use of the car, switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, turning off the light, etc.

All the causes of pollution of the seas and oceans mentioned above affect the loss of biodiversity, in this case we are talking about aquatic species that live in our seas and oceans, which is why it turns out to be the main and most serious effect of marine pollution. . Many of these species are very important, either because they are great predators, or because they play a key role in the ecological system of the area, such as sea otters.

Eutrophication

Depending on the type of substance thrown into the water, especially from industrial and agricultural activities, there may be large peaks of nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates that will cause uncontrolled growth of algae and bacteria colonies, leading to eutrophication of the waters. . This process implies that, due to the great abundance of plant matter, all the oxygen in the water is consumed and the light coming from the surface is blocked, thus preventing any organism that depends on oxygen or light to grow from living.

Large masses of plastics

This situation occurs due to ocean gyrations that cause the discarded plastic to accumulate on the surface. Signs of this process can already be seen, such as the great sea of ​​plastic that has formed in the Pacific Ocean, between Hawaii and California, and that currently reaches an area equivalent to France, Germany and Spain together. It is an area with 10 kilograms of plastic per kilometer, with a total weight of more than 80,000 tons.

In addition, there are more cases like this around the world, such as the recent great patch of garbage in the Pacific, known as the plastic island, discovered in the North Atlantic in 2010.

Decrease in oxygen and acidification of the waters

Increases in water temperature cause a decrease in the oxygen available in the marine environment. A very visible example of this process is that of coral reefs, which are dying faster every day, leaving a large number of species without habitat.

In addition, there is another problem caused by human activities, caused by the excess carbon dioxide (CO2) that we emit. This process is called acidification of the oceans, and it is a change in the pH of the water that is directly linked to the excessive absorption of CO2.

Death and physiological changes in aquatic organisms

Sewage and rainwater are the main cause of death or physiological alteration of marine living beings such as fish. This is due to the fact that products such as herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers and even the remains of anti-inflammatory drugs (they are not treated in treatment plants), cause alterations in the endocrine system, in the liver, even in the reproductive system of fish. and mammals.

When we talk about pollution we tend to look up, but this problem does not only affect our skies. The soils, which host the crops of fruits, vegetables or vegetables, also suffer the consequences and their effects reach us through, for example, the aforementioned foods. The time has come to take care of the earth that lies beneath our feet!

The earth's surface is the skin of the planet, a cloak full of scars, ancient wrinkles and more recent wounds caused by both man and nature itself. Some of these ulcers are incurable - such as the extinction of species -, others compromise health and food security, and all of them threaten the well-being of 3.2 billion people in the world, as the latest report on soil contamination from the Platform warns. Intergovernmental Scientific-Normative on Biological Diversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

WHAT IS SOIL POLLUTION

This invisible evil appears when the concentration of pollutants on the surface is so high that it damages the biodiversity of the soil and puts our health at risk through, above all, food. Precisely activities such as intensive livestock and agriculture often use drugs, pesticides and fertilizers that contaminate the fields, as is the case with heavy metals and other chemicals of natural or anthropogenic origin.

Soil pollution is an especially serious global threat in regions such as Europe, Eurasia, Asia and North Africa, as revealed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This international body also ensures that intense or moderate degradation already affects a third of the world's soil, and its recovery is so slow that it would take 1,000 years to create 1 centimeter of topsoil.

Phenomena such as erosion, loss of organic carbon, salinization, compaction, acidification and chemical contamination are the main responsible for the current deterioration of the soil. In addition, the FAO differentiates between these two types of soil contamination:

CONSEQUENCES OF SOIL POLLUTION

The toxic substances that are deposited on the earth's surface harm our health and well-being, as well as the quality of food, water and air. Below, we detail the most relevant effects according to IPBES and FAO:

 Damage to health

Pollutants from the earth pass into our body through the food chain, causing the appearance of diseases. Furthermore, the spread of antibiotics through the environment favors the resistance of pathogens to these drugs

  Worst crops

Soil pollution agents compromise the food security of the world's population by reducing the quantity and quality of crops.

  Climate change

Soil degradation released between 3,600 and 4,400 million tons of CO2 annually into the atmosphere in the first decade of the 21st century.

  Water and air pollution

The deterioration of the land surface affects the quality of water and air, especially in developing countries.

  Population displacements

Soil degradation and climate change will force between 50 and 700 million people to emigrate by 2050.

Soil degradation is a complex problem that requires joint action by governments, institutions, communities and individuals. Here are some of the things we can do to improve your health:

Consume sustainable food, properly recycle batteries, do home composting or dispose of drugs in the places authorized for it.

Encourage a more ecological model of industry, agriculture and livestock, among other economic activities.

Improve urban planning in cities and transport, as well as wastewater treatment.

Reform the management of mining waste, restore the topography and conserve the topsoil.

Include local communities and indigenous peoples in the design, implementation and evaluation of sustainable soil management.