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What is pollution in our oceans? Most ocean pollution begins on land. When large tracts of land are plowed, the exposed soil can erode during rainstorms. Much of this runoff flows to the sea, carrying with it agricultural fertilizers and pesticides. Eighty percent of pollution to the marine environment comes from the land. A huge part of pollution has to do with plastic that ends up in our waters. 300 tons of plastic is produced globally each year, and 10 percent of that plastic ends up in our oceans or other water sources.
The effect that this plastic and pollution has on the aquatic life and clean drinking water sources is significant and I'll be exploring the effects of pollution, even when yo can't see all of those effects directly. While fresh water and salt water have a lot of differences, they have one huge thing in common: Pollution. Whether a water source is being used for a community to have clean drinking water, or the ocean used for transferring of products, Pollution is occurring from multiple different sources.
You might not think that a local water source that's hundreds of miles from your community has an impact on you, but it does. With all global environmental issues and pollution everything has a cause, and effect. This all led me to wonder what the long term effects that plastic and other pollution has on our oceans and other local water sources. What direction can we go to prevent the amount of pollution and plastic waste from increasing, while also improving on the damage that has already been done? It is important to look at environmental issues with climate change on a global perspective, and then using that information to focus on the local impact it has on our different communities to bring social awareness to all community members. I am specifically focusing on Lake Whatcom in Bellingham, WA because it is directly related to my community. While Bellingham might not impact you directly, similar issues may be occurring in your community right now without you being aware of it.
To learn more about these issues click on the links below!
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/pollution.html
http://lakewhatcom.whatcomcounty.org/
http://www.noaa.gov/resource-collections/ocean-pollution
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/pollution.html
http://lakewhatcom.whatcomcounty.org/
http://www.noaa.gov/resource-collections/ocean-pollution