Humans seriously don’t have respect for our beautiful planet. While industry drains it of its resources, humanity chokes it with one of the most poisonous and harmful substances invented by man. PLASTIC!! Today 300 million tons of plastic is made every year and from 1950 till now 9 billion tons of plastic has been made. A study concluded that there are two rivers in Africa and 8 in Asia which are responsible for transporting 90% of the plastic that spews into oceans. The problem is so bad yet within the confines of our comfortable lives, we don’t realize it. Here are 15 shocking photos that will reveal in the most heart-wrenching way possible how plastic is killing our oceans and the life in it.
In case you didn’t know, plastic items can take up to 1000 years to decompose in landfills. Plastic bags that we use everyday take from 10-1000 years to decompose while plastic bottles take up to 450 years to decompose.
Image Source: i.guim.co.uk
This Albatross died all because of plastic that it kept eating. The biggest tragedy is that 10% of the 300 million tons ends up in the ocean and that is enough to choke our oceans and kill marine life.
Image Source: bastanteinteressante.org
The world has produced more plastic in the past 10 years than during the entire 20th century. This turtle-like hundreds of turtles has got stuck in a piece of plastic. This is a common incident in oceans and seas.
Image Source: onfunzone.com
Just like this turtle that has got trapped in a plastic bucket. By the fact it got photographed proves at least it was saved but what about the thousands of turtles meeting a similar fate every day.
Image Source: bastanteinteressante.org
Because they are amphibians and live in shallow water and the land, they are the worst affected like this one who is trapped. It shows what a hard time turtles have out there. This is pathetic.
Image Source: historiascomvalor.com
Even birds aren’t spared. The ocean has become a deadly place for its life where oil spills and plastic are the biggest culprits of disaster and death. This stork is totally wrapped up in plastic.
Image Source: historiascomvalor.com
A study by Cornell University found that when plastic touches coral reefs, their chances of getting sick rise from 4% to 89%. Almost 136 coral reefs studied in the research were contaminated by plastic.
Image Source: bastanteinteressante.org
This is the worst reflection of marine pollution where birds have to rely on plastic to make a nest and lay their eggs. Charles J Moore a researcher on oceanic pollution in the Pacific in his report in 2014 wrote:
“I was utterly shocked to see the enormous increase in the quantity of plastic waste since my last trip in 2009. Plastics of every description, from toothbrushes to tires to unidentifiable fragments too numerous to count floated past our marine research vessel Alguita for hundreds of miles without end. We even came upon a floating island bolstered by dozens of plastic buoys used in oyster aquaculture that had solid areas you could walk on.”
Image Source: bastanteinteressante.org
Even beaches are clogged with plastic where not an inch in some countries like Indonesia and Philippines are strewn with garbage and plastic. The wildlife has now resorted to living in plastic.
Image Source: liked.hu
In 1950 the global plastics production was only 2 tonnes. Yet, in 2015 it was touching more than 400 million. That’s just in 65 years and less than a human lifetime. Shouldn’t we ask ourselves what are we doing?
Image Source: bastanteinteressante.org
Fish are repeatedly eating microplastic waste in areas high in coastal plastic pollution. These same fish get back to us through fisheries and stores where we too are consuming toxic plastic.
Image Source: bastanteinteressante.org
Supermarkets are the worst offenders as well as local shops and markets that use plastic bags even for single items. If you really want to do your bit, reuse your own bag or use a shopping bag and refuse plastic.
Image Source: bastanteinteressante.org
There is almost 1.88 million metric tons of plastic that pollutes the Philippines yearly. There is no effective management of the garbage that worsens the problem. Freedom Island in the Philippines is virtually a junkyard of plastic pollution that Greenpeace endeavored to clean up. They found the worst offenders of pollution were large brands like Unilever, and Indonesian company PT Torabika Mayora. Nestle was at the top of the list.
Image Source: bastanteinteressante.org
Would you like swimming in garbage such as this? Just look at the number of plastic bottles floating in the water which makes one wonder, why do people care so little for the environment by throwing their water bottles just anywhere.
Image Source: liked.hu
This is disgusting where the ocean in coastal areas is becoming one huge garbage dump. We have exhausted our landfills and now we are turning to oceans. When exactly does this stop?
Image Source: liked.hu
Take a look at the video that will really shock you into realizing how bad the problem really is. Escalating yearly and soon we to will have to holiday on beaches alongside garbage dumps of plastic.