How We Can Keep Plastics Out of Our Ocean | National Geographic

Summary

The video script highlights the alarming issue of plastic pollution in our oceans, with 8 million metric tons of plastic waste entering the sea annually. It emphasizes the need for a systemic shift from a linear 'take-make-dispose' model to a circular economy where plastic packaging never becomes waste. The script also addresses marine pollution from various sources, including industrial, agricultural, and urban waste, which contribute to oxygen-deprived dead zones in the sea. It stresses the importance of soil health in agriculture for water quality and suggests that improving soil organic matter can prevent nutrient leaching, benefiting both farmers and the environment. The video calls for collective action and adaptation of new practices to tackle this global challenge.

Takeaways

• 🌊 **8 Million Tons of Plastic Pollution**: Every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic trash enters the sea from land, contributing to global marine pollution.
• 🌍 **Global Impact**: The equivalent of five plastic bags filled with trash is deposited on every foot of the world's coastlines, affecting marine ecosystems worldwide.
• 🔄 **Plastic Circulation**: Plastic trash in the ocean is dispersed by global currents, breaking down into smaller pieces that are ingested by marine life and sink to the seafloor.
• 🌐 **Global Production and Distribution**: Plastics can be made and sold anywhere in the world, highlighting the need for a unified approach to address the plastic packaging problem.
• 🔄 **The Need for a New Paradigm**: To solve the plastic packaging issue, we must transition from a linear 'take-make-dispose' model to a circular economy where plastic can be recovered and reused.
• 💡 **The New Plastics Economy**: The ultimate goal is to create an economy where plastic packaging never becomes waste, requiring a systemic change from every participant in the supply chain.
• 🌿 **Marine Pollution Beyond Plastics**: Pollution comes in various forms, including industrial, agricultural, and urban waste, which can lead to oxygen depletion in marine ecosystems and the creation of dead zones.
• 🌱 **Agriculture's Role in Pollution**: Nutrient pollution, largely from agriculture, can be managed by focusing on soil health and organic matter to prevent nutrient leaching.
• 🚜 **Challenges for Farmers**: Changing farming systems to address nutrient pollution is complex and requires learning new processes and practices for effective implementation.
• 🌾 **Soil Health and Water Quality**: Improving soil organic matter is crucial for both farmer productivity and maintaining water quality in bays and oceans.

Q & A

How much plastic trash enters the sea from land each year?

8 million metric tons of plastic trash enters the sea from land every year.

What does the equivalent of 8 million metric tons of plastic trash represent in terms of plastic bags and coastline?

The equivalent of 8 million metric tons of plastic trash is like having five plastic bags filled with trash for every foot of coastline around the world.

What percentage of all marine pollution is made up by plastic waste?

Plastic waste makes up 80% of all marine pollution.

How does plastic trash in the ocean affect marine life and ecosystems?

Plastic trash in the ocean breaks down into smaller pieces, which are ingested by species across the marine world. This can lead to the disruption of marine ecosystems and the creation of dead zones.

What is the ultimate goal of the new plastics economy?

The ultimate goal of the new plastics economy is to design an economy where plastic packaging never becomes waste.

What needs to change in order to solve the plastic packaging problem?

To solve the plastic packaging problem, we need to effectively rethink the entire system from a linear 'take-make-dispose' model to one where plastic can be recovered and fed back into the economy as a valuable material.

Which sectors contribute to marine pollution?

Marine pollution comes in many forms from industrial, agricultural, and urban waste.

How can nutrient pollution be managed?

Nutrient pollution can be managed through changes in major contributing systems like agriculture, focusing on soil health and organic matter to prevent nutrient leaching.

Why is soil health critical for water quality?

Soil health is critical for water quality because organic matter in the soil can hold onto nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, preventing them from leaching into water bodies and affecting aquatic ecosystems.

What is a challenge faced by farmers when changing their system to reduce nutrient pollution?

Changing their system is tricky and requires a lot of work. Farmers need to learn different processes and practices to effectively manage soil health and reduce nutrient runoff.

How many locations across the globe already have dead zones due to sustained pollution?

There are already more than 400 locations across the globe that are considered dead zones due to sustained pollution.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 The Plastic Crisis in Our Oceans

This paragraph discusses the alarming issue of plastic pollution in the world's oceans. It highlights that 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the sea annually, which is equivalent to five plastic bags filled with trash for every foot of global coastline. The plastic trash is dispersed across oceans, often accumulating in large masses due to global currents. The breakdown of plastic into smaller pieces leads to ingestion by marine life and ends up on the seafloor. The script emphasizes the need for a systemic change in the design and distribution of plastic products, moving from a linear 'take-make-dispose' model to a circular one where plastic can be recovered and reused in the economy. The ultimate goal is to create a new plastics economy where plastic packaging never becomes waste, requiring the involvement and change from every participant in the supply chain. Additionally, the paragraph touches on other forms of marine pollution, such as industrial, agricultural, and urban waste, which contribute to algal blooms that deplete oxygen in marine ecosystems, creating dead zones. It is noted that over 400 such locations exist globally, and addressing nutrient pollution through changes in major contributing systems, like agriculture, is crucial for managing this issue. The importance of soil health for water quality is stressed, with organic matter in soil being key to retaining nutrients and preventing them from leaching into water bodies. The paragraph concludes by acknowledging the challenges farmers face in changing their systems and the necessity of learning and adopting effective practices.

Keywords

💡Plastic Trash

Plastic trash refers to discarded plastic materials that often end up polluting the environment. In the context of the video, it is highlighted as a significant issue as 8 million metric tons enter the sea annually, which is equivalent to five plastic bags filled with trash for every foot of global coastline. This plastic waste not only spreads across oceans but also breaks down into smaller pieces, harming marine life and ecosystems.

💡Marine Pollution

Marine pollution is the contamination of oceanic areas by harmful substances or waste, often resulting from human activities. The video emphasizes the impact of plastic trash and other forms of waste on marine ecosystems, including the creation of 'dead zones' where oxygen is depleted, and life can hardly survive. Marine pollution is a broader term that encompasses not only plastic waste but also industrial, agricultural, and urban waste.

💡Circular Economy

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at minimizing waste and making the most of resources. It contrasts with the traditional linear economy model of 'take, make, dispose,' where resources are used and then discarded. The video advocates for a shift towards a circular economy in the context of plastic packaging, where the goal is to design a system where plastic never becomes waste but is instead recovered and reused as valuable material.

💡Design Paradigm

A design paradigm refers to a set of principles or assumptions that guide the design process and the resulting design. In the video, it is suggested that to solve the plastic packaging problem, there is a need to rethink the entire design paradigm, moving away from the current model that allows for the creation and disposal of plastic waste without effective recovery mechanisms.

💡Global Currents

Global currents refer to the large-scale movement of ocean waters driven by various factors including temperature, salinity, and wind patterns. The video mentions global currents in the context of how plastic trash is dispersed across oceans, highlighting how these natural phenomena contribute to the widespread distribution of plastic pollution in marine environments.

💡Marine Ecosystems

Marine ecosystems are complex networks of interacting organisms and their physical environment in the ocean. The video emphasizes the importance of these ecosystems and how they are threatened by plastic pollution and other forms of marine pollution. The degradation of marine ecosystems can lead to a loss of biodiversity and the collapse of food chains, affecting not only marine life but also human societies that depend on the ocean for resources.

💡Nutrient Pollution

Nutrient pollution occurs when excessive amounts of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, enter water bodies and cause environmental problems like algal blooms. These blooms can deplete oxygen levels in the water, leading to dead zones where aquatic life cannot survive. The video suggests that managing nutrient pollution through changes in major contributing systems like agriculture is crucial for maintaining healthy marine ecosystems.

💡Soil Health

Soil health refers to the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. The video underscores the importance of soil health for water quality and suggests that increasing organic matter in the soil can improve its ability to retain nutrients, thus preventing nutrient pollution and benefiting both farmers and water quality in the bay.

💡Agricultural Practices

Agricultural practices are the methods and techniques used in farming to cultivate crops and livestock. The video discusses the need for changes in these practices to address nutrient pollution, which is a major contributor to marine pollution. By adopting practices that effectively manage nutrients, farmers can reduce the runoff of pollutants into water bodies and contribute to the health of marine ecosystems.

💡Dead Zones

Dead zones are areas in bodies of water with low oxygen levels, making them inhospitable to most marine life. They are often caused by nutrient pollution, which leads to algal blooms that consume oxygen. The video mentions that there are over 400 dead zones globally, highlighting the severity of the pollution problem and its impact on marine ecosystems.

Highlights

8 million metric tons of plastic trash enters the sea from land every year.

This is equivalent to five plastic bags filled with trash for every foot of coastline globally.

Plastic trash circulates and disperses across oceans, often concentrating in large areas influenced by global currents.

Plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, which are ingested by marine species and sink to the sea bottom.

The global plastic production and distribution system lacks a unified design paradigm and barriers.

To address the plastic packaging problem, we need to transition from a linear system to a circular one.

The new plastics economy aims to redesign the system so that plastic packaging never becomes waste.

Achieving a plastics economy requires every player in the chain to change their methods.

Marine pollution comes in various forms, including industrial, agricultural, and urban waste.

Sustained pollution can lead to oxygen depletion in marine ecosystems, causing algal explosions.

Dead zones, areas with insufficient oxygen to support most marine life, exist in over 400 locations globally.

Nutrient pollution can be managed by changing major contributing systems like agriculture.

Soil health is critical for water quality and begins with focusing on organic matter.

More organic matter in soil improves its ability to retain nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, preventing leaching.

Farmers must learn different processes and practices to effectively change their systems.

The challenge for farmers lies in the difficulty and effort required to adapt to new agricultural practices.

Transcripts

8 million metric tons of plastic trash

enters the sea from land every year the

equivalent of five plastic bags filled

with trash for every foot of coastline

in the world across our ocean plastic

trash flows into circulation dispersed

almost everywhere but concentrating in

huge swathes in the midst of global

currents breaking down into smaller and

smaller pieces ingested by species

across the marine world and sinking to

the bottom of the sea

anyone can make plastic anywhere in the

world and sell it anywhere else in the

world there's no design paradigm there's

no barriers in order to solve the

plastic packaging problem we need to

effectively rethink the entire system

from one which is linear ie take make

dispose to one where it can be recovered

and fed back into the economy as a

valuable plastic material all one where

it is by over nine and it can enter the

environment the ultimate goal of the new

plastics economy is to design an economy

where plastic packaging never becomes

waste and to do that we need every

single player in the chain to change the

way that they do things but marine

pollution comes in many forms

industrial agricultural and urban waste

also sweep into the sea fueling

explosions of algae that robbed marine

ecosystems of the oxygen they need to

survive with sustained pollution these

areas become dead zones which already

exist in more than 400 locations across

the globe but nutrient pollution can be

managed through change in major

contributing systems like agriculture if

you eat you're involved in agriculture

so it's a problem that all of us have to

work together to solve soil health is

critical for water quality it's the

first thing we have to focus on here on

the farm

organic matter is the key thing that we

try to improve the more organic matter

you have in the soil the better the soil

can hold on to nutrients like phosphorus

and nitrogen organic matter keeps it

from leaching out of the soil it grabs

on to it and that's good for the farmer

but it's also good for water quality in

the bay for any farmer to change their

system is tricky and it takes a lot of

work I think all farmers want to it's

learning different processes practices

that allow you to do it effectively that

becomes a key

[Music]