How Plastic Pollution Reaches the Ocean from Land

Plastic Oceans International

3 May 201902:24

Summary

TLDRThe video script highlights the global issue of plastic pollution, illustrating how plastic waste, even from inland areas, finds its way to oceans through rivers, canals, and ocean currents. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of water systems, showing that the Great Lakes and even Antarctica are affected. The script underscores the inescapable reality that the ocean is a shared space, and disposing of waste improperly affects everyone, regardless of proximity to the sea.

Takeaways

🌊 Even if you don't live near the ocean, plastic waste can still reach marine environments.
🏞️ The Great Lakes in North America illustrate how plastic litter can affect even inland water bodies, with 80% of shoreline litter being plastic.
🚯 Trash that doesn't remain on the shoreline or sink into sediment is transported through waterways to larger bodies of water like the Atlantic Ocean.
🌐 The issue of plastic pollution is global, affecting oceans and seas around the world.
🌬️ Wind and rain can contribute to the movement of plastic waste into water bodies.
🌀 Gyres, large wind-driven circular currents, pull plastic waste into their centers, contributing to the accumulation of debris.
🌊 Ocean currents play a significant role in the distribution of trash across the surface of the ocean.
🌍 The script emphasizes that the ocean is a shared space, with no boundaries, and pollution affects the entire planet.
🏠 The ocean is described as everyone's backyard, front yard, or living space, highlighting the collective responsibility to protect it.
🗑️ The final takeaway is that there is no such thing as 'away' when it comes to waste disposal; it inevitably impacts our shared environment.
🎵 The script is punctuated by music, suggesting an emotional or reflective tone to the message about plastic pollution.

Q & A

What is the primary material found along the shorelines of the Great Lakes?
-The primary material found along the shorelines of the Great Lakes is plastic, with 80% of the litter being plastic.
How does plastic litter from the Great Lakes end up in the Atlantic Ocean?
-Plastic litter from the Great Lakes flows through the canal and river systems, eventually making its way through the St. Lawrence Seaway and into the Atlantic Ocean.
Why is plastic a global concern even for areas far from the ocean?
-Plastic is a global concern because it can travel through water systems and ocean currents, reaching even remote areas like Antarctica from places as far as the United States.
What are the wind-driven churning circular gyres mentioned in the script?
-The wind-driven churning circular gyres are massive ocean currents that pull in plastic and other debris, concentrating it in the center of the gyre.
How does the script describe the ocean as a common space for humanity?
-The script describes the ocean as everyone's backyard, front yard, or living space, emphasizing that the whole planet is where we live and there are no boundaries in the ocean.
What is the implication of the statement 'there is no way that you can put things and expect that they're really away'?
-The implication is that disposing of waste, especially plastic, does not make it disappear. It eventually ends up in the environment, often in the ocean, affecting ecosystems and wildlife.
How does rainfall contribute to the spread of plastic waste into the ocean?
-Rainfall can wash plastic waste from land into waterways, which then flow into rivers, canals, and eventually into the ocean.
What role do offshore winds play in the distribution of plastic waste?
-Offshore winds can blow plastic waste from coastal areas into the ocean, where it becomes part of the marine debris problem.
Why is it important to understand the script's message about plastic pollution?
-Understanding the script's message about plastic pollution is important because it highlights the global impact of our waste disposal habits and the need for collective action to mitigate environmental harm.
What can individuals do to reduce their contribution to ocean plastic pollution?
-Individuals can reduce single-use plastics, recycle properly, participate in clean-up efforts, and advocate for policies that reduce plastic production and waste.
How does the script suggest that plastic pollution is interconnected with our daily lives?
-The script suggests that every time it rains or the wind blows offshore, the plastic waste from our daily activities ends up in the ocean, making it a part of our living environment.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 Global Impact of Plastic Pollution

This paragraph highlights the widespread issue of plastic pollution, even in areas far from the ocean. It emphasizes that 80% of the litter along the Great Lakes' shorelines is plastic, which can travel through waterways to the Atlantic Ocean. The script also mentions that plastic waste from the United States can reach as far as Antarctica, illustrating the interconnectedness of the world's water systems. The paragraph underscores the concept that the ocean is a shared space, affected by the actions of everyone on the planet, and that there is no 'away' when it comes to waste disposal.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Plastic Garbage

Plastic garbage refers to discarded plastic materials that contribute to pollution. In the context of the video, it is a central theme illustrating how plastic waste, even from inland areas, can eventually reach the ocean. The script mentions that 'your plastic garbage has found its way to the sea,' highlighting the global issue of plastic pollution and its far-reaching consequences.

💡Great Lakes

The Great Lakes are a series of large freshwater lakes in North America, which serve as a significant example in the video. The script points out that '80% of the litter along the shorelines of these majestic lakes is plastic,' emphasizing the prevalence of plastic pollution even in freshwater ecosystems and its potential to impact the larger oceanic environment.

💡Litter

Litter is waste material that has been discarded carelessly rather than being disposed of properly. The video uses the term to describe the plastic waste found along shorelines, such as 'the shorelines of these majestic lakes,' indicating the direct impact of human activities on natural environments.

💡St. Lawrence Seaway

The St. Lawrence Seaway is a system of canals and channels that connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. The script explains that plastic from the Great Lakes 'flows through the canals and river systems through the St. Lawrence Seaway, and into the Atlantic Ocean,' demonstrating a pathway through which inland pollution reaches marine ecosystems.

💡Gyres

Gyres are large systems of rotating ocean currents that are driven by the wind. In the video, it is mentioned that 'plastic in our coastal waters is pulled into the center of massive wind-driven churning circular gyres.' This concept is crucial as it explains how plastic waste accumulates in certain areas of the ocean, forming large garbage patches.

💡Ocean Currents

Ocean currents are the continuous movement of ocean water in a specific direction, typically over long distances. The video script describes how 'there are many other ocean currents also diverting the trash all around the surface of the ocean,' illustrating the role of these currents in the distribution of plastic pollution globally.

💡Antarctica

Antarctica is the southernmost continent on Earth, known for its remote and pristine environment. The video mentions that 'garbage thrown away in the United States can make its way to Antarctica,' underscoring the global reach of plastic pollution and its potential to affect even the most remote ecosystems.

💡Sludge

Sludge refers to a semi-liquid material that can be the result of waste or pollution. In the script, it is used to describe the 'sludge the plastic from all of that rubbish' that ends up in the bay, highlighting the transformation of litter into a more harmful form that can contaminate water bodies.

💡Bay

A bay is a body of water partially enclosed by land. The video uses the term to illustrate how 'every time it rains here every time the wind blows offshore the sludge the plastic from all of that rubbish ends up straight in the bay,' showing the direct impact of weather events on the accumulation of plastic in coastal areas.

💡Delivery Systems

In the context of the video, 'delivery systems' refers to the natural processes or pathways that transport plastic pollution into the oceans. The script mentions that 'these sorts of places become delivery systems for plastic into our oceans,' emphasizing the role of rivers, canals, and other waterways in the spread of plastic waste.

💡Planet

The term 'planet' is used in the video to convey the interconnectedness of our global environment. The script states that 'the whole planet is where we live,' suggesting that pollution in one area can have consequences for the entire planet, as there are no boundaries in the environment.

Highlights

Plastic garbage from inland areas can end up in the ocean.

80% of litter along the shorelines of the Great Lakes is plastic.

Plastic trash can flow through river systems and into the Atlantic Ocean.

Plastic debris is a global issue, not limited to coastal areas.

Waste from the United States can reach as far as Antarctica.

Plastic in coastal waters is drawn into massive wind-driven gyres.

Ocean currents play a role in the global distribution of trash.

The concept of a single ocean without boundaries.

Rain and wind contribute to the spread of plastic into the bay.

The ocean is a shared space that affects everyone on the planet.

Discarded items do not truly disappear but impact our living environment.

The importance of recognizing the interconnectedness of waste disposal and the environment.

The urgency of addressing plastic pollution as a global responsibility.

The impact of human activities on the marine ecosystem is far-reaching.

The need for collective action to mitigate the effects of plastic pollution.

The role of natural elements in the dissemination of plastic waste.

The Great Lakes serve as a microcosm of the global plastic pollution issue.