Ocean Litter
By: Isabella C.
Does litter affect marine life?
Imagine that our oceans are filled with trash and no marine life to be found. If we keep littering and polluting our oceans, our oceans will be filled with litter and marine life could become scarce. An estimate of 100,000 marine creatures die each year because of litter. Animals can eat litter or get tangled in it. Plastic contains harmful chemicals, so they can poison the animals.
Litter in Georgia
Litter in our oceans affects Georgia, too. It hurts society by taking so much money to clean beaches and oil spills. It also takes a lot of money to save the animals that have been harmed by litter in the ocean. One year Georgia produced 4.4 million tons of trash. Also, litter harms seagulls. When seagulls go to a landfill and get trash, it can get caught in it and die. Next, boat's propellers can get tangled in fishing nets or boats can run into large debris.
Georgia’s sea turtles
Sea turtles are in trouble because of litter. They think that plastic bags are jellyfish, a favorite food of the sea turtle. But, other things are harming them, like boats are giving them wounds, and the water sometimes gets too cold for them. On Jekyll island there is a place where they help sea turtles and educate others about sea turtles.
Can we help?
Can we help? Yes! Here are five ways to help.
1. Use things that are reusable!
2. Use a trash can with lid!
3. Raise awareness!
4. Clean up litter!
5. Reduce, reuse, recycle!
In conclusion, litter in the ocean affects animals all around the world, for example: Off the coast of Greece in 2012, a young sperm whale was found dead, because it ate 100 plastic bags. See how harmful litter is? If we want to keep marine life around, we are going to have to help it. Marine life is just like us, living creatures.
Resources:
Polluted oceans By:Ellen Lawrence
Ocean Conservancy
Plastinography
WCD kid zone
Ocean today
Scientist Mr. Pope
By: Isabella C.
Does litter affect marine life?
Imagine that our oceans are filled with trash and no marine life to be found. If we keep littering and polluting our oceans, our oceans will be filled with litter and marine life could become scarce. An estimate of 100,000 marine creatures die each year because of litter. Animals can eat litter or get tangled in it. Plastic contains harmful chemicals, so they can poison the animals.
Litter in Georgia
Litter in our oceans affects Georgia, too. It hurts society by taking so much money to clean beaches and oil spills. It also takes a lot of money to save the animals that have been harmed by litter in the ocean. One year Georgia produced 4.4 million tons of trash. Also, litter harms seagulls. When seagulls go to a landfill and get trash, it can get caught in it and die. Next, boat's propellers can get tangled in fishing nets or boats can run into large debris.
Georgia’s sea turtles
Sea turtles are in trouble because of litter. They think that plastic bags are jellyfish, a favorite food of the sea turtle. But, other things are harming them, like boats are giving them wounds, and the water sometimes gets too cold for them. On Jekyll island there is a place where they help sea turtles and educate others about sea turtles.
Can we help?
Can we help? Yes! Here are five ways to help.
1. Use things that are reusable!
2. Use a trash can with lid!
3. Raise awareness!
4. Clean up litter!
5. Reduce, reuse, recycle!
In conclusion, litter in the ocean affects animals all around the world, for example: Off the coast of Greece in 2012, a young sperm whale was found dead, because it ate 100 plastic bags. See how harmful litter is? If we want to keep marine life around, we are going to have to help it. Marine life is just like us, living creatures.
Resources:
Polluted oceans By:Ellen Lawrence
Ocean Conservancy
Plastinography
WCD kid zone
Ocean today
Scientist Mr. Pope