Problems and Solutions: Plastic in the Ocean

The video below was the catalyst that started my quest for change. Until I saw it, I was oblivious to any complicity I might have in the sad state of human affairs. The problems were someone else's fault, and it was their responsibility to fix them. So long as I recycled, volunteered occasionally and didn't pour motor oil down my toilet, I was an exemplary world citizen deserving of praise and possibly awards.

I was completely delusional.

Plastic Contaminating the Ocean

When I saw this video, I realized that the decisions we make in our daily lives can have profound consequences for the lives of others, even halfway across the planet. I realized that it is truly possible to sully our world so badly that we won't be able to live here anymore.

If you don't have time for a ten minute video, here's a shorter one with less information but more emotional impact. You can also read about the problem here.

To sum it up in three sentences: The manufacture and use of plastics has contaminated the ocean to such a degree that in some places there is 48 times more plastic debris in the water than plankton. This is killing the fish and birds who can't help but consume it, and humans who eat seafood are getting their share of plastic as well. At this point, there is no feasible solution for cleaning it.


While the outlook here is on the gloomy side, we might have some chance of making it better if we at least stop making it worse. To do this, we need to dramatically reduce our production of plastics and stop making non-recyclable plastics altogether. Because a significant percentage of ocean-polluting plastics are pre-production plastics (pellets deposited in the ocean before being made into anything) recycling alone isn't enough.

Ideally, we also need to find bio-plastics that can replace the petroleum-based plastics we use now. This is the perfect time to start making this change, with the massive public outcry about our dependence on oil. We use more than 1.6 billion gallons of oil a year just to make plastic bags.


On the bright side and so you don't feel like banging your head against a wall repeatedly, here are some innovative solutions people are developing to deal with the problem of plastics. We don't have a solution for the plastic in the ocean yet, but reading about the creativity of humans in trying to solve these problems makes me feel like we might eventually have one. Plastics can be biodegradable, can be made back into oil, and can be made out of non-toxic materials (you can actually buy these now).

Here are steps I'm going to take to help:

1. Stop thinking that "disposable" means "goes away." There isn't anywhere for it go. What I throw away today I may find on my dinner plate tomorrow.

2. Reduce my use of plastics as much as possible. Buy glass bottles instead of plastic, use canvas grocery bags, avoid plastic packaging.

3. Recycle any plastics I can't avoid using. Whole Foods stores have bins now for recycling plastic bags.

4. Clean up plastic litter when I see it in the street. A large percentage of plastic in the ocean comes from urban runoff.

5. Buy used instead of new. This keeps the plastic item out of the landfill and out of the ocean. It also keeps another one from having to be manufactured.

6. Pressure the companies I buy from to switch to bio-plastics or other more environmentally friendly packaging. Write to them and let them know I'm not buying their products until the packaging changes.

7. Write to my congressman and ask that action be taken. Encourage bills that reduce the manufacture of plastic, encourage plastic recycling, support research into alternatives and support the adoption of those alternatives.


8. Donate to organizations that are working to solve the problem. Algalita Marine Research Foundation, Ocean Alliance, Center for Ocean Solutions.

9. Spread the word. The more people who know about the problem, the more pressure there will be on industry to change.

Taking some or all of these steps with me? Let me know in the comments. I'll keep you updated on my progress as well.

Have ideas of more that can be done? Disagree with me about an aspect of the problem or the usefulness of any of the steps? Share your thoughts!