As technology advances over the years, more and more people are using more durable and convenient products. Approximately “1,000,000 plastic bottles [are purchased by humans] every minute [and] an estimated four trillion plastic bags are used worldwide each year” (Earth Day 1). However, most products are made from synthetic materials which are often not able to decompose naturally and are not recycled. “Only about 23% of bottles [manufactured] are [actually] recycled, only 1% of plastic bags are returned for recycling, [and] Americans throw away 100 billion plastic bags each year [which is] about 307 bags per person” (Earth). Day 1).Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay As a result, discoveries of islands of trash, consisting primarily of plastic, have been located in at least three major oceans. This growing amount of trash in our oceans has become a major water pollution problem that concerns both marine life and human safety and could be solved with simple solutions such as recycling, volunteering during cleanup beaches with friends or following safe disposal practices. Waste islands are islands made up of discarded materials that have accumulated largely from the mainland. They are transported by various routes such as sewers, animals, the environment and, of course, humans. These islands found all over the world can vary in size, with the largest being located in the Pacific Ocean, called the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch." According to National Geographic, "The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific Garbage Vortex, extends across waters from the west coast of North America to Japan." It “includes the Western Garbage Patch, located near Japan, and the Eastern Garbage Patch, located between the U.S. states of Hawaii and California” (National Geographic 1). Overall, most patches are made up of large piles of man-made products, made largely of plastic materials. With this result, the researchers estimated that, "by the end of this century,. . . surface ocean waters could be nearly 150 percent more acidic than they are now” (Denchak 2). If nothing is done immediately, ocean waters would be further contaminated, making it difficult to clean up anything exposed to them, affecting both the sea and human life. Plastic has become a popular material source in several parts of the world. They have been incorporated into our daily lives without realizing how harmful they can be. For example, let's take something commonly found in households, like a water bottle. People rely on water bottles as a source of containment for liquids. However, people have developed a mentality that once the liquid is gone, the bottle is trash, thereby forgetting that the water bottle is made from recyclable plastic. Many people have adapted to this mindset that once something is finished they should automatically throw it away, forgetting that there is a recycling bin that the bottle should end up in instead of ending up in the trash. 'ocean. Americans alone “purchase about 50 billion bottles of water per year, or an average of about 13 bottles per month for every person in the United States” (Earth Day1). This would reveal just how much plastic has become a necessity for many lives. The waste that ends up in our oceans would then significantly affect marine life in a negative direction. At least 100,000 marine animals and 1,000,000 seabirds die every year simply because they ate something they shouldn't have (Ocean Crusaders 1). According to National Geographic, “Albatross mistake plastic resin pellets for fish eggs and feed them to chicks, which die of starvation or ruptured organs” (National Geographic 3). This would show just a few of the many animal populations in the ocean that are affected, reflecting how animals are a primary target of water pollution. Especially since animals have no say in asking for help. Unfortunately, they can only speak for themselves through horrific incidents like the death of a whale in Thailand. At first, the whale was clinging to life but unfortunately died despite the efforts of veterinarians. However, once the whale was examined to determine the cause of death, Navy officials discovered that the whale had “. . . 80 black, soaked plastic bags. . . extracted from the stomach of a [dead] whale…” (Raphelson 1). Whale necropsy shows how even the planet's largest mammal is affected by trash thrown into the ocean. Animals can only show their need for support during such tragedies which humans could avoid by realizing the need to stop the water. pollution. If not taken into account, most animals would most likely be affected and have a higher chance of becoming extinct simply due to the mistakes of not getting back up. Additionally, marine life found in coral reefs is affected because "more acidic waters also contribute to coral reef bleaching and make it more difficult for some types of fish to detect predators and for others to hunt prey" ( Denchak 3). Coral reefs provide critical habitat for many animals, meaning that if they are affected, a long chain of effects occurs on surrounding animals, leading to another form of animal death. It is therefore necessary to implement measures against water pollution now before animals have a habitat for themselves or for future generations, because their homes are destroyed or they are themselves eliminated. Moreover, animals are not the only living beings affected, but humans as well. Humans spend a lot of time in the ocean as an escape, not realizing how unsanitary the water has become. "According to the National Survey of Recreation and Environment (NSRE), more than 143 million people in the United States [itself with], 61% of the population over the age of 16, use surface water to practice non-motorized water sports", revealing that many people come into contact with the ocean (Beachapedia 1). Furthermore, Raphelson states that "Every minute [there] is the equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic going into the ocean..." (Raphelson 3). This means that humans are swimming in water that carries several waste particles that are very unsanitary and most likely unhealthy for the body. Thus, this leads to human exposure to unknown or harmful chemicals that can lead many people to become very ill, with at least “1 billion people” becoming ill from unsafe water (NRDC 8). For example, “disease-causing microorganisms, called pathogens, are associated with a range of enteric diseasesand non-enteric” (Beachapedia 1). “These diseases are believed to reside in the human intestines, causing AGI or in other words “acute gastrointestinal illness”, causing symptoms such as “nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach upset and fever” (Beachapedia 1). This creates serious pain for the human body. , preventing many people from enjoying or doing everyday things (Beachapedia 1). UNDESA even states that “each year, more people die from unsafe water than from all forms of violence, including war.” In 2015 alone, water pollution caused “1.8 million deaths” according to The Lancet study (NRDC 8). Thus, demonstrating how critical water pollution has become, human lives are now starting to be seriously affected. However, ocean water is not only polluted by water or land, but also by atmospheric sources. An example would be “coal-fired power plants [or] chlorine plants [that] release mercury into the air [which would] eventually settle into the ocean” (Thanks Ocean 6). This mercury released into the environment is a dangerous toxin that then enters the systems of marine organisms and "bioaccumulates, or increases, "as larger fish eat smaller fish contaminated with mercury" (NRDC 7). Therefore, this would lead to the consumption of contaminated fish which would greatly affect humans because mercury “can cause serious damage to the brain and nervous system” (NRDC 7). Additionally, edible fish such as "tuna and swordfish often have the highest mercury [concentrations]", indicating that most humans are currently contaminated by this food source with little knowledge of the negative effects. that it can have on their body (NPR 2). For this reason, doctors recommend limiting the consumption of certain types of fish and shellfish in order to limit the amount of mercury ingested into the body. Overall, there is a need to take immediate measures to prevent further harm to human health, not only for the current generation but also for generations to come. Their future depends greatly on the actions we implement now, which should aim to create a more hygienic ocean in which they can live, eat and enjoy. In fact, many people around the world have started to realize the importance of protecting our oceans from water pollution. California alone has begun to protect one of its important state assets, with its coastlines where “beach visitors spend more than $10 billion each year” (Thanks Ocean 8). California has begun monitoring and regulating the ocean through a series of volunteer programs that help clean up coastal beaches. It is estimated that approximately “$100 million has been invested in California alone” to fund local projects aimed at reducing the amount of waste on the coasts (Thank You Ocean 8). Additionally, California passed a bill that eliminates the use of straws. helping to prevent straws from entering the ocean, especially since plastic is one of the main elements commonly found in the ocean. Although such measures are taken, many believe that it is unnecessary to ban or prohibit many items or actions involving the population. This situation could be compared to the controversy surrounding the ban on straws in California. It was stated that if people violated this "banned" section, there could be federal consequences such as jail time for a waitress or bartender serving a straw to.