Date: October 31, 2015
Subject: Floating Plastics and Dying Turtles
Recipients: Concerned Coastal Citizens
http://radicalmycology.com/2012/07/03/fungi-the-plastics-problem/
http://ecotoad.org/category/ocean/
Dear Plastic Bag Users,
With the number of plastic bags found in the ocean, you could travel to the moon over one thousand times. 10% of plastics produced end up in the ocean; over 13 million tons of plastic are dumped into our waters annually. As a consequence, 1 in every 2 sea turtles has eaten plastic. Some, like leatherback turtles, mistake plastic for jellyfish, their primary food source. Consuming plastics can block the intestines of sea turtles and eventually lead to death. In addition to ingesting plastic, turtles often become deformed after getting caught in plastic can holders and bottles, and can suffocate from being trapped in plastic debris. Only one in one thousand sea turtles survive to adulthood today, in a large part due to plastic debris in our oceans.
Thankfully, you can help! By decreasing your use of plastics and working to reduce the amount of plastic entering our waters, you can save hundreds of thousands of sea turtles. Beginning with the most practical acts and progressing to more complex ones, below are some ways in which you can help:
- Coastal cleanups and proper disposal
Be sure to dispose of your trash appropriately. That small cup that you leave on the beach will break down in the water, making it easily digestible for sea turtles and other sea creatures. That plastic bag that you were using to throw away your cherry stems will look exactly like a jellyfish to a hungry leatherback turtle, who will realize the difference when it is too late. Those plastic can holders will envelope a baby sea turtle, growing with it and deforming it as time progresses. Trash from sewage drains is also emptied into our oceans and contributes to the creation of man-made garbage patches, which you can read more about here. America is one of the top 20 sources of plastic marine debris. Let’s change this.
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/blogs/sea-trash-spiraling-out-of-control-study-finds
- Opt for reusable bags and containers rather than plastic bags.
Instead of double-bagging your milk and orange juice, bring your own reusable bag to the supermarket. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the average American family uses 1,500 plastic bags a year. Think about all of the Ziploc bags you use for packing lunches, and all of the plastic bags you use as storage during transport, and as trash bags. Everything adds up. Do your part in helping keep our oceans clean and our sea turtles safe by opting for reusable bags rather than plastic bags. As an added bonus, reusable bags are also sturdier and more durable, and many contain insulation to keep foods hot or cold. To learn more about why switching out plastic bags for reusable bags is a good idea, check out this Huffington Post article.
http://www.notcot.com/tag/reusable+bag
http://www.amazon.com/EasyLunchboxes-3-Compartment-Bento-Containers-Classic/dp/B004S129AQ
- Support local banning or taxing of plastic bags.
In many states, plastic bags are taxed or banned. The Hawaiian islands of Kaua’i and Maui have banned all non-compostable plastic bags. Vermont is currently looking to ban plastic bags and its petition needs less than 200 signatures to gather the support of 1,000 people. Similarly, New York City also has a petition in place to ban the use of plastic bags in stores throughout the city. I encourage you to learn more about your state’s efforts to reduce the number of plastic bags its residents use. You may come across a petition you did not know was being circulated. If there are no petitions or proposals in place, write your own!
- Donate to causes that are helping keep plastics out of waters for sea turtles
Donating to The Sea Turtle Conversancy and See Turtles, among other programs, is a great way to contribute to the wellbeing of sea turtle populations. Even a $5 donation can go a long way towards ensuring that sea turtles prosper in the future.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/04/140414-ocean-garbage-patch-plastic-pacific-debris/
- Spread the word!
It is so easy to ignore what happens to plastic bags once they are out of your hands. Please let people around you know that each bag lives a long life, often in oceans surrounding hungry sea turtles and other marine mammals. You can make a difference and, together, we can create long-term change.
Progressing from simple actions to more challenging ones, these actions illustrate a number of ways in which you can make a difference in the lives of sea turtles. Without change, the amount of plastic in our oceans may double within the next ten years. Play a role in helping keep our oceans clean. Take a moment to consider those that live out of sight. There is a world underwater that we feel quite distant from, but, with your help, we can bridge the gap between our differences and create a home for everyone on the one planet that we all share.
Sincerely,
Shivani Kuckreja, a fellow concerned coastal citizen
http://www.seaturtlecamp.com/costarica/