I know you’re probably reading this in the middle of the city or somewhere in “shagz” as we call our rural areas and thinking, “but I’m nowhere close to the ocean”. If the little geography I studied in school serves me right, you don’t have to be. According to science, almost all surface water on earth finds its way to the ocean, through natural streams that connect to rivers that flow all the way to the ocean. Some of this water carries tonnes of loose litter and waste and ultimately deposits it into the ocean which ends up creating avoidable disastrous impacts to the ocean environment. So yes, stay with us and learn how what that straw you threw away could be doing to the ocean.
According to a DW article, richer countries tend to waste more plastic than poorer ones. It was said that Germans and Americans actually throw away more than 10 times as much plastic a day compared to Kenyans and Indians. This is because 50% of the plastic we produce globally is single use, meaning it’s only made to be used once, and most people dispose of said plastics after they have served their purpose.
Examples of single-use plastics and other single-use items that could end up as garbage include ★ Plastic bags
★ Toothbrushes
★ Take home Containers, forks
★ Soda cans and bottles
★ Liquor and wine bottles
What impacts are our bad garbage disposal habits having to the sea?
Most of the waste that ends up in the oceans ends up in the belly of marine animals who mistakenly consume it as food. Sea turtles readily ingest plastic bags and other floating debris that may appear similar to their gelatinous prey, jellyfish, so do most fish and especially the larger ones such as whale sharks. Once animals consume this waste, some of it can pierce internal organs or cause fatal intestinal blockages. The toxins in the plastic also break down inside their bodies so when humans eat seafood, we’re consuming these, too. Some of these plastic toxins are said to cause hormonal abnormalities, and developmental problems. Researchers estimate that by 2050, ocean plastic will outweigh all of the ocean’s fish, which sidenote, do you find this prediction crazy? Personally I do, but not because I doubt we can put that much trash in the ocean, but because scientists say we’ve only discovered 5% of the ocean, so how do they know
how much fish there is to estimate that? Or that we’ve only discovered just 5%? Right?
Garbage also directly interferes with navigation when it comes to transportation on the salty waters, which not only threatens commercial and recreational fishing but also people’s health and safety. Divers and maritime transportation can get trapped in fishing nets that are carelessly disposed of .
Aquatic waste also reduces the aesthetic and recreational values of rivers, beaches and marine resources. unsightly garbage and entangled marine life can reduce an area’s attractiveness to local residents and tourists affecting economies that rely on tourism.
So what can we do to avoid all these?
We can start by making small changes that are eco-friendly and will have a lasting effect. A good start would be by practicing the Zero Waste Hierarchy. The Zero Waste Hierarchy is a framework that contains policies and strategies that support the zero waste system. This includes;-
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover and Residue Management
Reduce. The biggest impact we can make on avoiding ocean pollution is reducing our use of single-use plastic. We can do this through trying to avoid items such as single-use coffee cups, disposable utensils, straws and napkins. Or if you completely can’t avoid them, use them sparingly. I know they’re free but do you really need five napkins for one samosa?
You can keep a set of silverware at work along with a plate, bowl and cup that you can wash and reuse. I know people at corporate offices who do this and (un)knowingly save the planet. We could also promote more eco-friendly products such as wooden spoons, forks, toothbrushes etc.
Reuse. By reusing a lot of the products that we use, we could cut down on the amount of trash that ends up in the environment and eventually the ocean. Items that could be reused consists of;-
Reusable grocery bags – We tend to forget them at home most times, where we have a whole stash of them in another bigger bag that sits under the sink, only to get to the supermarket or the shop and get one more, to add to the huge stash under the sink, only to forget to carry one the next time you leave the house, and the cycle continues, am I talking to all
Kenyans? Pack one in your handbag for emergencies, or men in your deep trouser pockets that us women were denied. Save the ocean.
Reusable water bottles – Water bottles are increasingly being produced due to more availability of water in the country compared to earlier times and our tendency to prefer bottled water compared to tap water which many people consider unhygienic. Unfortunately plastic bottles are carelessly disposed of by plenty of people and make up quite a huge percentage of trash. Plastic bottles also require a lot of energy to be produced, shipped to the bottling facility and then to shops or supermarkets for purchase so that also contributes to global warming. We could save the planet, and the ocean by just having one or two water bottles that we could refill when needed.
Recycle. Currently, only 9% of plastic is recycled globally. Recycling helps keep plastics out of the ocean and reduces the amount of “new” plastic in circulation. Things that could be recycled include bottles, glass,
Residue Management. This occurs when the waste produced cannot be salvaged using the following above methods and needs to be disposed of properly in landfills. This is where we come in as info@mamae.co.ke. We take care of your waste management needs in a professional and environmentally friendly way because we do not only care about the people but our planet as well. Reach out to us for your garbage collections needs by dropping an email or contacting us on 0722254393
