A Problem for Everyone

Plastic Ocean Pollution

The oceans of the world are in very dangerous trouble. Many problems within the oceans are gaining more interest and become more of a scare. These things include ocean temperatures rising, seawater acidification, and the oxygen concentration levels dropping. These problems have gained great notice as of late.  The International Program on the State of the Ocean made a presentation recently on other things have that negatively been affecting the oceans such as destructive fishing, over fishing, and pollution. They stated that these problems that people have complete control over have shaped the current state of the oceans just as much as things like temperature rise. These problems such as ocean degradation, similar to deforestation, are causing problems not just for the oceans but also for humans. The oceans provide at least half of the 

This diagram shows how ocean pollution is caused and how it can effect us 

 oxygen we breathe. They absorb more carbon dioxide than forests do. Harm to the oceans clearly has a great impact on the things we do every day as well as the animal life that exists in the oceans. Many countries have started to charge additional taxes for using certain things then putting that tax money back into the environment. One country that was one of the first to do this was Costa Rica. In the early 1990’s, when Costa Rica began this practice, it began charging taxes on fossil fuels and using the revenue to protect forests. The net result was a reversal of deforestation. The economy in Costa Rica has benefited directly through a growth in tourism, and indirectly by preserving ecosystem services such as pollination. Obviously these precautionary steps Costa Rica took as well as many other countries has benefitted not just the environment, but the local economies as well. Manny countries have started taking precautions and enforcing the laws having to do with littering or pollution but every country around the globe needs to take these growing problems more seriously from here on out.

Cite:

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/the-trouble-with-our-ocean-ecosystems-by-andres-velasco