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Ocean Pollution: A Wave You Don't Want To Catch
from:There are people who enjoy the ocean on a regular basis and the ocean is home to many species of plant and animal life, but did you realize how badly our oceans are treated? We are disbelieved in thinking that once something is thrown or spilled into the ocean then the waves will just take it away; however that something has to go somewhere and unfortunately, it takes it toll and many times that toll comes right back to us.
Ocean Pollutants
There are many contributing factors to this form of water pollution and most of them lead back to man. We are truly our own worst enemy. A few examples of possible causes include:
• Dumping – Illegal dumping of raw sewage, landfill wastes; chemicals and other toxins are a major cause. Some get dumped into their local rivers but most rivers lead into the ocean and damage is done all the way on its journey.
• Leakage – Chemicals that have leaked into the groundwater may adhere to particles, those particles will travel down river, get dumped into the ocean, the particles are ingested by fish and the fish get ill and may die. The contaminated fish are also eaten by man and man gets ill.
• Agriculture – Farming and slaughterhouses create vast amounts of manure and other wastes. A lot of this waste is dumped into the waterways or oceans because it needs to go somewhere. This waste is highly concentrated with toxins that can potentially lead to dead zones in the sea. A dead zone is the total depletion of all plant and animal life.
• Spills – Oil tankers, fuel tankers, and other barges that flood our oceans are responsible for many deaths. An oil spill wreaks major havoc in the ocean. The water is contaminated, the fish, the plants, mammals in the vicinity get coated and then suffocate from exposure. The area is forever changed and much of the damage is irreversible.
Sea Solutions
It is hard to imagine that such a prodigious area can be affected by pollution, but it is true and ocean pollution is very real. The ocean has been undergoing changes since man started creating waste and using the sea as its virtual dumping ground. There have many species of fish and plant life that are now extinct due to this behavior. One has to wonder how it can all stop and what can the common man do to help. A few suggestions include
• Reduction – Reduce the amount of waste you use so that the landfills are not overburdened and that overflow does not result in ocean pollution.
• Frugal – Be frugal with the amount of fuel you use in your automobile and home. If the demand is lower then the transportation risks are lowered, thus the risk of ocean pollution is lowered.
• Government – Become knowledgeable with your community's dumping policies and vote on nation-wide rules that demand stricter policies that are in favor of our environment and focused on reducing all pollution, including ocean pollution.
The ocean is a beautiful place to enjoy. It is home to a population of living organisms that are vital to our lives. Ocean pollution is a serious problem and should not be cast out with the next wave.
Pollution Problems Specific links
Pollution Problems News
BP agrees to spend $400 million to reduce pollution at Whiting refinery - Chicago Tribune
 New York Times | BP agrees to spend $400 million to reduce pollution at Whiting refinery Chicago Tribune Steps that BP agreed to take and equipment it promised to install at the nation's 6th-largest refinery should help relieve problems with lung-damaging soot and other air pollution throughout the Chicago area. The deal resolves a nearly decade-long ... BP agrees to pay BP Agrees to Precedent-setting Settlement Over Whiting Refinery Pollution Permits BP to invest $400m to end pollution case |
PA DEP Issues Air Quality Action Day Forecasts for Memorial Day Weekend - MarketWatch (press release)
 First Coast News | PA DEP Issues Air Quality Action Day Forecasts for Memorial Day Weekend MarketWatch (press release) On air quality action days, young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities. Air pollution becoming a 'growing pain' for Springfield Smart Choices on Smog Season Safety |
BP's Whiting refinery agrees to cut air pollution - Chicago Tribune
 Chicago Tribune | BP's Whiting refinery agrees to cut air pollution Chicago Tribune In a move that promises cleaner air throughout the Chicago area, BP on Wednesday agreed to spend more than $400 million to settle legal complaints about chronic pollution problems at the oil company's sprawling refinery in northwest Indiana. BP agrees to cut air pollution at refinery, pay $8-million fine BP Agrees to Major Pollution Cuts at Tar Sands Refinery BP, federal government announce $400 million settlement |
Does your favorite beach have a pollution problem? - U-T San Diego
 KTLA | Does your favorite beach have a pollution problem? U-T San Diego •St. Malo Beach (downcoast from St. Malo Road) San Diego County has some of the state's cleanest stretches of sand — but it also suffers from the worst coastal sewage pollution problem in California, according to the latest Beach Report Card issued ... Environmental group tags Cowell Beach a 'bummer', again |
Pollution commissioner deflects criticism of river cleanup - Post-Bulletin
Pollution commissioner deflects criticism of river cleanup Post-Bulletin PAUL — The new head of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency deflected criticism of draft standards for cleaning up the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, saying the agency can't compel farmers to cut the runoff that plays a big part in the problem. |