Beach pollution is any harmful substance that contaminates our coasts, ranging from

plastic, trash, and litter to sewage, pesticides, and oil (Hu, 2020). Pollutants include excessive

levels of natural chemicals such as nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers and animal manure.

Litter, sewage, plastic, and other pollutants harm the beach in more ways than one. Coastal areas

are being shut down, marine life is being destroyed, and people are becoming dangerously ill.

According to www.ecoredux.com, marine pollution is becoming a bigger issue. Coastal

pollution may limit our capacity to use beaches for commercial and recreational purposes.

As per Texas Disposal System’s website, ocean pollution has many consequences that

directly and indirectly affect marine life, as well as humans. Ocean pollution kills a lot of sea

species. For example, oil spills will entrap and drown marine species by infiltrating their gills.

Seabirds may be unable to fly or feed their young if oil seeps into their feathers. Animals that

aren't killed by crude oil may develop cancer, change their behavior, and become sterile. Small

plastic trash is also mistaken for food by marine animals, and plastic bags and discarded fishing

nets entangle or choke them. Dolphins, fish, sharks, turtles, seagulls, and crabs are among the

animals most at risk from plastic garbage in the ocean. Excess debris in the ocean consumes

oxygen as it degrades over time, resulting in less 02 in the ocean. Ocean species such as

penguins, dolphins, whales, and sharks die as a result of low oxygen levels. Chemical fertilizer

waste eventually ends up in the oceans. Use half intensity or half as often as indicated with

organic fertilizers, which tend to be poorer in nutrients. Plastic bottles and utensils, especially

straws, are huge polluters of the ocean. Choose reusable bottles and utensils rather than adding to

the harm to marine life. Organize a social distancing cleaning at a nearby beach or park. The

more trash you pick up and dispose of appropriately, the less rubbish ends up in our oceans.

Seawater with too much nitrogen and phosphate depletes oxygen. When an area of the water has

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significant oxygen loss, it might become a dead zone where no marine life can live. Properly

disposing of plastics and other recyclable materials so they do not wind up in the ocean is one of

the simplest methods to reduce ocean pollution. Dispose of rubbish in a safe receptacle or take it

home with you when visiting outdoor areas such as beaches and parks.

As reported by Lizzy Rosenberg in a Greenmaters’ article, they admire a company that

does something nice for the environment – as long as it actually happens. The Ocean Cleanup

claimed to have recovered 8,400 pounds of plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, but

experts have questioned the initiative, stating that images from the alleged event appeared to be

manufactured. However, the Ocean Cleanup dispute is currently causing major discussion in the

field of ocean conservation.

According to reusethisbag.com, the continents in emitting most ocean plastics are as

follows: Asia (81%), Africa (8%), South America (5.5%), North America (4.5%), Europe

(0.6%), and Oceania (0.4%). Sad reality, Philippines ranks the 1 st sharing 36.4% of total plastic

emissions. On the other hand, thirty countries, ranging from Kenya to Indonesia and Canada to

Brazil, are working to #beatpollution by combating the massive amounts of plastic rubbish

polluting our oceans and harming the species that depends on them. The countries make up

nearly 40% of the world's coasts, according to UN Environment's #CleanSeas initiative. They are

enacting legislation, establishing marine reserves, prohibiting the use of plastic bags, and

collecting the trash that is choking their beaches and reefs. Most of the plastic debris entering the

water comes from East and South-East Asia's populous nations. To address the problem at its

source, Indonesia has vowed to reduce plastic waste creation by 70% by 2030, while the

Philippines is considering new rules aimed at single-use plastics. A major target is humanity's

unhealthy addiction to disposable plastic bags. Kenya, France, Jordan, Madagascar, and the

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Maldives have all committed to prohibiting the use of plastic bags or requiring consumers to pay

for reusable alternatives. Legislation requiring businesses and consumers to modify their

wasteful practices is frequently part of larger government policies to promote responsible

production and consumption, which is a critical step in the global shift toward sustainable

development. For example, both Belgium and Brazil are developing national action plans to

combat marine pollution. Costa Rica has launched a five-year waste management strategy, which

includes an effort to minimize the use of plastics.

Lack of ocean protection will not only hasten climate change, but it will also have an

influence on our ability to withstand its effects. Coral reefs, for example, provide vital storm

surge protection to coastal populations. However, climate change, pollution, and overfishing

have already pushed them to extinction. Further degradation to high seas biodiversity might have

far-reaching consequences across national waters and up to the world's main coastal towns.

According to a study published in the journal Science, practically every coral reef will perish by

2100 unless carbon dioxide emissions are controlled. More storms are on the way. When water is

warmer, it evaporates more quickly, allowing the ocean to produce even more intense storms. To

boot, Plastic pollution has become a major issue in the maritime environment. It endangers ocean

health, marine species' health, food safety and quality, human health, coastal tourism, and it

contributes to climate change.

In view of Broom (2021), the ocean is a huge carbon sink that shields us from the worst

effects of climate change. However, rising air temperatures are melting glaciers and bleaching

coral in the seas. Coral reef rehabilitation is already beginning, and research has discovered that

some corals are more resistant to higher temperatures than others. There are also requests to

designate 30 percent of the ocean as Marine Protected Areas by 2030. Our climate is intrinsically

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related to the ocean. As a result of rising air temperatures caused by global warming, the polar

ice caps are melting and glaciers are dissolving, resulting in rising sea levels. Is it true that the

oceans serve as the planet's lungs? Yes, because coral reefs and other ocean ecosystems store

carbon. When such ecosystems perish, this is released into the ocean. This is concerning when

you consider that up to 80% of the air we breathe comes from the ocean, according to Business

Insider. It's evident that if we don't participate in ocean preservation right now, a lot of harm will

befall both marine life and ourselves. Plastic pollution, which is expected to triple by 2024,

resulting in a total of 15 trillion pieces of plastic, will pose a serious threat to marine life. Plastic

pollution has an impact on marine life, with up to 80% of species worldwide consuming, choking

on, or suffocating as a result of it. Sea levels will continue to rise by 2034. According to NASA,

the pace of sea-level rise has increased from 2.5 ml per year in the 1990s to 3.4 ml per year now.

Climate change will already be affecting half of the world's oceans by 2030, with disastrous

repercussions for marine life. If current trends continue, we will have very little seafood to

harvest in the next 30 years. According to CNN, by 2050, a substantial number of marine

animals would migrate from tropical seas to cooler waters in the Southern Ocean and Arctic,

perhaps causing the extinction of some marine species outside of the Arctic and Antarctic,

particularly in tropical waters. According to a study published in the journal Science, practically

every coral reef will perish by 2100 unless carbon dioxide emissions are controlled.

The simplest and most straightforward approach to get started, regardless of where you

reside, is to reduce your own usage of single-use plastics. Plastic bags, water bottles, straws,

cups, cutlery, dry cleaning bags, take-out containers, and other single-use plastics are all

examples of single-use plastics. The best way to do this is to refuse to use any single-use plastics

that you don't need (for example, straws, plastic bags, takeout utensils, and takeout containers),

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and buy and carry reusable versions of those products, such as reusable grocery bags, produce

bags, bottles, utensils, coffee cups, and dry cleaning garment bags. When you decline single-use

plastic things, make it known to businesses that you want them to provide alternatives.Always

recycle single-use (and other) plastics that can be recycled. Only 9% of plastic is being recycled

globally. Recycling keeps plastic out of the water and lowers the amount of "new" plastic on the

market. Check out Earth911's recycling directory if you need help finding a location to recycle

your plastic debris. It's also a good idea to inquire about the sorts of plastic that your local

recycling facility accepts. Participate in, or organize, a beach or waterway cleanup to help

remove plastics from the ocean and prevent them from entering in the first place. One of the

most direct and satisfying methods to combat ocean plastic waste is to volunteer. You can travel

to the beach or a river on your own or with friends or family to collect plastic garbage, or you

can participate in a local cleanup or an international event like the International Coastal Cleanup.

Single-use plastic bags, takeaway containers, and bottles have been banned in several cities

throughout the world. You can encourage your community to adopt such policies. The following

is a collection of resources for legislative bodies contemplating banning plastic bags. In recent

years, tiny plastic particles known as "microbeads" have become an increasingly important cause

of ocean plastic pollution. Microbeads can be found in various face scrubs, toothpastes, and body

washes, and can easily reach our seas and streams via our sewer systems, posing a threat to

hundreds of marine species. Look for "polythelene" and "polypropylene" on the ingredient labels

of your cosmetic items to avoid those that contain plastic microbeads (find a list of products

containing microbeads here).

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Links used:

https://naturecode.org/ocean-preservation/

https://www.reusethisbag.com/articles/countries-that-pollute-most-ocean-plastics

https://naturecode.org/ocean-preservation/

https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/what-happens-if-we-

dont-protect-the-high seas/#:~:text=Lack%20of%20ocean%20protection%20will,climate

%20change%2C%20pollution%20and%20overfishing.

https://www.greenmatters.com/p/the-ocean-cleanup-controversy

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/05/climate-change-ocean-damage-action/

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/beach-pollution-101#:~:text=Beach%20pollution%20is

%20any%20harmful,animal%20waste%2C%20are%20also%20pollutants.

https://www.ecoredux.com/beach-pollution-causes

https://www.texasdisposal.com/blog/ocean-pollution-causes-effects-and-prevention/