Description for the Research Proposal:
From the initial draft to the final product my writing for the Research Proposal changed by having more than enough information to make my paper. In the draft I briefly touched upon everything, the outline actually helped me to do this because it asked me general questions about each category. For instance the section that pertained to the problem the questions I had to answer were, what is the problem I am researching? What is my primary research question? What is my secondary research question? For the background section I had to choose three sources that helped explain the background and context of my problem. For the literature review I had to find three scholarly sources that introduced existing research on my topic. This section in particular was very difficult for me to do because most of the scholarly sources I found generally had to do with the topic but focused on something else that had to do with marine life. I spent hours looking for the proper sources. When I finally found them they were filled with a lot of information, one of the sources was over 30 pages but I forced myself to read all. Overall I pushed myself to finish this assignment because I wanted to hand in work that was to the best of my ability. Nonetheless, the Research Proposal was the most difficult assignment given in English 21002 but I’m glad I got through it. The easiest part of the assignment was everything but the literature review which were the problem, background information, general aims/long term objectives, methods, and the conclusion. For example in the methods section I was successfully able to show how my research will be conducted. I discussed how important each specific method is and how it will help me get at the problem that guides the research.

The Consequences of Ocean Pollution On Our Society

Kayla Griffith

Professor Jourdain

English 21002

21 April 2020

The Problem

This research project aims to explore the consequences of ocean pollution on our society. We humans are to be blamed for the pollution in the ocean and the deaths of many marine animals. Plastic is a type of material that many people use on a daily basis to tend to their needs. However when the plastic is not of use to the human anymore they dispose of it in the garbage. These are also called single-use products. A good amount of single-use products can be easily found in the depths of the ocean. Now an assumption can be made that these (plastic) single-use products can be killing millions of marine animals and their habitat. In order to investigate the ways in which ocean pollution negatively affects our world, this research will be conducted by having a team (maybe an environmentalist team) (or disposal team) (basically supporting an organization to help protect the ocean) cleaning up our main waterways in every country and the beaches and gather data on the amount of single-use products to determine the rate of pollution in our ocean. When picking up the garbage I want to know how are those things impacting the ocean before it impacts our society. The main objectives of this research project are to provide insight on the consequences of polluting the ocean and for my research paper to be an eye opener for the readers, so they can be aware of the negative things happening in the environment. Additionally, identifying the main source of the pollution and to further propose helpful ways of how we can clean the ocean.

Background

Marine animals, such as dolphins, fishes, whales and even more are affected by ocean pollution. Since garbage is dumped in the ocean every year, including sewage, industrial waste, and oil spills it has been killing over a million seabirds and sea mammals. As the humans responsibility to take care of the earth, it is disgraceful to know that the amount of garbage being thrown into the ocean is exactly 1.4 billion pounds every year. Therefore, this will drastically affect marine life by not only trapping them, but suffocating them leaving them to die. “Plastic is damaging to wildlife in numerous ways. It is well-documented that animals can become trapped in plastic, but the debris can also be a choking hazard, with animals mistaking plastic for food. Unfortunately, many animals starve as a result of swallowing plastic.” (“How Ocean Pollution Affects Marine Wildlife.”) Humans are the reason as to why so many marine animals are dying. In addition, humans create plastic islands where it contributes to the pollution of the ocean. Since plastic cannot deteriorate because of the petroleum it doesn’t decompose like any other natural material, if plastic does decompose it will take up to 1000 years. As a result it has continued to float in the ocean for many years sooner or later gathering up with other plastic forming a waste island. But sadly, the plastic breaks up into smaller pieces causing the waste islands to grow bigger. Marine waste comes from many different sources. Common materials, that are all human created objects providing marine waste are; plastic, glass, metal, paper, cloth, rubber, and wood. According to data that was collected from the article, “Marine Litter Solutions, the top ten marine litter items.” These debris items are cigarettes/cigarette filters, bags (paper & plastic), caps/lids, food wrappers/containers, cups/plates/forks/knives/spoons, beverage bottles (plastic), beverage bottles (glass), beverage cans, straws/stirrers, and rope. As a result of cigarettes and cigarette filters being the first on the debris items, it has the highest amount of items polluting the ocean being 24.6%. Rope is the final debris item being 2.1%. Even though rope has the lowest percentage it still plays a big role in the marine debris polluting the ocean. However adding all the numbers of items from each debris item you have a total of 80.7%. Reflecting off of all of the data provided it justifies the reason why the ocean is polluted and how it is being polluted. Most humans are oblivious to their actions and how it is affecting not only the ocean but the marine animals that live in there. The marine ecosystem is affected by this because when plastic is thrown in the ocean and a marine animal eats it they will actually be starving to death mistakenly thinking they are full.

Ocean pollution connects to humanity by plastics in the ocean affecting human health. Plastic releases chemicals in the water that mixes with the atmosphere. The chemicals that are in the water are also eaten by marine wildlife like fish. This can affect a human since we consume seafood. “There are different types of ways that plastic is dangerous for humans. Direct toxicity from plastics comes from lead, cadmium, and mercury. These toxins have also been found in many fish in the ocean, which is very dangerous for humans…Other toxins in plastics are directly linked to cancers, birth defects, immune system problems, and childhood developmental issues.” (“Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health”) Diseases are passed on to humans but originates from the seafood we eat.

Literature Review

Ocean dumping is a main theme that has been pointed out throughout this article that led to many other things. Alongside this, ocean pollution has been happening for many years around the world, however the majority of waste originates from the United States deliberately being disposed at sea. Dated back to 1975 around 3,446,000 tons of industrial wastes and 5,039,000 tons of sewage sludge were carried to American waters and dumped. Population growth is a major factor that is contributing to the increase of sewage that is being released into the ocean. Areas such as rivers are places that sewage from New York is discharged to. Sewage sludge contains materials like, heavy metals and organic compounds found in the ocean. High levels of metals and organahalogens is a menace to marine life and humans. Bottom feeding organisms like clams, scallops, and mussels are exposed to heavy metal pollution since they feed on materials carrying these metals. This food may sound familiar to seafood lovers. Humans eat these organisms not knowing they are at risk of health problems because our human body is not capable of consuming metals. Japan had a case of heavy metal poisoning. “One hundred and eleven persons were reported poisoned, 41 died, and other suffered serious neurological damage as a result of eating fish and shellfish which had been contaminated with mercury discharged into Minamata Bay by a plastics manufacturing plant…” (Rogers, 1976, p.14-15) This information was very important and meaningful towards my research because it accentuated sewage dumping and how it can affect the innocent lives of humans who intake organisms that have eaten this dangerous waste. My research can build off of this by explaining to the readers how this information can be important and should be implemented in life so they can be mindful of the seafood they eat. My project relates to todays world, what happens in our economy/oceans.

An international agreement on marine plastic pollution will make a difference in the economy because right now it’s a global threat to everyone and everything. Plastic migrates through the ocean affecting every organism and their habitat. “…Altering gene expression, cells and tissues, causing death, and altering population size and community structure. Microplastics can impair reproduction and development and alter how species function, disperse, and assemble.” (Borrelle, 2017, p.9995) Since there is a continued growth of ocean pollution, international strategies have goals to prevent ocean pollution however it is not on a level that can really help a global problem. MARPOL, the United Nations Environmental Program’s (UNEP), and the Honolulu Strategy are all international documents centered around plastic pollution but they are not prepared to meet such a global challenge like this. In addition, large imports of single-use plastic products are transported to many regions and yet there is a lack of facilities that are able to manage the waste collected from these products. A successful prevention of ocean pollution will take a lot of time to plan out because there are some many situations and one thing effects another, taking that into consideration will be very helpful. Nonetheless, the main goal everyone should be aiming towards is the reduction of plastic pollution in the ocean. An international collaboration is essential for countries to solve this continuous problem. My project will be able to build off of this particular research because it addresses and acknowledges that ocean pollution will never stop and will be very detrimental if countries don’t come together and take action. This scholarly information is important for readers to know that in order to help reduce or better more prevent ocean pollution it starts with them.

Efficient monitoring of marine animals is a perfect way of tracking marine pollution. Attempting to track toxic chemical pollutants by itself can be very difficult to comprehend. Therefore, studies of sea bird monitoring has supplied researchers with information about the increasing of marine contaminations around the world. “Many chemical pollutants are hydrophobic and are absorbed by plastics floating in the ocean. Seabird stomachs regularly contain hundreds of plastics; species with high plastic ingestion also have elevated contamination. If not killed directly by the garbage, seabirds with high levels of plastic may experience toxicological effects from the pollution.” (Elliott, 2013, p.557) Since seabirds feed as they move across the oceans, sampling a group of seabirds contributes to statistical data that help making the environment better. In addition, using technology to track sea birds provided ideas of where the source of the pollutants were. Sooner or later tracking pollutants will be necessary to figure out how it impacts marine wildlife.

General Aims/Long Term Objectives

This research project aims to explore the ways in which pollution in the ocean affects not only the marine animals but the humans too. I am hoping to prove by engaging this research, to show the consequences of polluting the ocean and for my paper to be an eye opener for the readers, so they can be aware of the negative things happening in the environment. In addition, taking action is a way of being mindful of the amount of single-use products that are being used on a daily basis. This will to help reduce the waste that ends up in the ocean. Since humans impact the world the most every goal that’s accomplished starts with an individual making an effort first.

Methods

This project seeks to analyze ocean pollution and how it negatively affects our society. In order to determine this, the research component will primarily consist of a focused group of environmentalists who has a goal of reducing pollution on land to protect the ocean and its marine animals. To further conduct this research, the focused group (the environmentalist team) will travel to locations like beaches and our main waterways not only cleaning it up but also gathering data on the amount of single-use plastic products they see floating around. This will help determine the rate of pollution in our ocean. Questions to keep in mind when conducting this research is:

• What is the most popular single-use product seen on the beach’s and in waterways?

• How are these materials impacting marine life?

• How and why is human health connected to this?

• Where can most of the single-use products originate from?

• Do people properly dispose of their garbage? If they do how is it still ending up in the ocean?

• How can humans help prevent ocean pollution from continuing?

Conclusion

In conclusion, ocean pollution pertains to humanity in multiple different cases. The ocean takes up more than 70% of our earth which surpasses enough of a large percentage to give our attention to. Ocean pollution is often ignored when it should be taken seriously. Without proper focus it can get out of hand quickly. The threat can even go so far as to be referred to the term “silent killer.” The effects are very vague that it gets overlooked often until it’s too late. This may affect many marine species becoming extinct. The more it progresses over time is the more difficult it will become to reverse the problem. Humans should do better at taking care of the planet we live on for the sake of our future generations.

References

Stephanie B. Borrelle, Chelsea M. Rochman, Max Liboiron, Alexander L. Bond, Amy Lusher, Hillary Bradshaw and Jennifer F. Provencher. (2017). Why we need an international agreement on marine plastic pollution. 114 (38) 9994-9997. Doi: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26487926

John E. Elliott and Kyle H. Elliott. (2013). Tracking Marine Pollution. 340(6132) 556-558. Doi: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41984994

Lovell, R., & Lovell, R. (2019, October 3). How ocean pollution affects marine wildlife. Retrieved from https://news.scubatravel.co.uk/how-ocean-pollution-affects-marine-wildlife.html

Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health. (2020, January 13). Retrieved from https://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/plastics.html

Rogers, J. (1976). Ocean Dumping. 7(1) 1-23. Doi: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43265424

What is Marine Litter. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.marinelittersolutions.com/about-marine-litter/what-is-marine-litter/