Artificial Oceans
- paweuk
- Feb 7, 2017
- 3 min read
Most people travel no further than the coast, yet the open ocean provides the planet with goods and services that are essential for all life.
Oceans cover an astounding 71% of the planets surface, and contain 97% of all water on Earth. It's strange to consider that more people have landed on the moon than have explored the deepest depths of the ocean; the Mariana Trench, which is 7 miles deep.
We know so little about the marine world in comparison to other habitats on our planet, yet it is supports arguably some of the most important ecosystems of all.
GOODS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE OCEAN:
The ocean provides us with the very oxygen that we and other species depend upon; 70% of the Earths oxygen is produced by marine plants.
Acts as a carbon sink by absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide; the main gas associated with global warming and climate change. The ocean has absorbed around half of all man-made carbon dioxide - a factor implicated with the loss of ecosystems; e.g. coral bleaching.
Play a key role in the water cycle: Vast amounts of water evaporates from the ocean and rises as water vapour, which then collides with cool air, and condenses to form clouds and subsequently rain. It is the very driver of the natural world; all living things require water to survive and without this vital cycle, life as we know it would cease to exist!
Influence temperature and weather conditions. The oceans distribute heat through currents; for example the gulf stream carries hot water away from the Gulf of Mexico to Western Europe, thus warming the air. Without the gulf stream Europe would become extremely cold!
Acts as a major food source. More than 2.6 billion people depend on the oceans as their main source of protein, and this number is expected to increase dramatically over the next 20 years.
Why is it then, that oceans are becoming more and more artificial?
An estimated eight million tonnes of plastic is dumped into the ocean every year! This is expected to rise over the coming years unless we come up with new ways of managing how garbage is collected and sorted. Plastics for example, have devastating effects on marine wildlife; every day we hear more news stories of beached whales, birds and other marine animals found with stomachs full of plastic bags. If it wasn't clear before, it most certainly should be now - we as a species are collectively putting marine species at risk. More needs to be done to manage garbage disposal, and to implement the use of compostable plastics that naturally decompose.
Organisations such as 'Surfers Against Sewage' (based in Cornwall), are running campaigns aimed at involving local communities in beach cleanups, and reducing the usage of plastic bottles. 'Plastic Soup Foundation' have also run several campaigns focusing on highlighting the daily usage of plastic from products on supermarket shelves, to microbeads; tiny particles of plastic which are often found in everyday beauty products. Furthermore in the UK, the 'Marine Conservation Society' plays a huge role in informing the public of the issues facing the ocean, and inspiring change. London Zoo (ZSL) also started a campaign called 'Project Ocean' which focuses on how individuals and businesses can manage the usage and disposal of plastics in a more sustainable manner. For example ZSL works with the carpet manufacturer 'Interface' to make use of discarded plastic fishing nets, which are collected from the ocean by local communities and recycled into carpet tiles!
It is clear that more partnerships between conservation organisations, businesses and local communities will help improve the global issue of plastic pollution in the oceans, but there is still a very long way to go!
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