The ocean covers Seventy-one percent of our planets surface. Life is
concentrated, however, in about four percent of it, and it is this four percent that is
being polluted by the tons every day. Everyone needs to understand that the oceans
are not endless, and not bottomless. They also much see that the ocean contains
much marine life which are essential to our eco-system. And in order to preserve
this other world of life, we must stop polluting the oceans, and begin to clean them
up. Although using the ocean for a toxic waste dump may provide for a cheap
alternative, we must not succumb to these barbaric urges. If we neglect to deal with
these ideals, than the world as we know it may not be as great a world for our
children as it was for us.
First, we need to understand that the oceans are not the vast resources that we
believe them to be, but just vulnerable natural resources. Before Columbus' day,
the ocean were thought to be boundless. Although Columbus proved this theory
incorrect, the thought still remains in today's societies. "For we of the 20th century
still treat the ocean as the endless, bottomless pit it was considered to be in
medieval times."(Heyerdahl) The majority of the world's population still lives
under the misconception that the ocean is a hungry abyss, eager to devour all their
waste. These beliefs, however, are all untrue. The average depth of the oceans is
only a little more than a mile, when in fact, some lakes exceed this depth rather
handily. Although the size of the ocean is often pondered, the thought that it may
one day be gone, is never even considered.
The vast majority of all life in the ocean, inhabits only 1/25 of these waters,
but it is these surroundings that are in the most danger. In the beginning of the
world, marine plankton was vital to the evolution of man. Today, it is even more
important to us, being that it provides us with a great percentage of oxygen we
receive. "These minute plant species manufactured so much oxygen that it rose
above the surface to help form the atmosphere we have today."(Heyerdahl) With
the disappearance of the plankton through increased pollution, the obvious result
will be a total deprivation of our oxygen supply, in turn limiting all people to certain
limits. And with urban expansion leading to deforestation, our dependence upon
marine life becomes heightened. The importance of marine plankton cannot be
emphasized enough, yet most people fail to recognize it as the vital life supply it is.
Further, since the turn of the century, humans have continually polluted the
waters of the ocean. The trend has not lessened; but has increased as time has
passed. "Most of our new chemical products are not only toxic: they are in fact
created to sterile and kill. And they keep on displaying these same inherent abilities
wherever they end up."(Heyerdahl) Although pollution reforms are in place, the
clean-up efforts cannot keep up with the constant pollution. These wastes are not
degradable; they remain in the ocean causing more death until they wash up on a
distant shore. "Through sewers and seepage they all head for the ocean, where they
remain to accumulate as undesired nuts and bolts in between the cogwheels of a so
far smoothly running machine."(Heyerdahl) Everyday, over 40,000 tons of garbage
from the major cities of America alone are taken on a one-way excursion. Where to?
The ocean, to sit like the many generations of waste before them. This constant
abuse to our natural resources will not be endured for long; for even the ocean has
limits.
In order to survive longer as a species on this planet, we must stop polluting
the oceans, save the fragile marine eco-system, and understand that even the ocean
has limitations, and that they are being pushed too far. "Can man survive with a
dead ocean?"(Heyerdahl) The answer is clear and obvious: no. We cannot
conceivably survive without the immeasurable subsistence the ocean provides us.
Currently, we are on the path to self-destruction. We need get off this often traveled
beaten path, and blaze a new one for ourselves. These ideas have been around since
the beginning; now its time to adhere to them.
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