A study in Science journal has found that almost every coral reef will be dying by 2100 if carbon dioxide emissions are not reduced. There'll be more storms. When water is warmer, it evaporates at a faster rate which means the ocean will be able to cause even more powerful storms.
Fossil-Fuel Emissions:The combustion of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum and other factory combustibles is a major cause of air pollution. These are generally used in power plants, manufacturing facilities (factories) and waste incinerators, as well as furnaces and other types of fuel-burning heating devices.
Overfishing is threatening food security for hundreds of millions of people and destroying ocean ecosystems worldwide. We've already removed at least two-thirds of the large fish in the ocean, and one in three fish populations have collapsed since 1950. Put simply, there are too many boats chasing too few fish.
How can you help our ocean?
- Conserve Water. Use less water so excess runoff and wastewater will not flow into the ocean.
- Reduce Pollutants. Choose nontoxic chemicals and dispose of herbicides, pesticides, and cleaning products properly.
- Reduce Waste.
- Shop Wisely.
- Reduce Vehicle Pollution.
- Use Less Energy.
- Fish Responsibly.
- Practice Safe Boating.
Of the most devastating elements of this pollution is that plastics takes thousands of years to decay. As a result, fish and wildlife are becoming intoxicated. Consequently the toxins from the plastics have entered the food chain, threatening human health.
The increased concentration of chemicals, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, in the coastal ocean promotes the growth of algal blooms, which can be toxic to wildlife and harmful to humans. The negative effects on health and the environment caused by algal blooms hurt local fishing and tourism industries.
There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic waste estimated to be in our oceans. 269,000 tons float, 4 billion microfibers per km² dwell below the surface. 70% of our debris sinks into the ocean's ecosystem, 15% floats, and 15% lands on our beaches. In terms of plastic, 8.3 million tons are discarded in the sea yearly.
The United Nations Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution (GESAMP), estimated that land-based sources account for up to 80 percent of the world's marine pollution, 60 to 95 percent of the waste being plastics debris.
Bahamians are relatively free of malnutrition and debilitating diseases, and medical problems among children are largely those involving common infections. Increasing alcohol and drug abuse, obesity, and HIV/AIDS have become concerns, and care for the aged is a mounting problem.
The main sources of the water contamination are from septic tanks, soakaways and pit latrines. These issues are all major risks to water quality in the Bahamas and the overall health of its citizens.
The climate of The Bahamas is sub-tropical with fairly high mean temperatures and moderate rainfall. Mean annual rainfall varies from about 58 in (1470 mm) to about 34 in (865 mm). Mean daily temperatures fluctuate between 63°F and 90F (17°C and 32°C) with May to October considered the summer months.
Soil pollution is often caused by the uncontrolled disposal of sewage and other liquid wastes resulting from domestic uses of water, industrial wastes containing a variety of pollutants, agricultural effluents from animal husbandry and drainage of irrigation water and urban runoff [9-10].
They found that China and Indonesia are the top sources of plastic bottles, bags and other rubbish clogging up global sea lanes. Together, both nations account for more than a third of plastic detritus in global waters, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
This shouldn't be a surprise: Overall, worldwide, most of the plastic trash in the ocean comes from Asia. In fact, the top six countries for ocean garbage are China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Thailand, according to a 2015 study in the journal Science.
The majority of pollutants that make their way into the ocean come from human activities along the coastlines and far inland. One of the biggest sources of pollution is nonpoint source pollution, which occurs as a result of runoff.
From big pieces of garbage to invisible chemicals, a wide range of pollutants ends up in our planet's lakes, rivers, streams, groundwater, and eventually the oceans.
