Activity 3.3.3.1 Current Events in Plastic Pollution

My blog posting is available online at: https://envr1301-sergiotello.blogspot.com/2023/04/activity-3331-current-events-in-plastic.html

1. Exploratory

Probe basic facts and knowledge found in the readings. (What research evidence supports _________? Type up several facts and basic knowledge from the readings. Relate this to what you find in other resources, prior activities for stronger scores.))

    • Microplastics are everywhere in the world nowadays. Microplastics are created when plastics begin to breakdown to smaller pieces and they are harmful to humans and the environment. Nanoplastics also exist and they are even smaller than microplastics and are also hurting the environment. In the United Kingdoms water during 2017 there were 0 to 1.5 microplastics per cubic meter in the water. In 2023 it is now 0 to 121 microplastics per cubic meter which is 100 times more. This is very bad news for the environment but it will also harm the health of many people. Swimming in the water will expose you to so much more microplastics than it used too which can cause cancer inflammation and other harm.

2. Diagnostic

Probe motives or causes. (Why? (Tell your reader why this occurs. Explain the causes in detail.))

    • Microplastics exist because plastics which we use in everyday life eventually breakdown and become microplastics (eventually nanoplastics). We use plastics in everyday life but they are not biodegradable. They are thrown away or recycled. These don’t breakdown into anything useful and become microplastics. They are very light so they find their ways to the seas. This is a much more common problem now because we use more plastic now.

3. Cause and Effect

Causal relationships between ideas, actions, or events. (If __________ occurs, what happens?)

    • People are using more and more plastic so there is more and more waste. Plastics are not biodegradable so they don’t decompose. Plastics breakdown into microplastics. Microplastics are harmful to human health and the environment. The amount of microplastics in the water is harming sea life and birds. Biodiversity is compromised by microplastics.

4. Priority

Seek to identify the most important issue. (What is the most important issue?)

    • The most important issue is that of microplastics destruction or the environment and human life. Microplastics are harming the ocean environment around the United Kingdom, especially the rare birds they have there. This needs to stop at the only feasible way we can prevent this today is by using less plastics and recycling everything. 

5. Application

Probe for relationships and connect theory to practice. (How does this apply to you? How is this related to culture as we have studied so far?)

    • Despite the studies being made in the United Kingdom, I am sure that the increase in microplastics in the water in global. This is terrible news because it shows that we are polluting the ocean to a level larger than we believed. Soon the grains of sand on all beaches and the ocean floor will be mixed between plastic and ocean life will be disrupted.

6. Critical

Analyze how this challenges your thinking/assumptions. (How did this change your thinking? Did it? Why?)

    • Well, I always understood that the problem with plastic in our ocean is pretty sever but I had never even given microplastics a thought. I go to the ocean about once a year to enjoy some time at the beach but given the concerning news about the microplastic pollution, I’m not sure if my kids or grandchildren will be able to safely do the same. At best I hope that we are able to combat the pollution by keeping the ocean free of large pieces of plastic but I am not sure how we will be able to remove plastic smaller than a grain of sand. I hope a scientific inventor will find a way to separate ocean water and microplastics soon but it needs to be created before we lose some of our ocean biodiversity.

Article Used: Microplastics: Research finds almost 100 times more microplastics in UK coastline than six years ago https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/65100965