Dear future President,

Pollution in large bodies of water has been a problem for a long time. But it has now reached a bad point. Over 8 million tons of trash have washed up on our shores in 2010.

If we don't fix marine pollution now, all of the marine animals will die. All of the garbage we throw out goes somewhere and most of it goes into the ocean. Plastic bags are very bad for many animals. Sea turtles mistake this garbage as jellyfish and end up eating it. Then the bag will most likely be caught in the digestive system. Another thing that kills animals are those plastic soda rings that hold all of the soda cans together. Animals will get their heads stuck in that and won't know what to do. Even just a plain straw can get stuck in a turtle's nose; straws are a useless waste of plastic. Fishermen's hooks and nets aren't safe either. The nets can trap animals, or if they get stuck in it, the net can cut off their circulation.

Another reason we need to stop marine pollution is for the great barrier reef. There are so many different types of species of animals that live there. Human influences have caused over 50% decline in coral between 1985-2012. With the other pollution happening, climate change is affecting the sea temperatures. If the temperatures get too high, that can cause mass coral bleaching. And if the temperatures change too much, it can affect the growth of the coral. If we stop polluting the ocean, experts say that the coral reef can regrow and get better. But that is only if we stop pollution.

The last reason to stop marine pollution is climate change and how it is affecting our water. The temperatures are increasing which are melting glaciers. The coral is affected because as the water temperature rises, some coral can’t grow in high temperatures. Then the water levels are rising as well, which can pull in more garbage that might have been on that land.

You might not agree with this saying marine pollution isn't that bad, or it's not our faults. However, some of the everyday jobs that people do even impact our oceans. For example when farmers fertilize their crops, the run off can go into the ocean and can pollute the water. If garbage is not disposed of correctly, it can end up in the water and choke and get stuck in animals' stomachs. Accidental nets also get lost in the water. You might think that marine pollution isn't our faul,t but it is.

Some people that you watch on the television agree with me that marine pollution is bad and needs to be stopped. Marranda Cosgrove accroding to Oceana.org “..joined with Oceana in Bimini, the Bahamas, to swim dolphins and film a PSA against the devastaing effects of seismic airgun blasts." Another celebrity that agrees is Morgan Freeman. He attended a sea change part as a special guest and “appeared at a press confrence on- board the Oceana Latitude."  The last person who supports the stopping of marine pollution is Aaron Peirsol, an Olympic swimmer. When Aaron surfs, he sees all of the pollution that is happening in the water. He swam in the Race for the Oceans campaign.

These animals deserve better living conditions than the dump that is supposed to the ocean; all of the plastic that we use is so useless. Plastic straws, bags, and water bottles are just some of the many. That is why we need to end or at least lessen the pollution in our oceans.

Sincerely,

Hannah

Work Cited

Great Barrier Reef Foundation. “The Threats”, https://www.barrierreef.org/the-reef/the-threats. Access Date: October 24th, 2016.

Great Barrier Reef Foundation. “The Facts”, https://www.barrierreef.org/the-reef/the-facts. Access Date: October 25th, 2016.

Great Barrier Reef Foundation. “The Solutions”, https://www.barrierreef.org/the-reef/the-solutions. Access Date: October 25th, 2016.

Henn, Corrine. “These 5 Marine Animals Are Dying Because of Our Plastic Trash...Here’s How We Can Help”, http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/marine-animals-are-dying-becaue-of-our-plastic-trash/. Access date: October 26th, 2016.

WWF. “Marine Problems: Pollution.” World Wide Foundation For Nature, http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/problems/pollution/. Access Date: October 27th, 2016.

Oceana. “Celebrity Supporters”. http://oceana.org/about-oceana/people-partners/celebrity-supporters. Access Date: November 1st, 2016

Sifferlin, Alexandra. “Here’s How Much Plastic Ends Up in the World’s Oceans”. Time, http://time.com/3707112/plastic-in-the-ocean/. Access Date: November 3th 2016