Protect the ocean, protect our future

As the Earth’s most expansive ecosystem, the ocean harbors countless life forms and invaluable resources. In today’s world, it is undeniable that the Earth’s oceans have become highly congested. This congestion is not due to the limited space of the ocean but rather because human activities have imposed enormous pressure and pollution on the marine environment.

Human activities are exacting a terrible toll on the world’s oceans. Overdevelopment, illegal and unregulated fishing, destructive fishing methods, invasive species, and marine pollution, particularly plastic waste, have inflicted severe damage on marine ecosystems, threatening the survival of marine life and the overall ecological balance. Plastic waste decomposes into tiny particles in the ocean, being ingested by various marine organisms and entering the food chain, ultimately posing a risk to human health. On August 24, 2023, Japan officially began discharging nuclear-contaminated water into the Pacific, making marine pollution a hot topic once again, dominating media coverage and bringing the ocean back into the public spotlight.

In the quest to comprehend the intricate dynamics of our oceans, I reached out to an ecologically conscious peer, who, in addition to participating actively in two consecutive years of ocean cleanup endeavors, holds a profound understanding of marine environmental systems. She emphasized that the marine biodiversity in China is diverse, with nearshore areas boasting a variety of ecosystems, including mangroves, coral reefs, coastal wetlands, seagrass beds, islands, bays, and estuaries.

Delving deeper into the realms of marine pollution, she expounded on the significant factors contributing to China’s marine pollution crisis. Industrial wastewater discharge, domestic sewage, overfishing, and the prevalence of single-use plastic, especially in the form of disposable thin-film plastic bags, collectively wreak havoc on the delicate balance of marine ecosystems. Shockingly, an estimated 10 million tons of plastic waste inundate the oceans annually, and the year 2020 witnessed the oceanic entry of over 1.5 billion masks, taking more than four centuries to decompose. Furthermore, each year witnesses the infiltration of more than 6 million tons of oil into the ocean through various channels, exacerbating the challenges faced by marine life.

She stressed, “Helping to pick up ocean litter is my way of providing immediate, tangible assistance to the sea and the environment. I find immense joy in contributing my efforts to protect the marine environment.” The urgency of addressing these issues becomes even more apparent when considering the staggering statistics and the real, immediate impact on marine life.

It is clear that our oceans are at a crossroads, and every individual, regardless of their geographical location, possesses the power to contribute positively to the future of our oceans. By adopting a conscientious lifestyle that reduces reliance on disposable plastics, employs water resources judiciously, manages waste responsibly, and refrains from releasing harmful substances into the ocean, we can collectively embark on a journey toward minimizing pollutants entering the ocean and safeguarding the living environment of marine organisms.

As the poet Teresia Teaiwa eloquently expressed, “We sweat and cry salt water, so that we know the ocean is really in our body.” This poetic notion underscores the profound connection between humanity and the ocean, urging us to embrace a shared destiny. To truly preserve and protect our oceans, we must transcend national boundaries and cultivate a unified human-ocean relationship, recognizing that the fate of one is intricately intertwined with the fate of the other. In forging this interconnected alliance, we can aspire to not only safeguard the oceans’ beauty and richness but also ensure the enduring continuity of marine life.