Category: Ocean

Indian ocean has gained the world’s attention due to its strategic importance in terms of economic and geo-politic. It is the the third-largest of the world’s ocean. It is sirrounded by three lands on it sides, in the west by the eastern and soithern parts of Afroca and the south-western part of Asia, in the north by southern Asia and in the east by south-eastern Asia and western Australia as shown in figure 1. Indian Ocean is named after Indianas one of the littoral countires. In the present days, the unique geographic structure and the strtageic values of minerals are the criteria that shows the economic and geo-politic importance of the Indian Ocean. There are many important straits, gulfs, bays and seas. Major powers such as India, USA and China has shaped their maritime strategies for the strategic importance. They have interests and play significant roles in the region. This study aims to investigate the importance of Indian Ocean in term of economic, geo-politic and strategic context. The focus of this article is to explain the current situation on the Indian Ocean and the future possibilities of it.

Other than oil, there are also raw materials which are strategic importance. These include uranium, lithium, beryllium, thorium, coal, copper, iron, manganese, tin, mica, bauxite, chromites, nickel, cobalt, antimony, asbestos, vanadium and phosphates.

Marine resources in the Indian Ocean is a lot. About 4.2% of the ocean’s continental shelves contain enormous mineral deposits. Latest surveys revealed that the narrow shelf south of Sumatra, the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea are rich in oil, tin, gold and sea-food. The offshore presence of calcareous deposits suitable for chemical and cement industries have been reported from the Andaman and Lakshadweep zones. Offshore oil production in Bombay High have been increasing.

Indian Ocean is also important as area for navigation and trade. The maritime trade is highly intense in that area. Cargo of oil are loaded or unloaded in the ports of the Indian Ocean. Other than oil, iron-ore, pit coal,kernel,bauxite are also being loaded and unloaded there. The NATO countries are among the largest number of vessels passing thriugh the Indian Ocean. Other vessels pass thriugh the Red Sea and Suez Canal in two directions annually.

For big powers, the region makes excellent prospects for economic exploitation. As a deceloping country, it has large market for the finished products of the industriaized nations. Food potentiality is also a factor which shows the significane of the Indian Ocean. Narsima (1974) stated that there were more than 12 million tones of fish caught during that era.

Creating the strongest sea power is an essential geopolitical strategy. It was implemented by great maritime nations like England. Geopolitics can be determined by showing the relationships between geostrategic positioning, the relative economic and technological capabilities .of states, international public opinion, international law and morality and the regional and global balance of power. Pannikar (1944) mentioned that “the whole ocean area is strategically of thenthenfreatest importance as it is the highway of European nations to India, the Far East, Australia, Australia, Africa and now even Antatctica”(pp. 7-8). For example, China’s economy depends on it. This is because the all of resources imported must transit the Indian Ocean before reaching China. It also has to pass the Strait of Malacca. This is called as ‘Malacca dilemma’ because of the difficulty of transiting trade back to China through the waterway. This shows that China deals with a difficult feography in the region which it depends on for economy survival and growth.

Other than that, the Indian Ocean is home to a developing India which owns an advantageous geography than China. As China moves forward to establish its expeditionary naval forces to take off on a ‘two ocean strategy’ which focuses on the Pacific and Indian ocean, India recently made it clear that it considers from the Cape of Good Hope to the Lombok Straits in the Indian ocean as its primary area of interest. Three aircraft carrier groups were used by the Indian Navy to patrol around the Indian Ocean. A visit from the Chinese Navy caused discomfort for the Indian governement.

Strategic in the modern world is referred as the military applicability. It also refers to strategic situation which is constantly changing and role a region can play in the regional security interests. Important factors to be considered as the strategic importance are mineral resources and its geographical location. Mineral resources which are essential for defence-related industries are highly considered. Without those minerals, most of the defence technologies in western countries will be collapsed. The geographical location also determines the strategic context. It has potential as the security and defence preparation of big powers because the sea routes enable their trade passes and essential supplies come to them. The Indian Ocean is globally important since the western powers utilise it for the transportation of vital minerals. (…..) stated that the north-south route from the Persian Gulf around the cape of Good Hope to western Europe and North America, and the eastern route from the Persian Gulf fo Japan are the routes vital for the industries which have the greatest military significance and for transport of petroleum. The United States have crucial dependence on Gulf oil and they are determined to keep this life-line. (….) also added some islands served as operation bases, refuelling stations, staging posts and stepping stones for launching attack or transporting troops in war.

In conclusion, the Indian Ocean is highly important economically, geo-politically and strategically to the big powers such as USA, China and India. The northern part of Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has several key parts of the seas like straits, gulfs and bays. The Indian Ocean is linked to other main water bodies on the earth which creates interconnected shipping lanes connected by strategic waterways and choke points. In persisting the maritime power, good geo-strategic is one of the important aspects to achieve, as seen through the spread of archipelagos and islands which becomes the striking feature of the IOR. Besides, Indian Ocean is also known by the presence of its rich natural resources. Its abundance of natural wealth has became a unique feature of the IOR and caused an increase in the number of human activities in the region. The activities are including the trade of export and import, and the oil and minerals exploration. Those actions influence the political, economy and military aspects of the states in the international system. Various states compete with each other to strengthen their presence in the IOR. This situation has caused the resources of the Indian Ocean to be very valuable in fulfilling their national security interests. The expanding activities and developments in the IOR create a new prospect and challenges for the nation states in the region and for those wishing to take advantages of these opportunities. It is confirmed that the growing strategic importance of the Indian Ocean is related to the rapid advent of industrialization.

Ocean Trash is a lot of trash in the ocean and it is affecting animals and humans. It is very sad how this can hurt the environment by a man made mistake. Ocean Trash is debris from and land that gets taken away to the ocean and kills millions of animals. Ocean Trash is usually abandoned and know one cares to even pick it up from the deep or even the shores. For example, ocean trash kills many marine animals. On average 100 million marine animals die each year. This will make some fishes go extinct that could lead to protein downage for people who only eat fish as there number one source of meat. Without a doubt, 1.15 to 2.41 million tons of plastic enter the ocean each year from rivers alone. 80% of Ocean Trash is from land based sources, and only 20% is ocean based sources. 87 million tons of plastic bottles, abandoned children toys and electronics are found in the ocean. Considering, 5.25 trillion pieces of debris is in the ocean. 269,000 float on the surface and 14 billion pounds of trash enter the ocean each year. In fact, A small pilot whale unable to swim or hardly breathe because of the 17 pounds of plastic that clogged up the whale’s stomach. The whale was found to have 80 shopping bags in its stomach. On the other hand, in the Pacific Ocean and North Pacific Gyre is home to the ¨Great Pacific Garbage Patch¨ which is two times the size of the state of Texas, and most of it is floating garbage. In conclusion, ocean trash is a major contributing factor in the very rapid decline of the worlds health.

Since this is really causing problems such as people dumping trash in the ocean and people leaving trash on the streets and trash flies to the ocean. Many people dump oil in the ocean and when people drive oil tankers carelessly. Also, it mainly comes from household waste, which is poorly recycled , dumped in landfills or abandoned in nature. This waste carried by the winds, pushed by the rains into sewers, streams, rivers, and the oceans. 24.6% of trash pollution is cigarettes, caps and lids are 9.1%, and plastic and paper bags are found 9.4% in the ocean. The Yangtze alone pours up to an estimated 1.5 million metric tons in the Yellow Sea. On another hand, oil spills happen when people make mistakes or are careless when driving a oil tanker that could leak oil in the ocean or when countries are at war or debate, they may decide to dump gallons of oil into the other countries oceans. In 1983 a production in Libya exploded and dumped 42 million gallons of oil into the ocean. 1.3 million gallons of petroleum are spilled into the U.S. water from vessels and pipelines in a typical year. In 1991 Iraq dumped 300 million gallons of oil into the Persian Gulf between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Unquestionably, household waste and oil spills provide to the problem of ocean trash.

In addition to Ocean Trash killing marine animals, many sea turtles and marine life die each year. Imagine swimming and looking for food but then choke on plastic which you thought was food. To begin with, In 2015 a turtle was found by two researchers with a 4 inch straw in its nose. With 6 million people watching that horrific and cringy clip of the marine animal, since nothing has changed with the effects of the ocean trash. Over 100 million marine animals are killed each year due to plastic debris in the ocean. In addition, sea turtles are in the ocean looking for some jelly fish to eat to survive but most of the time they mistake the jellyfish from a floating plastic bag and plastic debris. In this situation, Oil spills can kill animals by going on there fur or skin and can’t control the cold weathers in the ocean and then will die from hypothermia. Hypothermia means having a low body temperature that is dangerously low. Also, 82,000 birds are killed or brutally injured from oil spills. Same with 6,165 sea turtles and 25,900 marine mammals such as dolphins. On another hand, Oil can kill whales, dolphins, seals, and sea otters and many more. It kills them from hypothermia which comes from the oil touching and resting on the anika’s fur or skin. Overall, many animals die from the ocean trash debris and injured from the effects of the human problem.

Ocean Cleanup

The “Ocean Cleanup” was a challenge to clean our oceans and gyres. Trash is spread across millions of square kilometers and travels in all directions. The organization is planning to do this in all oceans around the world like the Pacific, Atlantic, Artic, Indian, and Southern Oceans, said Ocean Cleanup on their blog. The Ocean Cleanup is currently working on this and they are doing this because plastic and trash is killing many marine animals out in the oceans and it is hurting our worlds health. This organization became a project in 2013, then in 2015 there was the scale modeling testing. The first prototype was launched in 2016. Now, they launched it this year in 2018 officially of the month of October. Henk Van Dale wants to make a 600 meter long floater and 3 meter deep skirt. He wants to do this to take out the trash of the Great Pacific Garbage PAtch. In estimate every 5 years will take out 50% of the GPGP. It takes a whole team of people volunteering and trying to help our oceans health. The “Ocean Cleanup” concept is the waves push the ong tube across the ocean. Then it brings all f the trash because it moves faster than the trash and it takes it with it around and keeps doing that same thing until there is too much trash. Next, people pick the trash up in a big boat , almost like a garbage truck but for ocean trash and the long tube will be left off to repeat it cycle until our ocean is clean. After when the trash is picked up and away from the ocean at the HQ it will be recycled and will turn into everyday things for people. So far the new project is pretty successful. “Computation models show a full scale deployment will lead to a 50% reduction of the Great Pacific Garbage PAtch in 5 years time” said the Ocean Cleanup organization. This project is successful because they just launched the 001 out of 060 and it is already getting plastic. It will be very successful because it is man made but we don’t have to do anything do to the technology. “The Ocean Cleanup is developing a passive system, using the natural oceanic forest to catch and concentrate the plastic said ocean cleanup.” Without a doubt this organization is for sure going to help millions of marine life and will guarantee help the ocean and worlds health. With “The Ocean Cleanup projects to be able to remove 90% of ocean plastic by 2040” said Ocean Cleanup in there blog.

Ocean Conservancy

As we know and as we should know ocean trash is a super big problem with the “Ocean Conservancy” organization is a way to help ocean by people donating and helping by volunteering. The summer of 1971 was when all of this started. Within a year he started the Delfa Corporation which later became Ocean Conservancy. It all happened because a man named Bill was walking on beach and saw a man playing guitar as stopped a strucked about what is happening to the whales and about trash in general. The man playing the guitar sked Bill “Well, what are we going to do about it.” The HQ is in Washington D.C. but they can be volunteer all around the world. The CEO or chief executive officer of Ocean Conservancy said “ What happens to the ocean impacts all of us.” Millions of people had volunteer for this organization to make the ocean better. The organization is for volunteers to get to locations and help you pick up pieces of trash. To produce or run this project you will need people who have signed up and volunteered on the website. After that they can go to them that they are provided with a map and lookup your location and it will tell you where to go and how to get there. There has been around 12 million volunteers towards the project. With the 12m million volunteers they have more than 220 million pounds of trash. “Because healthy ocean means a healthy planet” said Ocean Conservancy. They also said” A healthy ocean means more than beautiful coasts and vibrant ocean will life.” This project has been successful since it started in 1972. It is successful because 12 million people volunteered and many have donated and more than 220,000 pounds of trash and debris was picked up since the 70’s. “My hope is that we find a way to communicate how special and how fragile this environment is to those who have not yet had the opportunity to experience the Arctic-person” said Sarah Bobbe who is the Arctic Program Manager. Also Rachel Guillory of gulf of Restoration at Ocean Conservancy said “Like many Gulf Coast people, it so had a loved one working on an oil rig the day the deep water Horizon exploded.” Overall, Ocean Conservancy led by and founded by John Denver, are committed to reduce ocean trash by using volunteers as there main point of this project.

Argument Towards Successful Solution

The Ocean Cleanup is a successful organization because of how hi-tech the technology is and how of advanced project is and will be. People and organizations who only eat fish for there #1 source of protein won’t have that anymore because how much fish are dying from the ocean trash. If people eat fish for protein and if the fish have trash in there systems, people cant and wont eat fish. The Ocean Cleanup organization helps the world by creating a piece of art to clear the ocean for us with no problem. Us people and marine life that are exposed to ocean trash get heavily effected like marine life dying and humans losing diet because they only eat fish. Ocean Cleanup is well because of what the statistics show. Also, Ocean Cleanup has more consistency of cleaning more trash. The long tube gets trash from the deep ocean instead of getting trash from the shore. The long tube in the ocean can clean 50% of the Great PAcific Garbage Patch in 5 years said majors from Ocean Cleanup. “The Ocean Cleanup estimated to clean 90% of the plastic in the ocean world wide by 2040 and the world would be clean by 2050” said Ocean Cleanup organization. Most notably, The Ocean Cleanup is better than a lot more solutions because it’s on a bigger scale are they have motivated and faster responding then a lot of other things to solve the ocean trash problem. A lot of people have also donated. The Ocean Cleanup is a fascinating project and to add they raised 21 million in funds in 2017, from the Ocean Cleanup finds tab on the website. Even though it’s in the deep ocean, it surrounds the deep with a 600 meter long tube with a depth of 3 meter skirt to catch the rest of the trash, said Ocean Cleanup in there “How It Works” YouTube video. Surely, The Ocean Cleanup is a very big help in and will be in the future. This solution is better because relying on people is bad asn this sort of technology is outstanding vs people volunteering. Young people should be scared as it can cut there life short because of this problem.

While it is true that the Ocean Cleanup can help marine life and us humans by the tube catching ocean trash. Some research asserts that OCean Conservancy is better for the ocean because there is many volunteers for the organization. The important thing to remember is that volunteering and this organization is something needs to be performed because the more people donat, volunteer, or even just et knowledge and know some limits about trash. Ocean Conservancy does a lot like volunteers to help and a lot of money to raise. It also adds options th what location you want to clean at. Again 12 million volunteers have been associated with this organization. Ocean Conservancy also has a option if you feel like just donating is not a lot or too little to help our oceans you can give money monthly and with that money it will help the company with planning ahead and faster responding to emergencies and a lot more better resources for the future. Although Ocean Conservancy has great feature ad great people to help the ocean, the benefits of Ocean Cleanup are more effective than Ocean Conservancy due to the simple fact that it is only volunteering and rely on us people. On another hand, Ocean Conservancy is very well and fast responding because there are millions of people that have and will help in the future. For example, some people enjoy cleaning and most of us would like to help our world not to dramatically but a little piece of trash can go a long way in the future. Ocean Conservancy has raised more money due to the fact it is more open to the community than just a project. Also, Ocean Conservancy is trying and doing a lot to help the community get together and help our worlds problem. Ocean Conservancy has people sign up and will hae simple tasks to tell the volunteer and that person will go a long way with helping the company. Ocean Conservancy does not provide equipment because it is your rules how you clean our world and you balances and challenges. Overall, Ocean Conservancy is a very good temporary solution but it will never be able to cleanup the entire ocean.

The Ocean Cleanup is better as they have modern day technology, they can clean up the ocean more effectively and promises to clean up the ocean by 2050. Obviously by looking at the facts the Ocean Cleanup is better. As a matter of fact, If we don’t get rid of ocean trash around the world, the climate and all organisms will suffer. For example, In March a 32.8 foot sperm whale was found dead off the the coast of Spain. After an autopsy it was discovered that the whale’s stomach had oer 37 lbs of plastic in its stomach. As well as, everyone should feel bad because us humans made this dumb mistakes that are killing millions of marine life every year. We should never ever blame this on other problems because we should feel bad and not just walk away from our problems. We should fix this problem and not think of what we did in the past ut what we will do in the future to fix this stupid mistake we made. If we dont fix this our next generation and much more will have to live with our mistakes. Unquestionably, humans need to decrease their carbon footprint, if not the world and our oceans will be in a bad place for our future generations.

Introduction

Millions of people around the globe continue celebrating their achievements in the fields of technology, business, health care, and education. Certain steps have already been taken to improve the quality of life and create the best living conditions on the ground. However, society usually forgets that about 70% of the planet is covered by oceans that remain one of the most valuable and vulnerable natural resources (Denchak). Oceans manage weather and the air quality and control the lives of marine animals. Individuals depend a lot on oceans but neglect the level of harm and pollution they make. Annually, billions of pounds of pollutants enter the ocean from the land, and people are the leading sources of this trash (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Despite many effective interventions like The National Estuary Program or Trash Free Water by the US Environmental Protection Agency and Blue Water Task Force by the Surfrider Foundation, pollution problems challenge the environment. Ocean pollution is an outcome of poorly managed human activities like trash, chemicals, and mining and a reason for concerns to be solved by enhanced education, attention to public opinions, and direct involvement.

Problems

One of the main causes of the oceans being polluted is trash that includes various manufactured products like plastic bottles, shopping bags, food wrappers, and cigarettes. According to Hollaway et al., about 13 million metric tons of plastic reach the ocean from land every year, which equals one garbage truck of waste discharged every minute. Such statistics should scare and notify people about their contributions to environmental pollution. Although it is expected that marine debris are formed to reduce the impact of garbage, these so-called islands of trash are constantly moving and changing their sizes, negatively affecting flora and fauna (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). In other words, when an individual believes that some insignificant trash he or she leaves in the ocean does not bring any damage, it is better to think about the same event globally. The number of plastic bags and bottles indecently grows, making garbage patches dangerous for oceans and the land.

Another significant element of water pollution is chemical contamination due to inadequately organized spills and runoffs of excessive fertilizers. Although many industrial organizations and farmers develop their services for the public good, they have to understand that their activities have adverse outcomes on the environment. Non-profit source pollution caused by runoffs from farms, livestock ranches, vehicles, and septic tanks is spilled into waterways that bring pollutants directly to the ocean (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Chemical discharges may be invisible and properly assessed by local inspection organizations, but the level of damage is still significant for different water resources and the environment in general (Denchak). Besides, even the most experienced chemical companies and experiences in related fields are not able to predict the outcomes of compounds that reach the ocean and provoke natural changes. Water pollution by chemicals is hard to control and impossible to stop because the work of factories, plants, and farms is necessary for modern populations.

Finally, the problem of ocean pollution grows due to the promotion of deep-sea mining that is an opportunity to reveal rich minerals and metals from the depths of the ocean. Casson investigates the outcomes of mining for the planet and concludes that this practice could provoke deep troubles because of irreversible environmental damage. In oceans, underwater mountains and ancient coral reefs serve as homes for marine habitats (Casson). As soon as technologies penetrate the water space, ocean species experience harm and damage, which results in their unpredictable migration. In addition to mammal extinction, the carbon that is naturally absorbed by marine life is also challenged, which provokes climate change (Casson). In their desire to find new sources of silver, gold, cobalt, and zinc, people destroy ecosystems and pollute oceans with the chosen petrol and gas stations. The aftermath of their actions may be hidden under water for a long period, and when everything becomes visible, it will be too late to change something.

Programs

Many professional organizations aim at protecting the environment worldwide, and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is one of them. During the last several decades, several programs were initiated to reduce and prevent ocean pollution, namely Trash Free Waters and the National Estuary Program. In the middle of the 2010s, the EPA introduced Trash Free Water to help the United States and other non-governmental organizations reduce the amount of littering and garbage packages in water (Environmental Protection Agency, “Trash Free Water” 1). The problem of aquatic trash has different forms like animal ingestion, reduced economic values of rivers, and habitat destruction (Environmental Protection Agency, “Trash Free Waters” 1). The program helps solve these concerns by establishing such priorities as research efforts, international cooperation, and public awareness. According to this program, people, organizations, and governments must work together to recognize their contributions to the environment and manage sustainable materials properly.

Another initiative, the National Estuary Program (NEP), was offered earlier in 1987 to pay attention to water quality and ecological integrity. The US Environmental Protection Agency invited several stakeholders from different communities like federal and state governments, non-profit organizations, industries, businesses, academics, and even the general public (“National Estuary Program” 2). The participants promote their NEP approach with the help of which it is possible to establish a governance structure and promote equality between all the potential partners (Environmental Protection Agency, “The National Estuary Program”). The government controls how a management plan is developed and implemented, and citizens ensure local needs being addressed. For example, riparian areas are defined and cleaned regularly to reduce pollution that could enter streams and reach the ocean. The idea to place native plants within living shorelines allows catching sediments before they enter local waters and contributes to ocean water quality improvement and coastal erosion prediction.

The Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) is a program by the Surfrider Foundation that pursues the purpose to underline the importance of water quality and its relation to public health. It is not enough to promote cleaning activities and respect for natural resources but to understand why water quality matters today and protects local communities. Although the Surfrider Foundation does not directly address the problem of ocean pollution, its intention to provide everyone with clean water to surf and swim has a positive effect on the water quality (8). One of the BWTF purposes is to measure bacteria levels at the ocean, bay, and estuary sites and test beaches (Surfrider Foundation 8). Students are usually involved in collecting and analyzing water samples to gain solid laboratory experience with the BWFT. When people learn how many bacteria and other dangerous substances could be in the water, they should define the value of pollution problems either for oceans or for their lives.

Action Plan

The analysis of the existing ocean pollution problems and national environmental programs proves that people have already recognized the impact of their activities on natural resources and try to correct their mistakes and wrong decisions. However, most people believe that the protection of the environment is not their direct responsibility, and ocean contamination is not a threat to them if they live far from this huge natural resource. Such a delusion leads to a poor understanding of the problem and unwillingness to participate in different activities. Therefore, the first step of an action plan to reduce ocean pollution is to educate all citizens, even those who live far from oceans and other water resources. Educating communities about their impact on ocean water quality can be developed through neighborhood walks and sharing flyers with brief but essential information (Surfrider Foundation 15). This step allows people from low-income communities and of any age to enlarge their knowledge for free.

As soon as sufficient information is equally distributed among people, it is high time to see what they know about ocean pollution and their relation to this problem. The second step includes public polls to gather the opinions of people about oceans and their roles in human life. Even if a person knows nothing about the water cycle and potential distant outcomes of his or her activities on the ocean, a simple quiz or a questionnaire helps raise public awareness and promote cooperation. The Environmental Protection Agency underlines the importance of public and private partnerships to stimulate new approaches for material reuse and litter prevention (“Trash Free Waters” 1). Besides, this participation results in creating new waste management programs and change behaviors (Hollaway et al.). In other words, when people start sharing their opinions and recognize their roles in natural resource protection, improvements in ocean pollution-related problems can be observed.

In addition to public education and the assessment of people’s knowledge about the harms done to oceans, the action plan has to enhance real-life participation and personal initiatives. Public and local authorities make decisions whether to close beaches to protect public health and oceans (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). As a result, individuals demonstrate their negative attitudes towards such approaches due to evident limitation of their freedoms. Instead of blaming the government for restrictions, new activities must be initiated. Personal involvement in the decision of global problems is the third step to do something useful for the environment. Sometimes, it is enough to clean the adjacent territory, join a team of beach cleaners, or gather plastic for reuse but not to throw it away. Such simple steps are not difficult to take, but their overall effect is priceless for nature.

Conclusion

The problem of ocean pollution is ambiguous today due to its causes and outcomes in relation to humans. On the one hand, contamination happens because of human activities being poorly managed. Much trash and chemicals enter the ocean as a result of industrial and social progress. The deep-sea mining industry continues to grow and challenge the ocean, its structure, and inhabitants. Although many American governmental and non-profit organizations initiate their programs to protect oceans, not all people are actually engaged in saving activities. Therefore, if a new action plan to stop ocean pollution is necessary, attention should be paid to education for all communities, public opinions, and personal initiatives that underline the role of people in environmental protection.

Executive Summary

In order to meet a contract requirement Ocean Carriers must decide whether to purchase or not a 180000-deadweight tons dry bulk carrier for the price of 39 million dollars in order to lease the vessel.

After careful analysis of both, the industry and exogenous factors we conclude that the purchase of the vessel is advisable only if we base the project on Hong Kong’s tax legislation. Furthermore, it is more profitable to operate the vessel for its entire useful life of 25 years (Ignoring company policy) unless it is able to sell the ship at the end of the 15th year on the secondary market for a price that is greater than $12,042,328.

Statement of Problems

Ocean Carriers faces the decision of purchasing or not a new capsize dry bulk in order to lease the vessel throughout its useful life or up to its 15th year of operations as indicated in the company’s policy.

Summary of Facts

The decision to acquire or not to acquire the dry bulk carrier for chartering must be based on a careful analysis of elements that will directly influence the profitability of the project. The profitability of the project will rely heavily on the location of the firm due to tax purposes. Furthermore, the decision to undertake such a project depends on both the short-term and long-term outlook of the bulk carrier industry which will surely influence chartering rates, and finally, our decision depends on the accounting rules and company policies regarding the operation of Ocean Carrier vessels. In case of acquisition, the choice of keeping the vessel in service for 15 or 25 years and how to dispose of it at the end of this period, depending on the net present value (NPV) of the investment and on the assumption of a steady cost of capital equal to 9%. In conclusion, the firm should reject any project with a negative NPV and undertake the project with the highest NPV.

Analysis & Recommendations

To assess the profitability of the project it is necessary to understand what drives the daily hire rates charged to the clients. Daily hire rates are determined by supply and demand. The total supply of capsizes (i.e total number of ships available) is given by the vessels in service plus any new vessel delivered minus any scrapping or sinking. Supply is mainly affected by the technological improvements the nautical industry can incorporate, with newer ships getting bigger and more fuel efficient, fewer vessels were needed to transport the same amount of cargo. The demand for capsizers is mainly affected by the performance of the world economy, especially of the basic industries. Furthermore, demand is also dependent on the trade patterns since the demand for capsizes increases the longer the distance of the trade route. Together with supply and demand, the age of the vessels is also an important determinant of the daily hire rate. As evidenced in Exhibit 4, newer vessels earn a premium with respect to the average market daily hire rate. As the age of the vessels increases, the daily hire rate progressively decreases. We can expect decreasing charter rates in 2001 and 2002 due to stagnant imports of coal and iron ore together with the delivery of 63 new vessels. Starting from 2003, the beginning of Australian and Indian iron ore exports, joined by expected sustained growth in worldwide shipments of iron ore together with a downward trend in the delivery of new capsizes will certainly place upward pressure on the charter rates.

Aware of the industry environment and exogenous determinants, we evaluate the investment opportunity using the NPV method. We assume the possibility of choosing where to base the project, whether in the USA or in Hong Kong, without incurring in particular costs1, and that the internal policy of not operating ships older than 15 years is still valid. The minimum redeemable amount of money at the end of 2017 is given by the scrap value of 5 million dollars. The NPV in New York, using the straight-line depreciation method2 and a 35% corporate tax rate, is $ -6,114,639 (see blue cells in Exhibit A); on the other hand, the NPV basing the project in Hong Kong and so considering a 0% corporate tax is $ 1,284,937 (see 1 These comprehend material costs and any unforeseeable burden due to the surrounding social and political conditions 2 For the sake of simplicity we reported depreciation using the straight-line method, but the result of the analysis is substantially the same also with MACRS method orange cells in Exhibit A). Furthermore, from exhibit E, we can see that the carrier will be profitable for all 15 years of activity. Since the NPV is negative in the USA, we conclude that, if we had to pay taxes in New York, we shouldn’t purchase the carrier at all. Instead, in Hong Kong, the NPV is positive and so the investment is convenient. By referring to Exhibit B, we see that the NPV in the USA is always negative, even figuring a hypothetical sale of the ship at the residual value at the end of the fifteenth year, whereas it is always positive in Hong Kong. This conclusion is based on the assumed opportunity cost of capital of 9%. To analyze the policy of not operating ships over 15 years old, we will only look at cash flows in the case where it operates under the Hong Kong tax system. We assume that Ocean Carriers can operate the ship for 15 years, according to the policy, or for 25 years which is the ship’s useful life without the possibility of disposing of it in between these two dates. Looking at Exhibit C, the NPV of operating the ship for its entire useful life of 25 years would be equal to $2,912,230, while operating the ship for 15 years and then scrapping it for $5M would yield an NPV of $1,284,937. Therefore, Ocean Carriers’ should follow its 15-year policy if and only if it expects to sell the ship in the secondary market for a price that yields an NPV strictly greater than $2,912,230, that is, a price strictly greater than $12,042,328 3. Since Exhibit D delivers a residual value at the end of the 15th year equal to $15,600,000 (highlighted in yellow), we could reasonably assume that $15,600,000 would be a fair selling price for the ship. If Ocean Carriers managed to sell it at a price greater than the residual value, it would record a gain on disposal of assets, while if it could only be able to sell it at a lower price but still greater than $12,042,328, it would record a loss on disposal of assets. We recommend that Ocean Carriers purchases the vessel only if it bases the project under Hong Kong’s tax legislation. After acquisition Ocean Carriers should operate the vessel for its entire useful life of 25 years unless, at the end of the 15th year, it expects to sell the ship in the secondary market at a price strictly greater than $12,042,328. 3 This is the selling price at the end of 2017 that delivers an NPV equal to the one we would have in 2027.

Two of every three parts of the Earth’s surface is made up of oceans and seas. This makes beaches, palm trees, and warm sands the biggest tourist attractions in the world. For vacation, most people’s first choice is to go to the beach. Millions of families travel to the ocean for vacation every year, and still don’t realize the impact pollution takes on the earth. The amount of pollution that goes into the ocean is affecting the wellness of humans and it also affects their lifestyle. The pollution not only affects humans but also marine animals, which are being impacted by the large amount of chemicals and trash put into the ocean. There are measures that can help decrease the amount of pollution produced along with some that are taking place right now.

The ocean provides a very important role in human and marine life. For example, it provides over 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe and contains over 97 percent of the earth’s water supply (Dilevics 2). All surface life depends on the wellness of the ocean, so without the oxygen oceans produce, humans could not survive (Lloyd-Smith 8). Most human activities generate pollutants that always find their way back into the oceans. Studies show that the ocean is under attack from natural resources and the amount of man made pollution that has gone in the ocean. In 2007, 2.1 million tons of waste and plastic was dumped into our planet’s ocean. (Dilevics 5). Chemicals and plastic enter the marine environment from waterways such as rivers and canals, or by direct disposal into the ocean (Lloyd-Smith 4). Pollution can affect humans everyday life in many ways. For instance, if a person were to ingest some of the oceans polluted water, they can get really sick and it can cause symptoms such as stomach aches, diarrhoea, and rashes. The most toxic metal found in water is mercury. Mercury can cause Parkinsons, Alzheimer’s, and countless heart diseases (Dilevics 9). Other heavy metals, pesticides, and leads can also contaminate water supplies and food chains. These metals can cause kidney and nerve problems and reproductive and hormonal problems (Dilevics 6). Not only does pollutants and chemicals in the water affect the way we live, it also completely changes the life of aquatic animals.

The pollution in the ocean is taking a huge impact on the way marine animals are having to live. Everyday, the oceans natural resources are suffering from man made pollution and threats to ocean environments have been increasing dramatically. Since mid-century, humans have witnessed the spread of pollution in coastal waters (Dudley 72). Ocean pollution began because at one point people believed that the enormousness of the ocean could dilute and break down all of the pollutants enough to eliminate it all (Pollution 2). Unlike organic objects and matter, plastic items can travel thousands of miles over years in oceans and currents without breaking down. Some humans even today know the effect that pollution takes on our world and haven’t done anything about it. 30 percent of CO2 emissions produced by humans are absorbed by oceans (Dilevics 4). Humans have added pollutants like chemicals, spilled oil, garbage, plastic, and used fishing nets into the ocean. Young seals and other small animals often when they are playing, slip their heads through circular, small objects like plastic or rope, which can as they grow cause severe injury and in most cases death. More and more fish are dying because of the unclean oceans, causing sea lions and many other species to starve and have no food. Oil is another big pollutant that humans are adding to the ocean. There are countless activities that humans are involved in that start with using oil. Each year, 12 percent of oil that enters the ocean is from oil spills (Dilevics 7). Having no fish in the ocean changes the food chain for us and for marine animals (Stone 20). Coastal seafood shops and restaurants will soon begin to suffer if humans do not do anything about the pollution in the ocean.

Over these past couple of years, people have begun to notice the impact that pollution takes on both human and marine life. Conservationists and different organizations have decided to help out and start creating solutions to better our lives. The global ocean is estimated to be home to one million different species, most of them still not named (Lloyd-Smith 9). With so much of our ocean still unexplored, there is so much left out there for us to discover. Study’s show, as near as the year 2050 the world’s population will be expected to reach 9.7 billion and the current amount of plastic and pollution in the oceans can not be sustained. As pollution continues to take over our earth’s water, we will soon not be able to discover new things. Recently, people have begun to realize that our oceans need help. The approach to pollution management is failing to protect the oceans because there is only a certain amount of water on earth and only so much pollution the ocean can dilute over time (Lloyd-Smith 5). There are natural pollutants and debris such as volcanic ash and floating vegetation that are good for our oceans and do not cause damage. When we add non-natural substances like manade plastic and non-biodegradable items to our ocean, we are slowly killing our ocean, which in return is slowly killing us. Even though the exact rate of increase is still unknown it is still reasonable for specialists to assume that the total amount of added pollution has dramatically increased over the past decades (Anderson 9). The new technology of today’s society has helped out our oceans tremendously. The more technology advances the faster we can help take care of our earth and oceans. Scientists have discovered ways to eliminate a good majority or pollution and debris. For instance, “scrubbers” have been installed to help reduce pollutants that are added to air and water (Pollution 2). Non profit organizations have also come up with different strategies to raise awareness to help express the seriousness the effects of ocean contamination are (Anderson 10). Even though there have been many groups recently starting to raise money and awareness for ocean pollution, we still need more help. Pollution will not decrease by itself, this is why we need to come together to create more efficient ways to better our oceans for us and for marine life. As the ocean takes up the majority of our earth, reducing the amount of debris and pollutants will not be easy. Practicing recycling and healthy habits is essential for us to do continuously in order to decrease the waste that the recent decade has added (Anderson 66).

In conclusion it is important to know how pollution affects the ocean and how we can prevent the spread of pollution. The pollution can cause harm and damage to the health of people by infecting the food we eat that causes major health problems. Along with humans marine life is also negatively affected by the pollution and suffers from the damages that humans cause. Lastly, even though pollution is a real problem that can cause a lot of damage, there are ways of helping and stopping pollution; such as raising awareness of the seriousness of the problem and new technologies that can help reduce pollution by creating more biodegradable items.

Ocean is essential for any living thing on the earth. It supports and provides us in a dynamic way. However, we are making the ocean toxic. As we continue to live a busy life, we don’t consider where the waste will go and the consequences we will face, nor the living things in the marine ecosystem. As a result, we have caused The Great Pacific Patch (GPGP).

Firstly, GPGP is two collections of waste trapped and carried by the ocean current. It is East and West Pacific Gyre located between Japanese and California. Not to mention, 20 percent of the plastic trash emanates from ships and the rest from the mainland. The marine ecosystem is becoming a graveyard to marine animals due to 1.15 to 2.41 million metric tons of plastics entering the ocean every year. The plastic that is discarded to the ocean increases the amount of microplastic in GPGP which is not biodegradable. Therefore, the ocean water is like a snow globe now.

Secondly, GPGP is causing a great challenge to ocean life. The main problem is the sheer amount of microplastic. As a matter of fact, plastic pollution kills about one million seabirds and hundreds of thousands of marine mammals per year. The sea animals death is caused by ingestion, strangulation, and slow starvation. For example, marine creatures like turtles and seabirds mistake the plastics and other waste for food. This leads to blockages in the digestive system and causes death. Furthermore, microplastic is blocking algae and plankton from the sunlight preventing photosynthesis. This prevents the marine animals from getting the nutrients they need. Consequently, marine animals eventually die from slow starvation. Equally important, on August 18th, 2018, a green sea turtle was found decomposed with a plastic net wrapped around its body. It is common and other animals are affected as well. For instance, seals, turtles, and whales are strangled, suffocated, or injured by nets drifted by the ocean current. It is called “ghost fishing”.

Thirdly, it is negatively affecting people. It threatens human health by the bioaccumulation. The toxic chemical which marine animals consume is brought up to the food chain. Not to mention, it also affects our economy. For example, the size of GPGP will thrice in size by 2050. In reality, we need to take action now before it gets any worse. However, it is estimated that to clean one percent of the plastic will take 67 ships one year. Additionally, it would cost about 13 billion USD which is far too expensive. All things considered, we need stay alert and start making changes before it gets any worse.

The first effort to clean the patch was made by Boyan Slat, an engineering student from the Netherlands. He founded an NGO called ‘the Ocean Cleanup” in 2013 to collect enough money for his research and the trial of his plan for collecting the plastic. As a result, he has recently launched the world’s first device to tackle the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is believed that it can collect half of the GPGP within five years. The first thing we have to solve is now to cut the use of plastics and recycle them. Instead, we should use sustainable material and make an effort to decrease daily waste. Secondly, the majority of it comes from the fisheries nets, so we should eat less harvested fish. Lastly, take action. We can participate, support, or make a donation to NGOs; such as” the Ocean Cleanup” or “Support Algalita Marine Research Foundation”.

Our simple actions can have a big impact on the marine ecosystem eventually benefiting our environment. We should remind ourselves of the incident in 2015 where the straw stuck in the turtle’s nostril when we throw our waste.

Growing up with severe asthma as a child, the doctors repeatedly advised my mother to take me to the sea. The fresh breeze coming from a large body of salt water was a miracle cure to my never ending sleepless nights spent on asthma attacks. At the age of only 5, I have developed a true love for the Black Sea, located in the southern Ukraine. After immigrating to North America, I have conveniently located myself in the university next to the Pacific Ocean and am constantly mesmerised by the beauty of its marine life. Alongside, I also learned the unfortunate reality – the world’s oceans are drowning in rubbish. According to the World Economic Forum (n. d. ), by 2050 oceans are expected to contain more plastic than fish by weight. The diminishing health of our oceans should be a wake-up call for humankind as they affect many aspects of our lives. To start off, the oceans provide over half of the oxygen in the air we breathe. In addition, by covering 70% of the Earth, the oceans are also responsible for the weather regulation by transporting heat over its surface. The international waters provide for transportation of 76% of the US trade and, therefore, play a key role in global economy. Needless to mention, the oceans not only provide seafood for our consumption but also ingredients for some essential medicine and provide jobs for almost 3 million people.

The US alone. On the contrary, the international nature of the benefits ultimately translates into the international nature of the problem. A plastic straw from Spain could be found on the beaches of Japan and a fishnet from Vancouver could find its way all the way in India. Zooming in closer to our local waterways, even the rubbish which ends up in the lakes of the Okanagan could easily have an impact on the ocean as there is nobody in the world who does not live on watershed . The “swirling mass of plastic soup in the Pacific Ocean” referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a sobering way to realize the magnitude of the problem (Dunn, 2009).

Given its borderless nature as well as the magnitude of the impact on our society, there are many factors which cause the health of our ocean to diminish. The number one cause of the problem is the careless disposal of plastic. Annually, about 8 million metric tons of plastic are being dumped into the ocean, in other words, it is one garbage truck per minute (“Fact Sheet”, n. d. ). Studies show marine life of Pacific Ocean discovered with plastic in their system, many of whom pass on due to starvation as their stomachs get clogged with plastic they were not built to digest . Next in the lineup is overfishing (“Top 11 issues”, n. d. ). By capturing ocean life quicker than it can replicate, we are directly harming the marine life. This creates a chain effect since when smaller species disappear, large ones have no one to prey on and soon go distinct as well. Interestingly enough, lost fishing nets account for 46% of all ocean plastic . So not only do we overfish, but also litter as a result of commercial fishing.

Last but not least, since the Industrial Revolution the oceanic acidity has increased by 25% due by the natural absorption of carbon dioxide, the levels of which have increased dramatically over the past decade (“Top 11 issues”, n. d. ). Some of the species will eventually be wiped out due to the ocean warming and increasing acidity in the waters which will no longer be able to support life. Nonetheless, the causes continue to pile up given the rapid change in the technological field and overpopulation of the planet. Initiatives from all over the world are becoming more popular due to the United Nation’s recognition of June 8th as the World Oceans Day. This day is celebrated in many different ways from international campaigns, nationwide regulations to small but impactful local initiatives. Some of the largest impacts come from government regulations all around the world on banning plastic. According to Greenpeace, India is the most prominent leader in banning its plastic followed by the US, Tasmania, France, Ethiopia and Morocco. All of these countries and many others have banned the use of plastic straws, coffee stirrers, shopping bags, cutlery, etc. and replaced them with more sustainable alternatives. Certainly, it is a huge challenge to get everyone on board with this movement as it can become highly.

Costly for all businesses to implement the required changes. However, some companies have taken steps on their own to lead the positive change. For example, recently Starbucks announced their plan to phase out plastic straws from all its worldwide stores by 2020. This decision will prevent the use of more than 1 billion straws every year . Additionally, it is important to mention some of the local initiatives which spark the curiosity in the community and engage everyone to participate in a more sustainable living. I adore grocery stores who encourage their customers to bring their own reusable bags and “punish” whose who do not by changing them additional fee per plastic bag. Next, the recent Vancouver plastic straw ban positioned our city as the first one in Canada to ignite such movement. Consequently, it is always the change in the community which really educates us to become responsible citizens of the world since health for the ocean ultimately results in health for the humankind.

One major issue that’s currently happening in our nation that I’m interested in how pollution is affecting the ocean. Where does all this garbage go? It’s all dumped into the ocean. It affects all the marine animals and the whole ecosystem. It also affects people because when we fish for food in the ocean, most of the fish have plastic and garbage in them and people that go to their fish markets and end up having plastic and garbage in their stomach. The plastic that’s thrown in the waters harm the marine fishes, mamalas and sea turtles. This is a major issue because when we pollute the ocean repeatedly, we cause some species in the ocean to go extinct. This is very harmful because we need some species to keep the natural law in order and to maintain the food chain. At times it is not the material but the concentration of it that can determine if it is a pollutant. For plants to grow important nutrients like nitrogen or phosphorus are needed. However, if they there is too much of it in a body of water, it can trigger an overgrown algae resulting in an algae bloom. When huge amounts of algae sink and decompose in the ocean, the decomposition process consumes oxygen. Most of the marine species that home in that area die, or if they can move (like fish) will leave the area that is affected. If we don’t take care of our ocean it will hurt all of us in the future big time. We need our ocean in order to survive. If we continue polluting our ocean it will impact marine life including liver and lung problems, eye irritation and skin irritation to humans. Pollution impact the human body as well, it makes your immune system weak, and the risk of cancer and other dangerous diseases will increase.

Firstly, the most common is plastic pollution. According to the United Nations, “At least 800 species worldwide are affected by marine debris, as much of that is 80 percent of that litter is plastic. It is estimated that almost 13 million metric tons of plastic ends up in our oceans once a year.’ That’s a lot of plastic that ends up in our Ocean. Many marine mammals ingest debris, causing suffocation, starvation, and drowning. Plastic is a polymeric material which molecules are very large that’s why plastic takes about 100 years to fully decompose. Some of the plastic breaks down much quicker into tiny particles, which than end up in fish and other seafood people end up eating. And that ends up causing many harms to the human body. To prevent millions of tons of plastic going into the ocean, we have recycling organizations that prevent this solution from happening. Some well known organizations are “NYSAR” and “National Waste and Recycling Association”. Both of these nonprofit organizations have made an impact on reducing plastic pollution. Both organizations reduce the emissions of many greenhouse gases and water contamination and plus it saves energy.

According to the article, “Plastic Pollution Affects Sea Life Throughout the Ocean, “Plastic waste kills up to almost a million seabirds a year. Scientists have estimated that 60 percent of all seabird species have plastic in their stomachs. Which cause the seabirds stomach to be filled up and causing starvation. Multiple seabirds are found dead with their stomachs full of plastic”. The reason why seabirds eat so much plastic is because the smell of plastic is fouled by algae and that’s why so seabirds are attracted to plastic. Many birds also eat plastic and other debris by accident thinking it’s dead fish floating on the water. This can cause death to seabirds and an early stage and even their young ones. What we can do to prevent this situation is to reduce our use of disposable plastics bags and products, reduce and recycle what we can use, pick up litter, buy reusable grocery bags or reuse grocery bags, and do volunteer work at beaches to pick up any litter. If everyone did at least one of these helpful causes the world and the ocean would look a lot different than it is today. The ocean would be cleaner and sea life would thrive in a clean environment. Plastic in our oceans affects everything in the ocean that living. It affects tiny seahorses, jellyfish, and dolphins to the biggest whales and colossal squids in the ocean.

Furthermore, another issue relating to pollution is toxic chemicals from industries and oil spills. These toxic chemicals include metals which are chemical elements. The agricultural and industrial waste is another form of waste that lands in the waters. Much land runoff is also ended up in the ocean. According to “What is Ocean Pollution”, “This occurs when water infiltrates the soil to its maximum extent and the excess water from rain, flooding or melting flows over the land and into the ocean”. So this causes the water to pick up the man-made pollutants into the ocean, which includes fertilizers, pesticides and other forms of soil contaminants. These waste from fertilizers, animal waste and human waste can lead to creating dead zones in the waters. Dead zones occur when there is an overflow of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. These dead zones have low oxygen levels because of the increased of nutrients so only a few animals are able to survive in these areas whereas may can not live. According the the article, “Chemical Pollution by Ocean Health Index”, “Many metals occur naturally in the environment, but anthropogenic emissions from industrial and mining activities can increase concentrations of many to toxic levels.” The toxic chemicals that have entered the waters and from the start it harms the marine life. These chemicals do not sink or get dissolved in the ocean. The small animals either knowingly or unknowingly consume these chemicals which are later eaten by predators of their kind. This leads to a disorder in the whole food chain. Causing the food chain to be unbalanced. Not only does it cause very dangerous life threatening opportunities for marine life, but it also raises the temperature of the water. This also another form of ocean pollution, known as thermal pollution.

In addition, thermal pollution is a sudden increase of the waters and makes the water quality of the ocean low. Therefore, since the toxic chemicals raise the level of temperature in the waters, the living organisms in the ocean can not live in those conditions and they fall. The Ocean Health Index also states that, “96% of mercury enters the ocean via atmospheric input.” However, some metals are dumped in the ocean by choice, some from waste dumps, or through agricultural and industrial wastes. Knowing that 96% of mercury enters the ocean, which is also consumed by the animals or marine life in the water. This is very harmful for humans or for other predators that consume these contaminated fish or etc. According to “How Ocean Pollution Affects Humans”, “For humans, consuming this kind of toxic contaminated seafood can lead to serious damage to their liver, kidney, immune system, or the central nervous system along with other organs in the body”.

Additionally, oil spills is a form of pollution and is a huge factor of ocean pollution in the waters. The ships that lose crates every year from natural causes or from human mistakes causes noise pollution in the waters as well. Other species can also invade the ecosystems of the marine life and can do harm to it by getting involved and ruining the life cycles of other organisms. This leads to a clash of mature that is already damaged from the overflow of other pollutants in the world. The crude oil spills last for many years in the ocean and is horribly harmful for the animals and plants living in the waters. The oil spill suffocate the animals or plants to death once they get caught in it. According to the article, “What is Ocean Pollution”, it states “Crude oil is also extremely difficult to clean up, unfortunately meaning that when it is split; it is usually there to stay.” As being said, once the oil spill occurs it is extremely difficult for it to be cleaned up and for the living organisms around that area to survive. The effects of oil spills on marine life is harmful in many ways. For example, the spilled crude oil gets on the gills of fish which eventually enters their immune system and suffocate till death. Since oil spills float on the surface of the waters, they block the sunlight from the living plants in the waters. This interrupts the cycle of photosynthesis for plants such as coral reefs. Another common one being the oil spill gets on the seabirds wing which makes it hard for them to fly, find food their children, or escape to survive. The long term effect of this damage on the plants and animals in the waters can cause behavioral changes, problems in the reproductive system, diseases for life, and even the extinction of a species.

Moreover, too much of a good thing can become harmful. The nutrients needed for plant growth can be harmful, if there is too much of it can set off an algal bloom. An algal bloom is set off because of the overgrowth of algae. According to the article, “Ocean Pollution by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration” it states “When large amounts of algae sink and decompose in the water, the decomposition process consumes oxygen and depletes the supply available to healthy marine life.” The oxygen levels decrease in the waters because it is being eaten by the process of decomposition. Not only do the animals in their lives are at risk but the waters will be containment and it can start an outbreak of a disease.

The first decade of 21st century has produced more plastic than the whole of the years before the start of this century [1]. Most of the plastic are single use materials, which get dumped into the ocean after their purpose. Great Pacific Garbage Patch is one of the active regions of plastic accumulation in the ocean. Every year nearly 15-51 trillion pieces of plastic enter the ocean and began to stay there forever [1]. These plastics affect the marine life to a greater extent. Several species of aquatic life are in the endangered list and few have become extinct. Many scientists have focused their interest on collecting the existing waste from the ocean, among them- ‘Sea bins’, a device invented by two Australian men has proved to be effective, and also making it at affordable cost.[2] This project will focus on the solutions to the plastic pollution problem and assess the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) impacts of major pollutant “plastic bags”. A comparative study on recycling of plastic is also a part of the report.

Plastic pollution is rising as a top challenge to ocean ecosystems. By 2025, there will be more than 1 ton of used plastic for every three heaps of fish in the ocean. Each year, almost trillions of tons of dumped waste is making its way out into oceans. In addition to garbage waste dumped by industries into ocean waters these type toxic chemicals may end up consisting of radioactive chemicals which may kill a small kind of ocean animals.[3]

Plastics play a vital role in the packaging industry. The future of plastic bags in the sustainability point of view is highly questionable. The properties of low weight to good strength, water resistant and cost effectiveness has made plastic bags the preferred choice of packaging material. However, the life cycle impacts of plastics are on a high note making environment governing agencies to focus on the standards of their production, usage and disposal. The production of plastics creates impact on the usage of non-renewable resources, reduced recycle rate and ecological impact created during the disposal process. Improper disposal techniques of ocean dumping, landfilling and burning multiples the adverse impact on the environment on a larger scale. Several countries have imposed taxes and regulation standards on manufacturers, retailers and consumers to mitigate the usage of plastics and the effect of the impact.

Life Cycle Assessment is carried out to estimate the environmental impacts based on the Inputs required to produce a product and the output generated during its operation throughout its life cycle. It is performed based on Standards which gives information of methodology, agreement for carrying out the analysis. The report from LCA is primarily quantitative, which can be directly used to assess the impacts on different basis such as environmental, health, atmospheric emission, climate change parameters. The LCA system does suffer limitations as it does not consider the entire real time processes, the system boundaries and several assumptions must made for the processes that happens place in the life cycle of a product. Therefore, it is quantitatively an approximation of the realistic scenario. Triple Bottom Line (TBL) is a concept of evaluating the impact that a product makes on the environmental, social and economic aspects. The primarily used single use plastic material is High-density polyethylene (HDPE). Most commonly used alternative materials for HDPE are Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Solutions to tackle ocean pollution is addressed and the Impacts of the pollutants is discussed in the report.

Several approaches have been made to reduce the plastic pollution at the cradle stage. The need for a cost effective and eco friendly way of removing plastics is of major concern.

Some of the ways of reducing ocean pollution are

Reduced use of Single-use plastics:

The easiest and most direct way to mitigate plastic pollution is by decreasing the use of single- use plastics. This encompasses plastic bags, water bottles, straws, cups, utensils, dry cleaning bags, take-out containers, and plastic gadgets that are used and then discarded with a short life span.[4]

However, in certain cases the usage if unavoidable due to the lifestyle practices that have evolved over time. The next focus is on recycling the plastics manufactured.

Seabins:

The Seabins are very compact and can be placed in the docks and marinas without obstructing the movement of boats. The plastic waste is collected and disposed easily through the waste disposal system.

The Seabin is attached to the floating dock and is freely suspended in the water. A shore pump is installed on the dock to create a water flow around the seabin. All floating wastes move towards the seabin along with the water flow. The waste is collected in a fibre material bag from which the water is pumped out through the bottom and the water is then let out into the marina.

Seabins are currently established at 719 locations and on average 1.9 tons of waste is captured each day. A major belt of seabins are established around the European shores. They are effective in capturing particles of sizes ranging from 2mm. With the advancement to include oil pad technology, it is possible to skim oil and other liquid pollutants from the marinas.[5]

Recycling:

This is one of the best ways to reduce plastic pollution. Only 9% of the total used plastics are currently recycled globally. Recycling helps to wipeout plastics out of the ocean and to reduce circulation of ‘fresh’ plastic.[4]

Most beverage and liquid cleaner bottles are Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is widespread among the curbside recycling companies. Containers marked (HDPE) likewise there are some codes which are additionally recyclable in some areas.

Products containing tiny plastic particles, known as ‘microbeads,’ have grown to be a developing supply of ocean plastic pollution in recent years. Microbeads are discovered in some face scrubs, toothpaste, and physique washes, and they enter the oceans and waterways through our sewer systems ad affect lots of marine species. To avoid this, measures must be undertaken to reduce usage of merchandise containing plastic micro beads via looking for ‘polyethylene’ and “polypropylene’ on the ingredient labels of your cosmetic products.[4]

Social awareness:

Spreading the information makes a lot of difference when it comes to social development which relates everyone contribution, this will help solving problems related to plastic air pollution and helping others to make them conscious of the problem

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and Polypropylene (PP) bags exhibited less environmental impacts than HDPE bags which are primarily one-time use plastics. Further observation of the analysis revealed that the advantage of using PET and PP bags is most favorable when the number of times of usage is high. Comparatively, the impact of reusable bags is lesser only when they are used the assumed 104 times a year, else the impact of single use bags is lower than PP and PET. This comparison is invalid for paper bags.[6]

The impact on environment by single use bags is only low when a specific category of impact assessment is selected. Except for Eutrophication category, single use paper bags did the most impact on the environment.

Risks and recomendations

Many creatures that live deep inside the ocean has been affected through the effect of pollutants. It can be challenging to determine unique statistics on air pollution and its effects on our ocean existence due to the large dimension of the ocean and the kind of animals involved. However, some fascinating studies have been performed in smaller parts of the ocean with marine existence.

For instance, a review of a research article published on the marine academe’s oceanography website shows there had been over 46000 objects of plastic floating on the northeastern coast of United States of America in each rectangular mile of the ocean. Over 100000 marine mammals and hundreds of thousands of seabirds die each year due to the fact of this plastic.

According to a publication through the center for biological diversity, about 82,000 birds of 102 species have been affected or even killed after the Gulf of Mexico’s petroleum oil spill also killed 36 sea mammals, 279 sea turtles, and 68 sea birds and many fish as of midjune2010[3]

The surroundings can pay a heavy rate on daily ‘fast fashion’ habits, many industries like fabric industry regularly decompose waterways with dyes and waste products, then washing our artificial apparel releases plastic microfibers into the ocean. Growing and planting cotton will improve the production of t-shirts which requires up to 700 gallons of water every time to clean up the products. Marine systems and environment are not only affected by pollution but also by mankind activities. Every day, different kinds of toxic chemical compounds are entering our oceans. These poisonous chemical compounds have either been dumped by many chemical industries on purpose with a lot of other sources or goes naturally with the flow of the land then to rivers and lakes, however, finally ends up into oceans.

Chemicals such as oil, mercury, lead, pesticides, and other heavy metals can contaminate water materials and our food chain by affecting the ocean life. If human beings are unprotected from these kinds of toxic chemicals, they may end up in risky fitness problems, which include hormonal issues, reproductive problems, injury to our kidney system.

Effects on the food chain:

Chemicals used in industries and agriculture get washed into the rivers. These chemicals compound now get dissolved and sink at the bottom of the ocean. Small animals ingest these chemicals and are later eaten by large animals, which then affects the entire marine food chain. [9]

Effect on the economy:

Ocean pollution not only affects human and wildlife but also affect the global economy. Every greenback spent on defending sources of drinking water saves in water treatment costs.

Many people in the world are attracted towards ocean or beach tourist places and by plastic pollution there is lose in its cleanliness, as a result tourism enterprise loses shut to $1 billion every year. There are losses in fishing and boating activities, as a result of water bodies that have been affected with nutrient pollution and hazardous algal blooms. Nutrient pollution can additionally affect visibility at popular outdoor locations like countrywide parks [10]

Effects on wildlife:

There are different kinds of pollutants to the ocean, but oil spills cause more damage to marine life. The oil spilled in the ocean will slowly touch the depth of ocean and then on to the gills of marine animals, which makes it challenging for them to breathe. The long-time period impact on marine lifestyles can consist of cancer, failure in both reproductive and digestive systems can

also lead to severe death.[9]

Best practices to avoid risks:

1.Using technology and innovation:

Reversing the harmful effects created by the pollution in oceans and seas might take a lot of time and resources. Here are some of the professional groups and industries healing our seas through innovation and technology.

Call Wave Power Technologies generate the energy of the ocean through developing a wave- type electricity converter in the shape of synthetic seafloor. As a choice source of energy, this company has the capability to provide electricity for almost 50 million homes without affecting natural resources.[11]

Loliware is a bioplastic start-up with a mission. Founders Chelsea brigantine a Leigh ann. Tucker envision a future where the plastic straws will be changed through 100% plant-based hyper- compostable and marine-degradable straws.[11]

There is also an ocean cleanup system which is cleaning up the great pacific garbage patch by using a 600-meter long floater. It is fixed at the water floor and has a tapered 3-meter depth skirt injected below and with funding of almost $2.5 billion from 160 countries. [11]

2.Recycling:

Almost 40 to 50% of plastic pollution can be solved by recycling the used products in reusable things. To be precise every plastic used can’t be recycled but most of them can be done if there is proper concern towards natural damage of the environment. In addition to that, a recent national study found that more than 90% of North Americans can recycle plastic bottles in their communities.

Conclusion

The LCA of the major plastic pollutant (plastic bag) helped reveal many vital information regarding the Triple Bottom Line impacts. The comparison of HDPE plastic bags with PP and PET bags (reusable bags) showed that the environmental impact is lower for reusable bags thus providing additional advantage to reusable bags but with the condition that the reusable bags are used specific number of times. The use of seabin technology is highly eco friendly and affordable. Higher successful rates have been observed in European countries. Their installation could save millions of marine lives from extinction. The LCA analysis provided visual proof to the beliefs based on person insights that paper bags are bio-degradable and renewable source of packaging material hence would generate lower impact is false. Single use paper bags create a larger impact on the environment than recyclable Plastics. Focusing on reusable plastics thus help reduce the generation of plastic wastes which are improperly dumped into the ecosystems in which most of the dumping happens to be in the ocean. Creating awareness on usage of recyclable plastics is only beneficial when the reusable bags are used at least the minimum number of times else would result in higher environmental impacts.

Over the past few decades, human activity has resulted in severely detrimental ocean pollution, affecting marine ecosystems, our communities, and the environment in general. The spread of oil, industrial/agricultural waste, and chemicals continue to harm the Pacific, but plastic remains one of the most destructive forms of pollutions, killing one million seabirds and one hundred thousand marine creatures per year, according to Ocean Crusaders. The same organization also discovered that there are over 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean, which, as time goes on, will destroy our Pacific beaches, and the home of hundreds of species.

Plastic debris, along with most trash, cannot decompose and therefore remains stuck in the ocean’s current for up to 1,000 years, resulting in animals mistaking it for food or hurting themselves with the dangerous waste. This slowly kills organisms over a long period of time, disrupting the species, and all other species in it’s food web. Turtles, dolphins, fish, sharks, crabs, and seabirds are just a few of the 660 types of marine animals that are critically harmed by human plastic pollution. The revolving currents of floating debris or “garbage patches” according to researches result in vortexes of trash, primarily plastic. A study was recently conducted at UC Santa Barbara’s National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, in which lead author Jenna Jambeck organized contributions from experts in oceanography, waste management, and plastics materials science. The research concluded that 4.8 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the oceans from land each year. To put that into perspective, one metric ton is equal to 2,205 pounds.

To begin our study, we decided to determine how the buoyancy and location of certain plastics affect where they are most commonly found in the ocean, revealing which animals are consuming which plastics and what organisms are most at risk. Density is the ratio of a material’s mass to its volume, so by dividing each object’s mass by its volume, we were able to determine where it would lie in the water column. We proceeded to submerge several categories of plastic in water to mimic the ocean column, recording which sunk and which floated. The results are included below.

After we recorded the densities of each plastic and it’s behavior in water, we moved onto what this information tells us about plastic’s affect on marine organisms. We began researching the oceanic zones of marine life to further study plastic’s impact on the ocean’s ecosystem. The surface zone is where the water meets air and things float where they can be seen by certain animals. Below the surface, is the pelagic zone or the open water column where fish swim and plankton drift. Then at the bottom lies the the benthic zone, which is on or near the ocean floor.

Through the results of our experiment and meticulous research focused on the organisms in each oceanis zone we were able to determine which man-made objects are being ingested regularly by which animals. Polystyrene, which makes up CD cases, egg cartons, disposable plates and cups can either sink or float, meaning it often harms surface level organisms like gull and albatross, as well as benthic feeders like octopus, otter, or bass in the Pacific. Polyethylene terephthalate, found in water bottles, peanut butter containers, etc, and Polyvinyl chloride, found in clear food packaging, medical equipment, windows, shampoo bottles, etc, both sink, becoming the unfortunate meal of benthic feeders. High-density polyethylene, which makes up milk jugs, detergents, household cleaners, and some garbage bags, along with lowdensity polyethylene, which makes up squeezable bottles, various bags, clothing, and furniture, float, proving fatal to surface and pelagic feeders like gulls, turtles, albatross, etc. When you think about it this way, its impossible to ignore the adverse effects of human plastic pollution on the ocean life, particularly in the Pacific.

There is no straight-forward way to reverse the damage we have already none; however there can be steps taken individually to reduce plastic footprints and preserve marine life while keeping Santa Barbara beaches clean. reducing plastic and trash habits with reusable grocery bags, containers, water bottles, straws and restraining from purchasing heavily packaged products is a great way to start. In Goleta and Santa Barbara, it is as simple as heading down to the beach and cleaning up or joining a local clean-up near you on International Coastal Cleanup Day (http://www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/international-coastal-cleanup/). Supporting organizations and regulations that address plastic pollution such as the plastic bag taxes or bans are an obvious, but effective method as well. After interviewing an expert, Community Outreach/Education coordinator for Plastic Pollution Ocean Jessica Scheeter, we learned even more about how the severity of plastic pollution. “Single-use plastics are designed to be used for minutes, but end up taking hundreds to thousands of years to break down,” Scheeter says, “Plastic that ends up in the ocean photodegrades into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics.” Though it is not just marine life that is being harmed, Scheeter says “Studies are now exploring implications for human health because microplastics absorb toxins which are moving up the food chain and into fish that we consume. To reduce plastic ocean pollution, people can rethink their use of single-use disposable plastics and choose reusable alternatives.”