Oceans and the life they sustain are vital to humankind. Unfortunately, overfishing, climate change, and pollution threaten these habitats.

The oceans are one connected body of salt water that covers more than 70 percent of the Earth, and we depend on these waters for human survival. They influence everything from the weather to the food supply to the health of seaside communities. Yet, we are the greatest offenders when it comes to pollution.

The oceans are also teeming with creatures that are critical to our ecosystems. Fish, dolphins, squid, octopuses, eels, and whales populate the open ocean, while lobsters, starfish, oysters, crabs, and snails scurry about the ocean bottom. Mammals like walruses, otters, and polar bears depend on the ocean for their survival as well. Coral reefs are a biome of colorful activity found in shallow, tropical waters.

All areas of the ocean are impacted by human activities. Lost or discarded nets, spilled oil and garbage, runoff, and sewage are all creating dead zones in the oceans. Excess carbon dioxide turns ocean waters acidic, and freshwater from melted glaciers will alter the weather-driving currents.

Heartbreaking Ocean Pollution Facts

Scientists estimate how much floating garbage is out there, but not even oceanographers can tell us exactly how much – the oceans are just too big. In 2002, Nature magazine reported that, “…during the 1990s, debris in the waters near Britain doubled; in the Southern Ocean encircling Antarctica the increase was a hundredfold. And depending on where they sample, oceanographers have found that between 60 and 95 percent of today’s marine debris is made of plastic.”

Where does all this garbage come from?

Plastic and other garbage enters the ocean when people throw it from ships, leave it in the path of the tide, when rivers carry it there, or when sewage systems and storm drains overflow. In spite of the Ocean Dumping Reform Act, “…the US still releases more than 850 billion gallons of untreated sewage and storm runoff every year,” according to a 2004 EPA report.

This problem is significant because plastics do not degrade in seawater. Rather, they accumulate daily, and, thanks to ocean currents, the plastics travel thousands of miles.

As of April of 2017, scientists estimated that about 19 billion pounds of garbage are currently present in the world’s oceans.

“We’re being overwhelmed by our waste,” said Jenna Jambeck, an environmental engineer who led the 2015 study that determined this staggering number. According to Jambeck, ocean waste amounts will double by 2025 unless we do something on a global scale to reduce ocean waste.

Plastics are the top type of garbage found in the ocean. Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit that organizes an annual coastal cleanup event in more than 150 countries worldwide, estimate that plastic debris makes up around 85 percent of all the trash collected from beaches, waterways and oceans.

Because plastics don’t biodegrade, they simply break down into smaller and smaller pieces as they are exposed to sunlight. These microplastics are shorter than 5 millimeters long, and some are microbeads.

The United Nations Environment Program note that, “…there could be as many as 51 trillion microplastic particles in our seas.” What is particularly alarming is the five, enormous swirling garbage convergences called “gyres”. These large garbage islands are the subject of new and innovative ocean cleaning efforts and technology.

One of the most troublesome sources of ocean garbage is litter from single-use plastic products ― plastic bags in particular. These plastics are threatening at least 600 marine life species, including leatherback turtles, whales, and seabirds. These animals mistake the plastics for food and cannot digest them, and the plastics eventually kill the animals.

People need to be educated about how widespread ocean pollution is and how it not only affects marine life, but people and the environment as well.

For example:

Pollution is one of the biggest global killers, affecting over 100 million people. Over 1 million seabirds and 100,000 sea mammals are killed by pollution every year. The Mississippi River carries an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of nitrogen pollution into the Gulf of Mexico each year, creating a “dead zone” in the Gulf each summer. 40% of the freshwater lakes in the US are too polluted for fishing, aquatic life, or swimming. 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, storm water, and industrial waste are dumped into US water every year. In 2010, recycling and composting prevented 85 million tons of pollution. Cleanups can save animals lives and discourage people from littering in the future. Cleaning up Ocean Pollution

It is critical that we, as residents on this planet, join together to fight ocean trash. There are multiple agencies, nonprofits, and corporations who are joining the fight, and we can support them.

The International Coastal Cleanup organization started more than 30 years ago, when communities came together to collect and document the trash along their Texas coastlines.

The organization connected with the Texas General Land Office, local businessmen and women, and other ocean-lovers, and planned what would be Ocean Conservancy’s first Cleanup. Volunteers didn’t just pick up trash; they recorded each item collected on a data card in order to help find ways to eradicate ocean trash moving forward.

The Cleanup has grown vastly in 30 years. Volunteers from states and territories across the US and more than 100 countries participate in a Cleanup event every year.

Renee Tuggle, the Texas State Coordinator for the International Coastal Cleanup, said, “What I have learned from the Cleanup experience, is that even though the Cleanup started in Texas with a small number of 2,800 volunteers… it has grown into a massive cleanup that involves both national and international volunteers all pitching in for the same common goal of cleaning up our coastal waters and taking care of our beaches. I am proud to be a part of this global movement and I appreciate all of the help and support I get from the Ocean Conservancy staff.”

At a former naval air station in Alameda, California, across the bay from San Francisco, workers are welding a football field length black tube together. It is a single piece of a larger system designated to attack the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Boyan Slat, the innovator behind the idea, presented his science at a TEDx talk and The Ocean Cleanup idea began. At just 18-years-old, Slat had discovered that cleaning up microplastics and microbeads currently in the ocean could take almost 80,000 years. Now, his organization is poised to clean up a huge majority of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in just five years.

There are also things individuals or small groups can do to help:Be conscious of your energy use at home and work. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, take the stairs, and avoid oversetting your thermostat.When you are grocery shopping or dining out, reduce the demand for overexploited species by choosing sustainably sourced seafood.Plastics kill tens of thousands of marine animals every year. Carry a reusable water bottle, use cloth totes for shopping, and always recycle whenever possible.Always clean up after yourself and participate in a beach cleanup. Explore the ocean but don’t interfere with wildlife or remove rocks and coral.Avoid buying items like coral jewelry, tortoiseshell hair accessories, and shark products.Read pet food labels and consider seafood sustainability when choosing food for your pet. Don’t stock your aquarium with wild-caught saltwater fish, and never release aquarium fish into natural bodies of water.Consider giving financial support or offering your time at volunteering.Research the ocean conservation positions of public officials before voting. Patronize restaurants and markets that offer only sustainable seafood.Practice responsible kayaking, boating, kayaking, and other activities on the water. Don’t ever litter and be aware of marine life in the water.The more you learn about this critical system, the more you can share that knowledge to educate others.The threats to our ocean ecosystems seem overwhelming. The oceans experience pollution, overfishing, climate change, and other issues. How can we make a difference as individuals? We can make a big difference starting here:Learn about the ocean and how you impact the ecosystem. Read about conservancy and restoration – and then share what you have learned.Reduce your family’s use of chemicals. Use fertilizer minimally, buy organic fruits and veggies, and choose non-toxic cleaning products.Trash doesn’t disappear. Moving water can carry loose trash to the ocean.Invest in reusable bags, beverage cups, and non-plastic containers. Always recycle.Never litter and be a part of the solution by participating in beach cleanups.Only buy products that you can guarantee were sustainably harvested. Demand sustainable seafood at the grocery store and in at favorite dining spots.On this little blue planet, we are but one species and we are the most dangerous to all the others. Our oceans and sea life are not replaceable. We can and must do our part to clean, conserve, and improve the conditions in our planet’s oceans.Without the oceans, we put our lives in jeopardy. Let’s do the smart thing and take care of our oceans.

Environment is an essential part of our life. A clean environment is necessary for a peaceful and healthy life. An environment is the natural surroundings which helps human beings, animals and other living things to grow and develop naturally. But nowadays, our environment is disturbing in many different ways. Any type of disturbance in the nature’s balance affects the environment totally. It does not only ruin human lives but also affects on all living beings. We can save our environment with the little step taken by everyone on the earth. We should reduce the amount of waste, throwing wastes properly to its place only…and many other simple ways. It is very important to save environment for human existence. When we protect the environment, we are protecting ourselves and our future as well.
=> Bài dịch:
Môi trường là một phần thiết yếu trong cuộc sống của chúng ta. Một môi trường sạch rất cần thiết cho một cuộc sống yên bình và khỏe mạnh. Môi trường là khu vực tự nhiên xung quanh giúp con người, động vật và những sinh vật sống khác lớn lên và phát triển một cách tự nhiên. Nhưng hiện nay, môi trường của chúng ta đang bị rối loạn bằng nhiều cách khác nhau. Bất cứ hình thức làm rối loạn sự cân bằng tự nhiên nào cũng đều ảnh hưởng đến toàn bộ môi trường. Điều này không chỉ phá hủy cuộc sống của con người mà còn ảnh hường đến tất cả mọi sinh vật sống. Chúng ta có thể bảo vệ môi trường của chúng ta bằng các hành động nhỏ của mọi người trên Trái Đất. Chúng ta nên giàm lượng rác thải, chỉ bỏ rác đúng nơi quy định… và nhiều cách đơn giản khác. Bảo vệ môi trường cho sự sinh tồn của nhân loại là điều rất quan trọng. Khi chúng ta bảo vệ môi trường, chúng ta đang bảo vệ chính bản thân mình và cả tương lai của chúng ta nữa.

Since several environmental problems have been caused by humans’ forces, we need to act responsibly to reduce the damage that we are doing to the Earth. This essay will explain environmental problems and what governments and individuals can do to address these problems.

Two of the threats to the environment are air pollution and waste. Global warming, which is well-known as a global issue because of its devastating effect on the environment, is a result of gas emissions from factories and exhaust fumes from vehicles. In addition, the increase in human population comes along with a huge quantity of waste, which contaminates the earth and pollutes rivers and oceans.

On one hand, governments could reduce air pollution in many ways. First, they could introduce laws to put a limit on factories’ gas emissions or force companies to use renewable energy in production. Second, they could also innovate the public transport system to become more convenient and greener. In this way, governments can encourage people to take public transport instead of driving, therefore reducing emissions.

On the other hand, individuals should also be responsible to lower down pollution levels in their surroundings. They can take buses and subways or other means of public transportation rather than driving, which could reduce the number of exhaust fumes from vehicles. Also, people should purchase reusable products and recycle as much as possible to avoid releasing too much waste. For example, Vietnamese people are recommended to use reusable or paper bags when going shopping instead of plastic bags to cut down on plastic bags consumption.
In conclusion, both national governments and individuals must understand the harmful impact they have on the environment and be responsible to ease the damage.

Today, as society develops, environmental issues are becoming more and more important, affecting the lives and health of the people. On the mass media daily, we can easily capture images, information about the environment is polluted. Despite the call for environmental protection, pollution has become increasingly severe. So, we have to fight and act together to protect our environment.

Environment is essential for human life. The environment provides people with living conditions, such as breathing, eating, living ... Without such conditions people can not live, survive and develop. When living, working and studying in a good environment, the atmosphere is fresh and cool ... then we will feel more comfortable and happy, help us understand and absorb the broad issue. At the same time helps us relax and comfort after hours, learning tired, full of stress and difficulty ... ..

But it can be said that man is gradually taking his life. To grow our economy, to satisfy our bottomless greed, people cut down the forest indiscriminately, taking away fresh air and the green environment of all of us, making the environment the school is seriously polluted and flooding; Simultaneously mining underground minerals; prevent the flow of water to generate electricity; Discharging waste gas into the environment creates dust clouds and further disrupts the ozone layer, causing acid rain to destroy trees, eroding the structure ... If so, let the pollution Gas will cause global warming and global climate. At the same time, industrial effluents, human activities, fertilizers, pesticides ... in fields flow into rivers that pollute water sources and many people drink water from those places, also causing pollution infectious soil environment more and more disease ...

What are we doing with our environment?

This is due to the lack of awareness of many people. Many people think that what they do is too small, not enough to harm the environment. Others say that environmental protection is the responsibility of the government, not the government. Others think that environmental pollution has nothing to do with being non-trivial, and that environmental pollution does not affect much. Some other causes of environmental pollution are irresponsible business. With the goal of maximizing profits, many businesses have violated the mining process, causing serious environmental pollution. In addition, the lack of strict control over the state's environmental protection has also supported continuous environmental damage; Due to the speed of industrialization and urbanization, there are many other reasons, but no one else is the only one who is destroying his living environment.

The sea is seriously polluted

The environment is mainly polluted by humans. Each of us either accidentally or unintentionally pollutes our environment. To ensure sustainable development, people should live in harmony with the environment, protect and preserve the environment clean.

We all know that environmental protection is not a task or a "job" but a sense of responsibility for everyone and everyone on earth. Each of us must know how to protect one's life. To do so, we must be aware of the responsibility of protecting the environment, which is also the protection of our lives.

Waste must be carefully treated, should not be disposed of indiscriminately, pollute the atmosphere and lose their eyes. At the same time, the centers of factories, factories, industrial parks, industrial clusters ... must take measures to treat the waste gas before discharging directly into the environment. Noxious gases are a risk to human health and life. Next, each of us must consciously plant many trees, make fresh air and improve the shape of the country. All levels of government must strengthen communication, education, awareness raising on environmental protection of the people.

Let's find a green, clean and beautiful world

We should continue to work to protect and clean the environment with better and more practical measures. Serious and serious sanctions must be imposed on individuals, organizations and agencies that commit acts of damaging the environment and affecting the lives of people. In addition, we need to organize meetings on environmental issues in administrative units in wards, communes ... Write clear environmental articles in the textbook right from the level. Elementary school, help students

The classroom is a place where we play and learn so protecting it is something every student must know. So what do we need to do to keep it clean. First we need to clean, sweep the house, wipe the table cleaning table ..., next we should not throw garbage indiscriminately, but throw it in the trash. Put more trees in the classroom to keep it cool and educate your friends about how to stay clean in class. I criticize some of you for not knowing how to keep your classroom clean. The above actions can help us to protect the environment in which we study in a cool, hygienic way so that we always learn to keep a happy spirit in every class.

 School is a place where we learn, have fun, and have fun. Of course we also have a responsibility to protect and preserve this place. First the simplest thing we need is to not litter the school yard or classroom indiscriminately.After that, all you need to do is propagate to everyone to keep the school clean and beautiful.You can also make suggestions to your teacher or school about the planting of trees and chandeliers in the school yard.Finally, you and the others need to follow the rules, not picking flowers or trees.Let's strive for a green, clean and beautiful school environment!!!

chúc bn hok tốt 

My name is Thảo.  I am in class 7C. I think I can suggest some ways to make my school greener, cleaner and more beautiful. Firstly I will encourage students to go to school by bike or bus. It will be very friendly to the environment. Next, I will talk to teachers at school about putting recycling bins in every classroom. We can reuse or sell the things in these bins. Finally, I will organize the secondhand item exchange festival where students can swap their old items with their friends instead of throwing them away. These activities may not be very big, but they may contribute a good, green part to the environment, precisely here is our school.

Help me!!!