TED Talks: Charles Moore: Seas of plastic
Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales, and other marine mammals, and more than 1 million seabirds die each year from ocean pollution and ingestion or entanglement in marine debris. Marine debris is manmade waste that is directly or indirectly disposed of in oceans, rivers, and other waterways.
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What is the global cost of littering?
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Litter cleanup costs the U.S. almost $11.5 billion each year, with businesses paying $9.1 billion. Governments, schools, and other organizations pick up the remainder.
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The UK’s Billion Pound Epidemic:
According to a Telegraph article the UK spends out more than one billion pounds a year on controlling and maintaining its rubbish. It blames the so-called ‘throwaway culture’ and since the 60's figures show that the country has endured a 500% litter increase
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Beijing (AsiaNews) - The average direct cost of pollution in the past ten years has been US$ 175 billion per year, a government study found. The actual numbers could be even higher since the aforementioned figure does not take into account pollution-related deaths and health costs.
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One estimate is that plastic pollution alone could be costing developing and industrialised nations up to $1.27 Billion annually as it threatens fishing, shipping and tourism.
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Plastic Waste Causes Financial Damage of US$13 Billion to Marine Ecosystems Each Year as Concern Grows over Microplastics.
About 85% of littering behavior is the result of individual attitudes.
How long does trash last?
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1,000,000 years
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How much debris enters the ocean? 6.4 million metric tons (equivalent to approximately 14 billion pounds) of trash per year enters the ocean.
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Litterbugs hurt and kill animals globally.
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Around 69,000 animals are treated by vets each year for litter related injuries and around 100,000 marine mammals and turtles die each year as a result of marine litter.
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Human Heath: Plastic is breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces and entering the food chain and releasing chemicals into the fish that eat them.
Litterbugs have an environmental impact globally.
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Litter has environmental consequences. Debris may be carried by storm drains into local waterways, with potential for serious environmental contamination.
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Trash is more than just an eyesore; it can contaminate your drinking water and threaten the lives of all who depend on it.
