I'm Done With Letting The Planet Die, And You Should Be Too | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

I'm Done With Letting The Planet Die, And You Should Be Too

We need our planet, so keeping it alive would be great.

105
I'm Done With Letting The Planet Die, And You Should Be Too
Hermes Rivera

Alright, guys, so we have a problem.

This February, a juvenile sperm whale was found dead off the coast of Murcia, Spain, after ingesting over 64 pounds of plastic debris. After a necropsy was performed, it was released that the whale had netting, ropes, trash bags and a drum in its stomach and intestines. The amount that the whale had ingested was so large that it couldn’t be properly expelled. It was also reported that the inner walls of the whale’s abdomen were inflamed due to infection likely caused by the litter.

You can read all about it, here.

In 2016, over 30 sperm whales had been found dead in a three-month period around the coasts of the U.K., France, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands. Of these whales, 13 of them ended up in Germany, four of them having ingested a large amount of plastic litter and debris that we, humans, have dumped into the ocean. The litter included things like a plastic car engine cover, and a 43-foot-long shrimp fishing net.

Here’s the article expanding upon this.

According to a published study in 2014, at the time over 5 trillion pieces of trash were in the world’s oceans. That was over four years ago, and the number continues to grow. Plastic production is estimated to quadruple by the time we hit 2050. Take a minute to process that, because I know it took me at least that long.

How did we let this happen?

I’ve always believed in green living and promoting a healthy environment. Keeping the earth clean is absolutely essential to the health, success and happiness of nature and the almost 7.5 billion people that live on it. I recycle, use as conveniently little waste as I can and keep up-to-date with environmental news. But I’ve never donated money to businesses dedicated to green living, I’ve never volunteered to clean up the beaches and I haven’t supported organizations created to clean up the earth.

After reading about these whales, though, I think it’s about time I started—and I challenge you to do the same thing.

It’s horrific that people—that we—have spent ages on earth, use its water, swim in its oceans, love its food and the many natural beauties that our planet has to offer, and yet we still take advantage of it. It’s selfish. And not only is it selfish, it’s stupid! Yes, we can reuse natural water (to an extent) and we can grow more trees. But we can’t un-waste something. We have to wait for things like plastic to decompose, and did you know that plastic can take up to 1,000 years to do so? We’re producing, selling and throwing away plastic so much faster than it takes to go away, and that’s not okay.

We have to do something about it.

This is where you, my audience, do your part. This is where you do your research—don’t just read my article, keep up with environmental news, too. Find a local organization or club to volunteer with. Clean up not just your beaches, but your roads, your communities and anything you have access to. If you have the funds, donate! Do anything except nothing.

We need our planet, so keeping it alive would be great.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times Michael Scott's Life Was Worse Than Your Life

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

602
Michael Scott
NBC

Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

15570
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

3198
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments