Every year, as the amount of plastic in the ocean increases, the number of marine animals continues to decrease. Recent studies have shown that ocean plastic pollution is contributing to the decline of sea turtles, putting them closer to extinction. Sea turtles are considered to be a vital part of marine ecosystems because they maintain balance. According to other studies that have been performed, about 52 percent of sea turtles have ingested plastic debris. This has led to plastic pollution being one of the biggest threats that sea turtles face today. In about 22 percent of cases, ingesting plastic has led to ruptured internal organs or fatal intestinal blockages. Scientists have predicted that by the year 2050, the amount of plastic will outweigh the amount of fish in the ocean. Currently around the world there are many solutions that are being created to try and attempt to address this problem, while some solutions to address this issue currently exist. In 2022, 175 nations agreed to sign a binding plastic treaty, which aims to end plastic pollution. Some ways that we can contribute to making a change in this issue include reducing the amount of single use plastic that we use in our everyday lives, properly dispose of waste, and picking up plastic that we may come across.
https://www.seaturtlestatus.org/sea-turtles-plastic-pollution
Writing About the Environment 