22SU_BI101B-SM-Explorations in Biology

I never thought about how we could also be ingesting chemicals from plastic. I think some ways we could prevent pollution is being more conscious about our waste, and find substitutes for plastic and other common waste.

I think it is often easy for us to overlook how plastic affects wildlife because once we throw it away we do not think about the consequences of using it or where the plastic may end up. Simple things such as recycling plastics, buying recycled products, and learning about more ways to help protect the environment.

I knew the impact that plastic has on marine animals, but I never thought about how it could affect the habitats as well. I think we should definitely be more conscious about our waste and make an effort to recycle more as we usually just throw everything in the garbage.

I think we need to raise the fines for littering on beaches and have lifeguards keep an eye out as well to keep people accountable. I know some people have beach cleanup days, but I think if those were a lot more frequent and perhaps involved deep sea divers that could help clean up the litter that has already made it into the ocean that would make a difference too. I think if we could possibly step away from plastic altogether, ocean life would benefit greatly and probably the environment as whole as well.

This is a super interesting and important topic in my opinion. Some places have a problem with radioactivity, which leaks into the surrounding water. This has actually created mutations within the species living in and drinking from the water.

I think as a society we could use a lot less plastic. I am happy that I see most people using reusable water bottles and paper straws nowadays. I think small changes such as not buying plastic water bottles could make a big change over time. I also think that the government could offer more incentives to encourage people to recycle.

Thank you for this presentation—it’s always important to highlight the effects of pollution on our ecosystem. I actually recently traveled to Boston and was really impressed at the efforts the city is making to minimize excess plastic waste. They charged a $.05 tax if you chose to use a plastic bag from the store and almost every business used sustainable alternatives to plastic. It really made me consider how both I personally could minimize my plastic waste and how our communities could implement policies that would incentivize less waste.

I knew of the environmental implications of plastic pollution, but I never knew just how much it was found in wildlife. The fact that it’s found in more than 80% of all turtles is painful to know…

Was a great visual presentation that makes me want to recycle more and clean up after others that leave behind.