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Rapture Christ Newsletter |
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Plastic pollution in our oceans is
a serious issue. One hundred years ago, most of the waste in our rivers
was biodegradable, but that is no longer our case. All this waste
eventually ends up in our sea. The vast increase in the usage
of plastic in our daily lives has led to its heavy contamination in our
oceans. About ten million tons of plastic end up in our oceans every
year. The biggest reason why plastic is dangerous is that it is
non-biodegradable or near so. According to the latest research, it takes
more than 450 years for plastic to degrade; all the while it causes more
and more damage to our environment. Over 100 million marine animals are
killed each year due to plastic debris in the oceans. The first to get affected are immense
marine mammals such as whales. Many large marine animals such as whales
and seabirds can damage their digestive system and can even choke on
plastic pieces. Not only this, but there have been fatalities of marine
animals as a result of malnutrition, starvation, suffocation, infection,
drowning, and entanglement. The animals most affected by plastic pollution
are: •
Fish:
In
oceans facing plastic pollution, fish die due to ingestion of plastic that
gets trapped in gills, or is eaten
and causes intestinal injury. Ultimately, it is transferred up the food
chain to larger marine mammals. •
Sea turtles: They
mistake plastic pieces for food and upon ingestion to face the problem of
blockage in the gut, ulceration, internal perforation, and even death. A
current study shows that half of the sea turtles worldwide have ingested
plastic. •
Seabirds: Plastic
ingestion reduces their stomach storage capacity and eventually leads to
their starvation followed by death. •
Stellar Sea lion: Plastic
entanglement serves as a threat to this near extinction marine animal. This plastic is indirectly
affecting human lives also. When plastic debris remains in the oceans for
a long time it starts absorbing dangerous pollutants such as DDT,
PAH, and PCBs. These pollutants are highly toxic and some of their
chronic effects include endocrine disruption, mutations, and causing
cancer. When animals eat this plastic the toxins are ultimately
passed up the food chain and it could appear on your dinner plate soon. When plastic degrades in the
ocean… it breaks up into little pieces. These fragments release a
dangerous chemical toxin Bisphenol A (BPA) which can most likely enter the
food web when ingested by fish. A recent study shows that a quarter of
fish in the markets of California contained plastic, in the form of
microfibers in their guts. Plastic pollution also adds a
burden on the economy of the nation because millions of dollars are spent
for beach cleanups and damage to fishing and aquaculture industries.
Tourism is also affected. Nowadays, beaches and oceans are used as
landfills and some major tourist destinations are now littered with
plastic garbage. Kamilo beach, on a remote corner of Hawaii, is now known
as Plastic beach because of all the plastic debris littering its shores.
The oceans too present a similar picture; the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
is the largest landfill that floats in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It
is further divided into the eastern and western garbage patch. It is high time measures are
taken by the authorities to reduce or prevent further increase in plastic
pollution in our oceans. It is the responsibility of all of us to play a
role in preventing further accumulation of plastic in our sea. Otherwise,
the mighty oceans will die and so will we. Remember that oceanic plankton
produces the oxygen we use. Also, we
cannot live without oxygen. |
Find in the Holy Bile our purpose. It is to give glory to the creator of us. He worked six days and rested on the seventh one. Well, He did put Adam in the Garden of Eden OK, so what was Adam to do? He was to dress it and to keep it. God wants us to be good Steward of what He has given us. God gave the human race the responsibility to be caretakers over His unique creation. God’s planted the the garden of Eden. His divine command was for Adam to tend and take care of it.
Genesis 2:15 Instead we have turned earth into a ruin. Just look at the dying oceans. Basically, they are full of plastics and we are responsible for destroying what God gave us.
Revelation 11:18 Think of God as your father in heaven who loves you. If your father gives you a valuable gift... how will He feel if you trash it? God probably saw Adam as a disobedient insolent son. Let us work hard to do the will of our master.
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