Introduction
Over the years, plastic pollution has been a central concern for many environmentalists. From 1959 to 2015, with billions of tons of plastic produced, only 9% was recycled, leaving the remaining 91% to go to waste and be stored in landfills and oceans (Rhodes, 2018). The current situation affects animals severely.
One direct effect on animals is habitat pollution, which causes deaths among species. It is common in modern times to find dead bodies of ocean animals on the beach due to the high mortality rate from toxins and chemicals from plastic. The current alarming rate of pollution can have dramatic consequences for global ecology. However, the issue can be addressed and the presence of plastic reduced if action is taken now.
Restoration Plan
The plastic reduction plan should encompass two primary objectives: reducing consumption and mitigating ocean pollution. Different approaches have been taken to clean the ocean and reduce consumption behavior. At least 28 international policies were signed by country members of International Coalitions, such as the United Nations, to reduce plastic consumption. Many states have also focused on specific bans, including levies or taxes on pollution (Schmaltz et al., 2020).
Another effort was made to change social behavior, such as reviewing the consumption of single-use plastic bags (Schmaltz et al., 2020). However, local challenges hinder these efforts to change consumer behavior. Environmentalists often lack sufficient resources and tools to effectively aggregate their beliefs in the political arena, and as a result, these issues are frequently overlooked.
The proposed restoration plan aims to influence behavior and to impact the collection and prevention of ocean pollution. Firstly, the consumption behavior can be improved through raising awareness. Awareness and responsibility for pollution can be promoted through formal and informal means, such as TV shows, newspapers, or special environmental campaigns (Prata et al., 2019). Education plays a crucial role in explaining the effects of plastic pollution and in implementing new behavioral methods to reduce double packaging, such as using eco-friendly bags or water containers.
Secondly, there is a need to implement standards for water, sewage, and any other infrastructure directly connected to the ocean. These sewage systems should implement new technologies, such as sand filters and air barriers (Schmaltz et al., 2020). This will prevent pollution from spreading and enable clean water to enter the oceans.
After the prevention is complete, the next stage will be the continuous collection of waste in the filter and its subsequent repurposing. Two strategies can be implemented: recycling and landfilling (Schmaltz et al., 2020). Despite recycling being the most efficient way, it requires a vast amount of resources and budget allocations.
Landfilling on its own is not a compromising or sustainable solution, but it can help mitigate the immediate impact of pollution. This solution can be implemented only through international and national recognition, explicitly targeting the largest polluters, such as China and the USA (Rhodes, 2018). At this point, pollution mitigation and its prevention should stand at the center of the environmental approach.
Time Frame
The time frame for the given project can be developed through two main periods: short-term and long-term results. The short-term timeframe is defined as 1 to 2 years after implementation, while the long-term timeframe requires at least a decade to observe the change. The short-term result can be achieved through water waste collection and prevention, as described in the second method. Although implementing the strategy can take time through discussion and building processes, the impact will be immediate. Plastic will be prevented from polluting and collected immediately in real-time, while its repurposing can be decided on the spot as well.
The long-term solution lies in changing social behavior and increasing awareness. Education campaigns and raising awareness may not have an immediate impact, but their results can be observed in reduced plastic consumption over time. In this sense, a similar campaign aimed at raising awareness can mitigate the effects of plastic pollution for several decades, while a short-term solution will tackle the issue in real-time. There are no specific time frames for the given issue, as plastic pollution accumulates over years of plastic consumption, making it hard to predict the exact period of resolution. However, both long-term and short-term actions should be implemented simultaneously to achieve better results and a more efficient approach to working.
End Goal
The ultimate goal of the given restoration method is to have a clean ocean and healthier marine wildlife. The significance of clean water lies in its fundamental contribution to the global ecological situation. As the ocean is one of the most significant parts of the Earth, its pollution prevention stands crucial for ecology lobbyists. As a result of these described actions, society should be more aware of their individual actions and contribution to pollution, as well as the impact it will have on their behavior in consuming plastic in everyday life.
As for prevention and collection, the technology and method should be discussed in the international discourse on how exactly the approach will be implemented in the diverse national politics of different states. The budget and resource allocation, as well as the overall national political situation, should be reevaluated from the perspective of the likelihood of accepting the given strategy. Still, both parts of a strategy will result in a restored state of marine wildlife and a healthier ecological situation on Earth.
References
Prata, J. C., Silva, A. L. P., da Costa, J. P., Mouneyrac, C., Walker, T. R., Duarte, A. C., & Rocha-Santos, T. (2019). Solutions and integrated strategies for the control and mitigation of plastic and microplastic pollution. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(13), 2411.
Rhodes C. J. (2018). Plastic pollution and potential solution. Science Progress, 101(3), 207-260.
Schmaltz E., Melvin E.C., Diana Z., Gunady E.F., Rittschof D., Somarelli J.A., Virdin J., Dunphy-Daly M.J. (2020). Plastic pollution solutions: Emerging technologies to prevent and collect marine plastic pollution, Environment International, 144, 106067.