Ocean Pollution article
Subject
Toxic Waste
Boating pollution
Garbage Dumping
Waste water
Cars
Agriculture
General Ways to
protect the ocean
What is it?
Poisonous materials
that are dumped into
the ocean. It’s the most
harmful form of
pollution to sea life and
animals.
Why is it harmful?
When a sea creature
eats a toxic organism
and humans eat that
creature, they can get
sick. Toxic chemicals are
killing fish. Lead is one
of the toxins and it
causes extreme health
effects in humans.
Pollution that comes
The pollution kills
from the boat’s engine
animals due to the
when it is running.
chemicals in the
exhaust from the
engine. Excess gasoline
is released from the
engine and pollutes the
waters, killing animals.
Dumping of harmful
Garbage pollutes the
materials into the ocean ocean and kills plants
(human waste, ground- and animals.
up garbage, water from
bathing, plastics).
Run-off from rainwater Damages the ocean’s
that ends up in rivers,
environment.
lakes, and oceans.
Smoke from a car’s
exhaust ends up being
acid rain.
Use of pesticides and
fertilizers on the land to
help things like crops
grow better.
Acid rain pollutes the
waters and kills fish.
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When it rains, these
chemicals end up in the
ocean killing ocean
plants and animals.
Ways to fix the problem
Recycle as much
garbage as possible so
there is less garbage to
potentially end up in
the ocean.
Only turn a boat engine
on all the way if
needed. Store and
transport gasoline away
from direct sunlight.
Use the cleanest type of
marine engine for your
boat.
None listed in this
section of the article.
Make sure the water
that ends up in the
ocean is clean. Limit the
amount of pollution we
put into the ocean.
Reduce pollution from
cars.
Reduce the amount of
pesticides we use. Buy
organic products that
do not use these
chemicals.
Recycle plastics, dispose
of batteries properly,
use rechargeable
batteries, use less
water, car pool, and
recycle.
Ocean Zone
Sunlight Zone
Twilight Zone/Disphotic Zone
Midnight Zone/Aphhotic Zone
Threats to this Zone and Possible Impacts
Pollution, especially oil pollution. Oil pollution is
typically caused by big ships leaking oil or a ship
crashing and leaking oil into the ocean. Also Global
Warming—it is hurting and killing algae which
reduces the food some fish can eat. When the fish
die from lack of food, it breaks the food chain as
other sea creatures relied on those fish for their
food.
Metals and toxic chemicals. The fish eat the
chemicals and are killed. Other fish that eat these
fish also die.
Anoxic Water that results in little or no dissolved
oxygen in the water. Fish and other sea creatures
cannot breathe and die. Others will migrate away
from the location and this could disrupt the food
chain.