Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Pollution Newsflash: It’s a problem

       Hello it’s Dee again, I am back to share how it went this week at my site: Camp Harbor View! Camp Harbor View is amazing and the staff welcomed my teammates and I with open arms, inviting  us to the many events that they had on site, such as the talent show and lip sync battle. The funny thing is, I’m no stranger to these traditions since I actually attend this camp last year! This made it much easier to get accustomed to how things work and site expectations. I was able to share some of those experiences as a camper with my teammates.
     We all know that plastic pollution is a world-wide problem in our society especially plastic pollution now in the Boston Harbor. if you don’t know already it was a breeding ground for toxic dump in for later but from the work of nonprofit organizations, The harbor is now clean for fishing, boating, and swimming.  Even though the Boston Harbor is the cleanest urban harbor in America, we still have a lot to work to do. There’s still evidence of littering and pollution in the harbor to this day and, quite frankly, it will only continue unless we raise awareness and educate people on the harm of pollution to marine life. Something I learned about the history of the Boston Harbor clean up was when watching a video from 1969 of the harbor. In the video, it trash on all the islands, like a spectacle to enjoy, these islands were piles upon piles of trash and litter and plastic - not a pretty sight.
      Not only is plastic dangerous to marine life, I've learned that plastic pollution in the ocean also heavily affects bird and mammal life as well. When plastic debris is digested into a sea bird it fills the stomach which causes starvation and can lead to death. Plastic bags and netting can get tangled and suffocate sea creatures.  You may be thinking, "well this doesn’t affect me, I’m not a fish." You'd be right. You’re not a fish, but the water in the harbor comes right back to you as drinking water. The water in the harbor enters the water cycle where it can be evaporated and come right back to us in the form of drinking water. However, even if the water in the harbor is clean and drinkable some traces of toxins can still be found. Studies have shown that toxins in the harbor that get in our drinking water can lead to cancer, endocrine disruption, birth defects and more. Bad water can lead to a bad future. Now there are a few ways you and I can help with pollution in the harbor. First, recycling! Reduce, reuse, recycle (a fun tongue twister if you say five times faster). These three simple words can help reduce plastic pollution by a drastic amount.  By simply separating paper, plastic, and cans and recycling reusable material, we can reduce the amount of trash being thrown in the harbor.  But also throw your trash away. I know that the trash bin seems far, but littering has a much greater negative impact on the environment than you might think. Do some research at home to find local organization that are trying to keep the harbor clean and look for ways to get involved. Knowledge on the topic of pollution is a big thing and helps spread the word out to more people.

It was fun talking to you but I got a harbor to save. I hope you follow the steps I’ve showed you and I suggest you do your own research and see how you can Save The Harbor and help keep it clean.

See you next week! -Dee

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