Fourth, the oceans provide jobs; for example ocean tourism. Healthy marine habitats help protect these tourist areas from complete destruction due to heavy storms. And last, the oceans are shared. Some enjoy the oceans for recreation while others depend on it for life survival (for food for example). As the oceans are so important, it is necessary to explore our effects on them. .
Focusing on the visible aspects of marine debris we see in the ocean, today, we have succumbed our oceans to destruction. The pollution seen in the ocean is a result of human rubbish that is discarded which then proceeds to float in the ocean. "Nearly ninety percent of floating marine litter is plastic-supple durable materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene, Styrofoam, nylon and saran3". Plastic waste in the form of plastic bags and six pack rings present great danger to marine life. For example, because of plastic waste, marine life can be threatened by entanglement, suffocation and ingestion. Fishermen use fishing nets that are usually made of plastic, if they are left or lost in the ocean they can entangle fish, sea turtles, crabs etc. This could cause starvation, infection, restriction of movement and suffocation. Much of the marine life ingests the plastic that they cannot break down in their stomachs. A real life story told by a wildlife biologist provides perspective on the harsh reality animals have to deal with. "The bird was flopped on its belly, its legs splayed awkwardly. Its wings drooped in the hot sun. A few hours later, the chick was dead. John Klavitter, a wildlife biologist, turned the bird over and cut it open with a knife. Probing its innards with a gloved hand, he pulled out a yellowish sac-its stomach. Out tumbled a collection of red, blue and orange bottle caps, a black spray nozzle, part of a green comb, a white gold tee and a clump of tiny dark squid beaks ensnared in a tangle of finishing line3".
