The world’s oceans are a vital source of life, yet their health is endangered by human activities.
Water pollution, overfishing and climate change contribute to the degradation of our oceans and their inhabitants.
Coastal marine cleanups are critical to restoring and preserving our oceans and the species that depend on them. By removing debris, trash and hazardous materials from the water, coastal marine cleanups help protect marine life and reduce the negative impact of human activities.
They also give us a better understanding of the health of our oceans and the species that inhabit them.
In this article, we will explore the impact of marine coastal cleanup and what you need to know about it.
What is marine shoreline cleanup?
Coastal cleanup consists of removing trash and other marine debris from the water. Coastal marine cleanups are limited to the shoreline and fallen or washed ashore objects, and are therefore different from open ocean cleanups. Coastal marine cleanups are especially important because they provide a snapshot of shoreline litter.
By knowing the types of debris found on the coast, we can more accurately assess the effects of human activity on local ecosystems and ecosystems in general.
There are many different types of marine shoreline cleanups, including beach, river and bay cleanups. Beach cleanup is the most common type of marine coastal cleanup. During a beach cleanup, participants remove debris from the water and shoreline and collect data on the items collected.
Beach cleanups are relatively easy to organize and anyone can participate. River and bay cleaning involves the removal of debris from a water source and is more complex, as equipment is needed.
The importance of marine coastal cleanups
As the name implies, marine cleanups are essential to preserve the health of our oceans. Marine cleanups remove trash and other materials that threaten the health of the oceans from the water and shorelines.
In recent decades, the amount of garbage in the world’s oceans has increased dramatically.
According to a report by the Ocean Conservancy, the amount of marine debris has approximately tripled since the 1970s. This is a worrying trend, as marine debris can adversely affect the health and safety of marine life. They can also adversely affect human health and safety and damage important industries, such as fisheries and shipping.
In addition, cleaning up marine debris can be costly and environmentally damaging. A single marine cleanup operation can remove thousands of pounds of trash from the oceans.
3. Effects of marine littoral clean-ups
By removing debris, marine cleanups help protect marine life by reducing the risk of other contaminants, such as chemicals and pathogens, entering the water. Marine cleanups remove trash that can harm marine life by entanglement, ingestion or other means.
By involving the public in marine cleanups, we can encourage long-term conservation efforts that will benefit the health of the oceans. Because humans are naturally curious, we are more likely to participate in conservation activities if we better understand the issues and gain information about the state of the environment.
Marine cleanups help us learn more about the types of debris found in a particular area, the species of fish and other marine life living there, and the overall health of the ecosystem.
This information is critical to understanding the impact of human activities on local ecosystems, which ultimately helps us to better protect the oceans.
Types of waste typically collected
During marine cleanups, participants often collect different types of debris. Beach cleanups often pick up pieces of broken glass, food wrappers, plastic bottles and bags, fishing line, tires and other bicycle or vehicle parts, fishing nets, clothing, shoes and sandals, straws and other plastics. River and bay cleanups collect similar types of waste, but often in different quantities. The amount of waste collected usually depends on the type of area being cleaned.
The benefits of coastal marine cleanups may depend on the type of cleanup performed. Beach cleanups often pick up easily visible debris, such as broken glass and plastic bags. They do not usually collect heavy metals and other hazardous substances, such as fuel and oil, which often wash ashore.
Rivers and bays can collect waste containing harmful substances, such as oil, fuel and harmful chemicals that have been washed into the water. During a bay cleanup, participants can clean a section of the bay with a team of boats equipped with nets to collect debris and other materials. They then collect the waste and take it to a central location, where it is collected and properly disposed of.
Benefits of coastal marine cleanups
Marine cleanups allow us to better understand the effects of human activities on local ecosystems and the state of the environment in general. Marine cleanups help us learn more about the types of debris found in a particular area, the types of fish species and other marine life living there, and the overall health of the ecosystem.
This information can help us better understand the impact of human activities on local ecosystems, which ultimately helps us better protect the oceans.
According to the Ocean Conservancy, coastal cleanups provide us with information on the type, amount and kind of debris collected, as well as the condition of the shoreline. This information is critical to understanding the impact of human activities on local ecosystems, which ultimately helps us to better protect the oceans.
6. Challenges of coastal marine cleanups
While marine cleanups are critical to preserving the health of our oceans, they can also pose certain challenges.
The first major challenge of marine cleanups is finding enough people to participate. For many, cleaning up the oceans is a seemingly impossible task.
The sheer amount of trash in the oceans can be daunting and make people wonder:
“What difference can I make?”. This is an understandable reaction. Although cleaning up the oceans is a huge task, you can make a difference by doing what you can. By participating in a coastal cleanup near you, you can make a significant impact.
Another challenge of marine cleanups is finding the necessary funding to organize them. Marine cleanups require a substantial amount of funds to organize, which are often raised through grants and fundraising. A coastal cleanup usually involves renting boats, purchasing nets, paying for transportation, hiring boat captains, hiring staff to supervise the cleanup, providing refreshments for volunteers, and other expenses.
How to participate in a marine shoreline cleanup
The first step to participating in a marine cleanup is to find one near you. There are several resources that can help you find a cleanup in your area. You can search for coastal cleanups on the Ocean Conservancy’s website or on the Coastal Cleanup Day website.
You can also contact your state’s environmental department to see if they organize coastal cleanups. Once you find a cleanup near you, you can sign up and participate. Participating in a cleanup is an easy way to make a difference and help preserve the health of our oceans.
Examples of successful cleanups of marine shorelines
In 1988, Captain Charles Moore sailed from Hawaii to California and discovered an enormous amount of plastic in the water, now known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Captain Moore’s discovery led to the formation of Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organization dedicated to removing plastic from the world’s oceans. In 2018, Ocean Cleanup completed the largest cleanup operation in history, removing millions of pounds of plastic from the water.
In 1989, a group of New Jersey volunteers collected 5 tons of trash along a 2-mile stretch of coastline. This cleanup is estimated to have saved New Jersey $10 million in potential cleanup costs.
Resources for marine shoreline cleanup
There are many resources available to learn more about the benefits of coastal marine cleanups and how to get involved. You can start by visiting the Ocean Conservancy and Coastal Cleanup Day websites, or by reading this article.
There are also several organizations that organize marine cleanups. A list of cleaning organizations can be found here.
You can also contact your local environmental department to see if they organize coastal cleanups or if they know of organizations that do.
You can also contact the Ocean Conservancy to find an organization near you.
Conclusion
Coastal cleanups are essential to preserve the health of our oceans. They help protect marine life by reducing the risk of other contaminants, such as chemicals and pathogens, entering the water. By participating in a coastal cleanup near you, you can make a significant difference in protecting the health of the oceans. There are many organizations that organize coastal cleanups, so there is no excuse not to participate.