Costa Rica is worldwide known for its beautiful beaches and seas. The biodiversity of marine species proudly enjoyed by the country is incredible, from hundreds of species of fish to dolphins, sharks, rays and various species of turtles that for hundreds of years have visited the Costa Rican coasts every year to spawn on the beaches and perpetuate the species. These maritime wonders, of which not every nation can boast so easily, are in great danger, and that danger is the human beings and the industrial development that comes with them. Of all the pollutants generated by man, undoubtedly the plastic is the one that represents the greatest danger for the wonders of the seas and oceans, and also to the survival of thousands of marine species.
According to different studies, it is estimated that every second more than 200 kilos of plastic is dumped in the seas and oceans of the world, more than 8 million tons per year. It is also estimated that in the seas and oceans there are between 5 and 50 billion microplastics, some of these residues can degrade and disappear in just six months, but others will take several hundred years. Every day, in Costa Rica about 110 tons of plastic are deposited on the beaches and rivers of the country. That is the Costa Rican contribution to the 270,000 tons of waste that is floating in the seas around the world.
An enemy present in almost any product around us
since the beginning of a day, when a person wakes up and uses the toothbrush, when eating breakfast and opening food containers, until buying a bottle of water or discarding an empty container of detergent, daily consumption of plastic worldwide is unparalleled. This miraculous invention of the human being, despite its unquestionable practicality and versatility, is a monstrous pollutant that threatens to consume the entire world, beginning with rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans.
In the past 40 years around 52 percent of the world’s wildlife has disappeared, and if we continue to dump plastic into the world’s oceans, this number is set to increase exponentially. But, even if humans are the reason for this tragedy, we are also are the only hope for this problem. We can all help turn the tides for marine animals.
So, if you want to stand up for the world’s marine animals, the best way to start is changing your personal habits. Check out these four ways you can help save marine species now!
1 Say yes to reusable products!
Check your daily routine, how many products and plastic containers do you daily trash? Think of all those water bottles, food packages, bags, and other plastics that you discard continuously. There is a very simple alternative and you can even save with it! Instead of acquiring and throwing away a large number of disposable plastic products every day, choose the reusable ones! For example, instead of buying bottled water, get a nice thermos that you can fill with your favorite drinks without generating more garbage!
2 Avoid Synthetic Fabrics
Did you know synthetic clothing and materials are derived from plastic? Rayon, polyester and nylon fabrics are made of thousands of tiny, plastic microfibers. Although these garments are versatile and easy to clean, they leach plastic fibers every time they go through the washing machine. Nearly 1,900 microfibers are released from a single synthetic garment every single time you wash it! According to ecologist Mark Browne, worldwide, around 100,000 marine animals accidentally consume plastics, like microfibers, spreading toxins through the ecosystem.
3 Join the trend of eco-bags for the supermarket
Instead of the pile of disposable plastic bags that gorge you in supermarkets, better choose the ecological bags that have been the favorites of all those who seek to help save the planet. Apart from being organic, these beautiful bags of biodegradable and reusable fabrics have a wide variety of models, designs, and presentations; you can choose the one you like the most!
4 Search for biodegradable containers
The biggest number of plastic pollution came through the daily consumption of food and other products in plastic containers. Even if the easier way is going to the shop and buying the first or the cheaper product that you see, you can help to save sea life and biodiversity searching for the products in biodegradable containers, there is a lot of different possibilities you can choose to save the planet!
You already saw how easy is start to change daily habits that increase plastic pollution. A chose between a plastic or an eco-bag for your visits to the market, or a nice thermo to drink your favorite beverage can make a small difference, but if everyone makes this apparently small changes in their life, the world will be a better place for everyone, including all that species of animals that plastic contamination is destroying in our seas and oceans. Costa Rica is well known as a country that cares about ecology; let’s keep showing the word what ticos are capable of to help the world!