According to the IPBES biodiversity loss summary report, pollution is one of the top drivers of biodiversity globally. Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change.
One example of pollution in Florida is marine plastic pollution. According to researchers from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, between 69 and 95% of the ocean trash,found between 2015 and 2017 from Texas to Florida, was plastic.
Worldwide, roughly a garbage truck full of plastic gets dumped into Earth’s oceans every minute.
Pieces of plastic, large and small can harm wildlife and pose a direct risk to nearly 700 species in the ocean.
Luckily, there are ways you can reduce your plastic footprint. Visit www.plasticaware.org to learn how.
Another example of pollution in Florida and worldwide is nutrient pollution, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus.
Excess amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus can feed and cause rapid formation of large algae blooms that kill fish, birds and marine mammals. This type of pollution stems from many sources including stormwater runoff, fertilizer runoff, septic tanks, and/or faulty wastewater systems.
To learn what you can do to personally reduce nutrient pollution, visit: 8 Ways to Reduce Personal Nutrient Pollution
Next: Climate Change