Plastic Pollution: A Growing Threat to Sea Turtles and Our Ocean
Plastic pollution poses a serious threat to sea turtles and the health of our environment. Each morning, the tide delivers a new wave of marine debris—balloons, bags, fishing gear, and other trash. Much of this pollution comes from litter left behind by beachgoers, which is swept into the ocean and adds to the growing crisis.
Sea turtles often mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish, one of their natural food sources. Ingesting plastic can lead to internal injuries, starvation, and even death. Protecting sea turtles starts with keeping our beaches clean and reducing plastic waste before it ever reaches the water.
Junk Washing Up!
Every day, the shoreline is littered with a steady stream of debris—plastic bottles, glow sticks, fishing lures, balloon strings, shotgun shells, and countless bits of broken-down plastic. Over time, these items fragment into tiny particles, contributing to the widespread issue of microplastic pollution that threatens marine ecosystems worldwide.
Have you ever lost a pair of sunglasses in the ocean?
WE PROBABLY FOUND THEM!
Over the years, we have found over 800 pairs of sunglasses that have washed up. Many of these sunglasses are expensive but 99% of them are damaged by the time that they wash up.
Some facts about plastic
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Plastics are not biodegradable. They break apart into smaller pieces called microplastics.
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50% of the plastic we use is thrown away after being used just once.
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35 BILLION plastic water bottles are thrown away every year.
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Over a million plastic bags are used every minute.
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Plastic bags, bottles, and other throw-away plastic items fuel the epidemic of plastic pollution.
Chamber member since 2023
