When one usually thinks of the ocean, one imagines a pristine body of water stretching miles and underneath a thriving ecosystem of flourishing, healthy marine animals. For a majority of my life, this is what I envisioned the ocean to look like, a scene from Pixar’s Finding Nemo, but unfortunately, perception does not match reality.
When one visits the ocean, however, one sees a murky body of water full of plastic stretching for miles and underneath a harmful ecosystem of struggling marine animals on the verge of their deaths. Our oceans today are saturated with plastic debris whose presence is most caused by our irresponsible actions. According to the Ocean Conservancy, at least 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year, which is the equivalent of dumping a truck’s worth of garbage into the ocean every minute. This number is unfortunately expected to rise as our dependence on plastic is becoming much greater and more harmful. We are the root cause of this issue, and if we do not take action, I am afraid that we might have to say goodbye to our oceans and subsequently vacation to local beaches and most importantly, a loss of diversity, a clean water source creating a toxic planet, and witnessing Waheguru’s creation suffering because of us. To see the magnitude of our actions, observe this picture:
This heart-wrenching picture depicts the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a cluster of garbage that is now the size of 1.6 million square kilometers and is continuing to grow everyday. This is equivalent to twice the size of Texas or four times the size of France.
What is the problem and how was it caused?
Our oceans are not only affected by plastic pollution, but are also threatened by climate change, ocean acidification, overfishing, oil spills, mercury pollution and the list goes on and on. The most devastating part of this is that we are the root cause of this problem, whether we are conscious about it or not. 80% of the debris seen in the ocean is caused by plastic. It enters the ocean through streams, rivers, drains, and more because of our tendency to litter and our inability to recycle. Additionally, due to wind and rainwater, our plastic trash can even fly away in the wind and potentially end up in the ocean. To put this into perspective, out of 35 billion empty water bottles, only 12% of it is actually recycled. Furthermore, this problem has been getting worse due to the pandemic, as disposable masks have been added to the list of items that people do not dispose of correctly as some throw them on the ground, leave them in public places, or do not close the lid of their trash cans which can lead to wind blowing it away. As plastic enters the ocean, marine animals often mistake it to be either food or shelter, so they accidentally get trapped in it.
As from its immediate threat of potentially trapping marine life, plastic also consists of microplastics and harmful toxins that can slowly and quietly threaten ocean life. Considering that these microplastics are extremely tiny, they can disperse to other parts of the oceans very easily and harm marine animals by blocking their digestive systems. For example, a study conducted in Australia concluded that one sea turtle has a 22% chance of dying due to ingesting these toxins.
However, our oceans are not only affected by plastic pollution, but are also threatened by climate change, ocean acidification, overfishing, oil spills, mercury pollution and the list goes on and on. For example, surprisingly, the number one threat that our oceans are facing today is climate change because the increase in temperature implies that their environments are changing to temperatures that are not ideal for them to thrive and reproduce in. It’s heartbreaking to see Waheguru’s creation dying every day because of us.
ਆਪੇ ਪਿੜ ਬਾਧੀ ਜਗੁ ਖੇਲੈ ਆਪੇ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਪਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੫॥
aape piR baadhee jag khelai aape keemat paiee he ||5||
You Yourself staged the drama in the arena of the world, and You Yourself evaluated the players. ||5||
ਆਪੇ ਭਵਰੁ ਫੁਲੁ ਫਲੁ ਤਰਵਰੁ ॥
aape bhavar ful fal taravar ||
You Yourself are the bumble bee, the flower, the fruit and the tree.
ਆਪੇ ਜਲੁ ਥਲੁ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਸਰਵਰੁ ॥
aape jal thal saagar saravar ||
You Yourself are the water, the desert, the ocean and the pool.
ਆਪੇ ਮਛੁ ਕਛੁ ਕਰਣੀਕਰੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਰੂਪੁ ਨ ਲਖਣਾ ਜਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੬॥
aape machh kachh karaneekar teraa roop na lakhanaa jaiee he ||6||
You Yourself are the great fish, the tortoise, the Cause of causes; Your form cannot be known. ||6||
Guru Nanak Sahib Ji, Ank 1020
In this shabad, Guru Nanak Dev Ji discusses how Waheguru created this world and his presence lies in every aspect of life on this Earth; from the flowing waves of the ocean to your heart, Waheguru is everywhere. How can we destroy life when it has Waheguru inside of them? Most importantly, how can we please Waheguru when we are destroying the creation? All sea creatures have Waheguru in them and as Sikhs who have Waheguru in our hearts, it is our duty to protect them. Our inspiration to help the environment comes directly from Waheguru , and we need to use his name, use his teachings, and use his blessings to protect his creation.
Ever since I got involved with ocean activism, there has always been one question looming in my mind: Will the ocean ever be clean? It’s true that the oceans are full of trash and debris, but that does not mean that we cannot make it pristine again. Granted, it will take some years and a lot of work but we must embark on this journey. There are very simple solutions that can make a huge impact.
In my mind, the best way we can help the ocean right now is to recycle. A lot of people take recycling for granted and often do not realize the impacts of their ignorance. Make sure to properly dispose of your materials. After COVID-19, when we go back to school and have lunch, please do not keep your chip packages and plastic utensils on the lunch tables. Make sure to put it where it belongs in order to ensure that your Hot Cheetos’ package does not end up threatening the life of marine animals. (*Quick note: Please do not feel the compulsive need to recycle everything because there are many materials that cannot be recycled. Make sure to do proper research on what items should or should not be recycled. For example, disposable face masks are not recyclable)
Next, we need to reduce our carbon footprint. One of the simple solutions is to ride a bike or walk to different places, rather than drive a car. Additionally, our diet also contributes to our carbon footprint, so be sure to eat foods that often do not require that much traveling to get to your grocery stores. Speaking of grocery stores, make sure to take a canvas bag or reusable bag to put your groceries in. This can prevent plastic bags from entering the ocean.
Lastly, I encourage you to take action. Taking action can mean a variety of things from spreading awareness to taking part in beach cleanups. Join and support organizations like Ocean Conservancy, Oceana, EcoSikh and the Sikh Relief. Sign petitions and enrich those around you about this growing issue. With your support and your dedication, we can truly make the oceans a pristine environment and grant that for future generations, perception can match reality.
I want you to look outside right now, whether you are reading this in the car or from your bedroom, look outside and notice the trees, the sky, the clouds. This is all Waheguru’s creation. Now take a look at yourself. You too are a product of Waheguru and similar to how you take care of yourself, take care of the life around you. Take care of that body of water that is calling your name. With Waheguru’s Kirpa and blessings, protect our ocean and our marine animals.
Bhul Chuk Maaf
Works Cited
About The Author
Bani Kaur
Bani Kaur is a high school junior from Pleasanton, California. An ocean activist, she founded and is the President of her school's Ocean Conservation Club. Through this club, she aims to enrich her peers about oceanic issues and also offer opportunities and solutions to how they can do their part in helping the environment. Apart from raising awareness for the oceans, she enjoys reading, biking, and spending time with her family