Our planet is in a climate and ecological crisis. We need to fight for our lives and the lives of all species. Scientists estimate that by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fishes. On my most recent sea turtle expedition, 1/3 of the turtles we caught were infected with the fibropapillomatosis virus that causes deadly and debilitating tumorous growths. Scientists don’t know what causes this disease…yet. Might humans be part of the problem? Let’s stop treating our planet like a trashcan. Here are a few simple actions that you can put into practice today…
- Avoid single-use plastics such as straws, utensils, and plastic bags
- Don’t release balloons into the air because they end up in our oceans and are eaten by sea turtles (and all sea creatures) that mistake them for food
- Use Cloth bags when shopping
- Don’t litter, and instead, volunteer at local beach clean-up events
- Write to elected officials to share your thoughts about plastic waste and what you think they should be doing to protect our environment
Sea turtles and all ocean creatures will thank us when we stop slurping out of plastic straws and start taking action!
Susan Hunnicutt 