The complicated task of cleaning the world’s oceans, by removing solid waste and errant plastic debris, can begin at a local level and may be easier than you may anticipate. Your chance to make a personal difference begins with good watershed management. A watershed is simply the geographic area through which water flows across the land and eventually drains or migrates to a common body of water, such as a stream, river, lake, or ocean. Solid waste, debris, and litter discarded into a watershed will eventually migrate to our rivers, streams, and oceans, due to weather and runoff.
Some of this debris will sink, while much of it will float. It will travel great distances via oceanic currents. All along the way, solid waste and marine plastics cause great harm:
Ocean Pollution Facts:
- It is estimated that eight (8) million metric tons of plastic are discarded into oceans annually.
- Every minute, one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into our oceans.
- Plastic is one of the most common ocean pollutants. Many marine organisms are unable to recognize common plastic and often eat it after mistaking it for food.
- The amount of plastic estimated to be in today’s oceans includes an estimated 1.8 trillion pieces of trash and covers an area twice the size of Texas.
- Ocean pollution such as plastics kills more than one million sea birds each year.
At Arletta, we understand the importance of good watershed management. Our Clean Ocean Program includes debris removal, roadside litter pickup, easement, road, highway, and commercial and industrial property cleanup. These services can be offered on a routine maintenance schedule or an as-needed basis. Contact Arletta today to discuss how we can team up to make a difference. Arletta has trained personnel, specialized equipment, and a network of disposal sites to properly dispose of recovered waste that may have been dumped or discarded on your property. Make a difference and call Arletta today.
