30 Of The Creepiest Facts About The Ocean You Might Wish You Never Knew, As Shared In This Online Thread

When we talk about oceans, we cannot ignore how tragically polluted it is. With each passing year, we expose the ocean to more pollutants, from trash to chemicals, industrial and agricultural waste, particles, excess carbon dioxide, and many others.

“What's really startling is how widespread human pollution is in the ocean,” Heather Spence, Marine Biologist orchestrating Coastal Marine Ecology Investigation and Outreach, told Bored Panda in an interview via email. Spence also researches underwater sound and noise on the MesoAmerican Reef that you check on her website "Ocean World Of Sound".

“I don't know of any place, no matter how remote, that doesn't have evidence of human pollution. And since waste products of human activities continue to go into the ocean, you could say the situation is getting worse,” she said.

Spence explained that short-term effects of ocean pollution include changes in animal behavior and sickness or death of marine organisms. “Long-term effects include these on larger scales and larger numbers of affected organisms, but also domino effects as decline or changes in one species impact other species that rely on them. For example, corals form the structure of coral reefs and if they die, it is a big problem for the whole ecosystem,” she said.

“Other effects are to humans - even in the short term and certainly in the long term, we can get sick from contaminated seafood or swimming in contaminated water, and livelihoods and quality of life are impacted from the degradation of marine and coastal areas.”

There are many ocean polluters, including plastics that Spence calls “a huge problem.” Then, there are chemicals from runoff from land. “An invisible one is a noise, yet it is also extremely impactful since sound travels very well underwater and marine animals use sound to communicate and navigate.”

Having said that, Spence added that she likes to frame problems with the positive side of solutions. “When people feel hopeless or helpless, they may make short-sighted decisions, so it is important to maintain hope,” she said.

“We are currently at the start of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Globally, scientists, policymakers, and creatives are coming together to discuss the best ways to respect, protect, and work with ocean systems. We are looking for win-win solutions that recognize humans are not just actors but members of ocean ecosystems. We need to remember that just as humans can be the problem, we can also be the solution. And we need to be practical about it.”

See Also:

1. The Sea Is Scarier Than You Think
2. What Lurks Beneath The Surface
3. Nature’s Darkest Secrets
4. When Oceans Get Weird

Spence has an example of one win-win solution which has to do with noise from boat motors. “The noise is not the purpose of the motor. It is a byproduct of energy lost in the form of sound. Reducing that sound at the source improves motor efficiency and reduces environmental impact.”

Spence also argues that the best way to reduce marine pollution is the reduction of waste. “Remember Reduce, Reuse, Recycle? We often talk about recycling, but these three actions are in priority order. If we bring people together from a variety of perspectives and focus on reduction of waste at the sources, I am sure we can make a positive impact on ocean pollution,” she concluded.

Moreover, World Listening Day is coming up on Monday, July 18th. "It's a good time to be putting a focus on ocean sound and noise. I'm the theme creator this year and here's the short video where I announce it," Heather Spence added.