Sea Turtles and Plastic Pollution — Deep Dive

Sea turtles and plastic pollution. What you need to know, and how you can help. For over 100 million years, sea turtles have roamed our planet. They've outlived the dinosaurs, survived the ice age, and are considered some of the most resilient species on Earth. But unfortunately, these magnificent creatures are facing a new threat. Plastic pollution in our oceans. The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Every year, more than 8 million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean. That's equivalent to a garbage truck full of plastic being dumped into the ocean every minute. Plastic pollution has a devastating impact on sea turtles in two main ways. For one, turtles eat plastic. Turtles can easily mistake plastic for food, not only because of the way it looks, but also because of the way it smells. That's right. Researchers have found that the odors from marine plastic can actually attract turtles to feed. This isn't just a problem for adult sea turtles. It may be an even bigger threat to young turtles. That's because young turtles spend years floating with currents in the open ocean, where they feed and grow. Those same currents now collect and transport plastic waste. This turtle was less than one month old when it was found dead with 898 plastic pieces in its stomach. Second, turtles get entangled in plastic. Lost or discarded fishing gear and other kinds of plastic waste in the ocean can entangle turtles, leading to injury or death. Sadly, it's estimated that more than 1,000 sea turtles are killed through entanglement in plastic pollution every year. That's more than one turtle every nine hours. But there is hope. A growing number of people are working together to fight plastic pollution worldwide. We can all make a difference by reducing our use of single-use plastics, properly disposing of plastic waste, and helping clean up the environment. Together, we can reduce the impact of plastic pollution and make a positive difference for sea turtles and their ocean homes.