The problem begins with a consumer-driven population, on an island that, according to the Sierra Club, produces one of the highest trash rates per capita. Since Puerto Rico does not meet with its recycling targets, banning the use of plastic bags, for example, there is a massive generation of trash in this tiny island. Great amounts of waste that could be recycled, reused, reduced and/or properly thrown out end up in our beaches, rivers, and estuaries. The use of plastic has increased drastically over the years, resulting in a vast quantity of practically indestructible, lightweight material floating in the oceans, which then, eventually, is deposited on beaches worldwide. Litter is an obvious problem, but the main cause for marine debris is people’s ignorance and unawareness of the great issue littering actually is.
Marine litter is an environmental, economic, and health problem which affects countries and regions over the world; including this “beautiful” island. Apart from potentially damaging human health, marine debris also harms wildlife and flora, especially coral reefs. Entanglement and ingestion of oceanic litter is destroying marine life and the environment in which they live. Marine litter causes habitat destruction, which includes: smothering of the seabed, entangled litter on coral reefs and deposition on seagrass beds.
A clear and present problem Puerto Rico faces, out of many, is pollution in San Juan’s estuary. The San Juan Bay Estuary sprawls across eight municipalities and includes the channel, five lagoons and the picturesque San Juan Bay. It is home to vast bird, plant and fish species, which suffer the consequences of puertorican’s abandonment and carelessness. Urban runoff has contaminated much of the estuary, with high amounts of sediment and algae causing massive die-offs of fish. In a clean up organized on 2013, more than 12,600 pounds of trash were pulled out of the San Juan Bay Estuary, including hundreds of old tires and plastic bottles by the thousand, discarded fishing nets, old toilets and sinks, and bags of medical waste that contained plasma. Until today, the estuary is still dirty and contaminated. Beach clean ups have resulted of little use since beaches always go back to the way they were, filled with garbage. Therefore in addition of cleaning them up, why not find a way to make those who leave the trash behind, the ignorant, stop.
This problem is live proof that people, on passing generations, lack moral values, discipline, principles, and consciousness. Not only are beaches dirty and polluted, but rivers, lakes, even streets suffer trash pollution. It is time to wake up and start taking action. As citizens of Puerto Rico and the world, it is our duty to maintain it clean and create a world free of pollutants and a health risk free planet for our children and their children to live in. Awareness should be spread of the great damage litter does to rivers, beaches, and oceans. It is time to wake up and stop being ignorant about the fact of littering.
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