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Taylor Markosian
Prof. Celestino
English 1010
12/09/16
Crikey Mate, The Oceans in Trouble!
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to live in the ocean; surrounded by the vast
blue water and vibrant coral reefs. Picturing yourself swimming through a school of fish
surrounded by hundreds of species all with unique colors and designs that captivates your eyes
no matter which way you look? As you float on with these fish they immediately scatter in all
directions terrified of whats coming. You turn around in time to see the debris of trash that is
dumped in on top of you, covering the coral reefs and killing all the fish due to the toxins now
turning the water a murky black. Now pretend that this isnt your imagination, and realize that
this is actuality.
From the beginning, oceans have sustained an ample amount of life ranging from coral
reefs to marine life. These forms of life are gradually decreasing due to human-related actions
and our unwillingness to resolve the issues that has occurred since the 1800s. In order for a
change to take place, the human population should be aware of the problem and be proactive
enough to come up with a solution. This issue needs to be addressed due to the fact that it is not
only the largest ecosystem on the planet, but it is also Earths largest support system. Oceans
generate half of the oxygen on earth and provide 97% of its water. Oceans are vital for human
survival.
Currently, The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the largest marine protected area in the
world. This marine protected area is not only advancing scientific exploration and discovery of

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new forms of life, but it is also advancing marine technology and engineering for deep-sea
exploration. This Great Barrier Reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the north-eastern coast of
Queensland, Australia. Today, scientists are coming up with new technology and advances to
discover more of the marine world and what it has to offer.
There are many aspects that contribute to the issues that involve the ocean. Many of these
issues are caused by the influence of man, and three main contributors play the stand out above
the others. Pollution, climate change, and the insignificant amount of protection being applied to
the ocean are some of the biggest contributors to the issues that are taking place. Considering
that only five percent of our ocean has actually been explored, it is important that the general
public is aware of the risks brought on by not keeping our oceans clean. They should also be
aware of the problems that occur in the ocean because it is not only affecting marine life but it is
responsible for affecting the human population. In order for there to be a change, businesses
should be informed to reduce carbon emissions and have the government officials enforce new
ways of protecting the ocean and its environment. The government needs to ensure that these
species are protected before they disappear. In obtaining more information about the ocean,
citizens can make a huge impact on the environment.
Pollution can be defined as the introduction of harmful contamination that is outside the
norm for a given ecosystem. The three main types of pollution that exist in Australia is air
pollution, water pollution, and land pollution. These three factors are man-made. Not only is this
affecting the plants and animals but it is also affecting individuals. 1.4 billion pounds of trash are
dumped into the ocean each year. The more humans pollute the more they are harming the
environment.

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There are two major types of air pollutants that are contributing to global warming and
climate change in Australia along with the rest of the planet; Carbone Dioxide and Methane.
These two types of pollution are harmful to human, plant, and animal life due to the toxicity of
the particles that are being released into the environment. One way that carbon dioxide is being
released comes from the burning of fossil fuels. As the burning of fossil fuels rise, the ocean
absorbs more carbon dioxide in order to maintain balance. By absorbing more carbon dioxide,
the pH level of the water decreases and becomes more acidic. As the temperature rises, the
carbon dioxide leaks out of the ocean and the carbonate gets used up and has to be re-stocked by
the deeper waters. These waters are already subject to large amounts of carbonate that dissolved
from limestone and other rocks. Methane comes from both natural and manmade sources and is
a common fuel source. It is a large concern to the ocean environment because of its ability to
absorb the suns heat and therefore warm the atmosphere.
Australias government officials have created guidelines for reducing pollution and
improving waste management in their environment. One of those includes applying for a
Hazardous Waste Permit. Hazardous waste permits must be obtained in order to export or import
hazardous waste, or move it in or out of Australia. The Australian government has also created a
document for the public to become informed of chemicals called the National Chemical
Reference Guides. This document is designed to help individuals find relevant information
about chemicals in the environment and if they are harmful to the organisms in that environment.
The National Pollutant Inventory provides information regarding substance emissions in
Australia and where those toxins came from. Another strategy for reducing pollution in the
Australian environment is by recycling used oil. Used oil recycling allows and informs the public

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to pour there used oil back into a container and take it to a local used oil facility for recycling
rather than letting it contaminate the water.
Some ways that the public can contribute to the decrease of pollution in the ocean is by
picking up garbage that they see lying on the ground or floating in the water. They can also
reduce the pollution by purchasing and using fewer plastic products. Rather than buying drinks
that are stored in plastic, use reusable water bottles. This will reduce the issue of plastic bottle
being found in the ocean. Another way humans can reduce pollution in the ocean is by spreading
awareness. Humans cant help solve the problem if they are oblivious to the issue in at hand.
Due to the efforts of the Australian government and people, Australia has created the
worlds largest network of marine protected areas. The benefits of the marine protected areas are
set up to preserve the diversity of life, provide safe havens for endangered species, as well as
common fish populations. In order for a change to take place, government officials need to take
initiative and encourage the public to make a difference. Humans need to adjust to using clean
energy sources such as wind and solar rather than fossil fuels.
The Australian Government has created the worlds first commercial-scale wave energy
array that is connected to the grid and has the ability to produce desalinated water called the
Perth Wave Energy Project. Wave energy is one of the most powerful yet underutilized forms of
renewable energy. It is one of the first to convert wave energy to electricity and feed it back into
the grid. In comparison with most of the renewable energy devices, the Perth Wave Energy
Project is one of the most effective and efficient ones, and is more likely to provide the base of
energy than the base of others. This wave energy plant is the first in Australia to feed electricity
back into the grid. At full scale, it can generate enough power to run two and a half thousand
homes. The oceans energy is free and its as clean as it can get. It has zero emissions, just wave

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energy that goes in and moves electricity out. The advantage of wave energy over wind power is
that its more predictable and in the long term, its more likely to be an important part of the
global energy mix. Worldwide, there is enough energy in the oceans to power the entire world
more than five thousand times over. The different coast lines generate different swells, and its
the southern ocean that carries the largest source of wave energy in Australia. If you add all that
energy up that is coming into the southern coast line, it amounts to about four times as much
electricity as Australia currently uses. The biggest challenge facing the industry is developing the
technology fast enough to keep up with demand.
Issues regarding the ocean environment need to be identified and taken care of in order to
preserve marine and human life. Other countries governments should look at Australias
Government as an excellent example of ways they can start coming up with regulations and ways
to protect the ocean. Technology is a major role in any progressive society and can positively
contribute to helping the oceans atmosphere safe and effectively. Pollution, climate change, and
the insignificant amount of protection are some of the main contributors in the issues regarding
Australias oceans. It is affecting millions of sea life and the human population. The ocean is one
of the largest factors in Earths environment and represents 70% of the surface. It provides half
of the worlds oxygen and almost all of humans water supply is retrieved from the ocean. The
problem is that people are unaware of what is actually going on behind the scenes when they are
the main cause of why it is occurring. It is only something that will continue to get worse if the
public is not educated and takes action before it is too late.

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Works Cited
Cunningham, D. J., and S. P. Wilson. "Marine Debris on Beaches of the Greater Sydney Region."
Journal of Coastal Research 2003: 421. JSTOR Journals. Web. 21 Oct. 2016. (pg.243)
Macdonald, Robie W., Brian Morton, and Sophia C. Johannessen. "A Review Of Marine
Environmental Contaminant Issues In The North Pacific: The Dangers And How To
Identify Them." Environmental Reviews 11.2 (2003): 103-139. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 17 Oct. 2016. (pg.106)
Miller, Claire. "New Government Paints Australia Green." Frontiers In Ecology & The
Environment 6.1 (2008): 6. GreenFILE. Web. 21 Oct. 2016. (pg.6)

"Perth Wave Energy Project." Australlian Government. N.p., Apr. 2012. Web. (pg.1)