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    DLSU A Plastic Ocean Reaction Paper

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    Jued Cisneros
    1) The documentary A Plastic Ocean shows how plastics have contaminated the world's oceans and harmed wildlife. A whale watcher discovered plastic far from land, showing how plastics have spread globally. 2) As plastics do not biodegrade and break into microplastics, they enter the food chain and accumulate in animal tissues. This can transfer toxic chemicals to humans who consume contaminated seafood. 3) To achieve sustainable development and protect future generations according to international environmental law, humans must curb plastic pollution and properly dispose of plastics to prevent further contamination of oceans, beaches, and the environment.

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    DLSU A Plastic Ocean Reaction Paper

    Uploaded by

    Jued Cisneros
    1K views2 pages
    1) The documentary A Plastic Ocean shows how plastics have contaminated the world's oceans and harmed wildlife. A whale watcher discovered plastic far from land, showing how plastics have spread globally. 2) As plastics do not biodegrade and break into microplastics, they enter the food chain and accumulate in animal tissues. This can transfer toxic chemicals to humans who consume contaminated seafood. 3) To achieve sustainable development and protect future generations according to international environmental law, humans must curb plastic pollution and properly dispose of plastics to prevent further contamination of oceans, beaches, and the environment.

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    A REACTION PAPER FOR A PLASTIC OCEAN

    Original Title

    11686448 - DLSU a Plastic Ocean Reaction Paper

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    1) The documentary A Plastic Ocean shows how plastics have contaminated the world's oceans and harmed wildlife. A whale watcher discovered plastic far from land, showing how plastics have spread globally. 2) As plastics do not biodegrade and break into microplastics, they enter the food chain and accumulate in animal tissues. This can transfer toxic chemicals to humans who consume contaminated seafood. 3) To achieve sustainable development and protect future generations according to international environmental law, humans must curb plastic pollution and properly dispose of plastics to prevent further contamination of oceans, beaches, and the environment.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    1K views2 pages

    DLSU A Plastic Ocean Reaction Paper

    Uploaded by

    Jued Cisneros
    1) The documentary A Plastic Ocean shows how plastics have contaminated the world's oceans and harmed wildlife. A whale watcher discovered plastic far from land, showing how plastics have spread globally. 2) As plastics do not biodegrade and break into microplastics, they enter the food chain and accumulate in animal tissues. This can transfer toxic chemicals to humans who consume contaminated seafood. 3) To achieve sustainable development and protect future generations according to international environmental law, humans must curb plastic pollution and properly dispose of plastics to prevent further contamination of oceans, beaches, and the environment.

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    Jued S.

    Cisneros Special Issues in International Law


    11686448

    Reaction Paper: A Plastic Ocean

    A whale-observing Craig Leeson stumbles upon a tragic truth about the supposed
    pristine Indian Ocean. Being miles off the coast of Sri Lanka, it is unlikely that he was still
    able to recover in open waters one of the most hazardous materials humans had made –
    Plastics. What turns out to be a commonly exploited material due to its durability, such
    material’s durability even endangers that whole biosphere to the point that it literally
    poisons all possible life forms.

    A Plastic Ocean is a documentary which shows us the dangers of irresponsible


    consumption of plastics especially which composed of synthetic polyethylene. Plastics
    being dumped incessantly succumbs not only the sanitary conditions of human cities and
    settlements but also victimized innocent wildlife as well regardless of their habitat.
    Moreover, due to plastics being non-biodegradable and only breaks into smaller and
    smaller pieces as time goes by, it trespasses the food chain by means of being mistakenly
    eaten as food by animals. As pointed out in scientific studies, micro plastics traps harmful
    carcinogenic chemicals which would then leak into tissues of those animals who have
    eaten it. This process would even directly end up into our palates by means of eating
    contaminated seafood.

    Just thinking the fact that I can literally eat plastics is not just alarming and
    disgusting. It also makes you feel how rash humankind had become to the point of
    hopelessness. As it was dreadful to know the damage of unprecedented plastic
    contamination, so was my thoughts of improving my daily routine to be less reliant on
    plastics. It really is important to live out the emerging principles and concepts of
    international environmental law – not just for myself, as it should always start, but also
    with the whole humanity in general.

    One of the key principles of International Environmental Law is Sustainable


    Development. As defined by the Brundtland Commission, it is a “development that meets
    the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
    their own needs.” Considering the patent ways of plastics from being a cheaper way of
    durable storage into a necessary equipment, such material indeed made exceptional
    contributions in human ingenuity. As much as we enjoy utilizing its practical necessities,
    problem also arises through its improper disposal and irresponsible use.

    For real, it is alarming to see, as presented in this documentary, the unprecedented


    scale of plastic waste that is being disposed of by humankind. Seeing tons and tons of
    plastic waste, it is unfortunate to see a future where our grandchildren would enjoy pristine
    white beaches which are colored by plastic packaging and tetra packs. A white canvas
    littered by the pigment of plastics will remind us of the failure of this present generation
    from preventing such tragic scenery – a plastic littered world. Hence, it is important to be
    mindful of the right to a balanced and healthful ecology not just of the present but also of
    the future generations to come.

    More so, it is also significant to recognize the interdependence of all the elements
    and aspects that make up this world. One act that would harm may soon affect another
    and another and so forth. Just as it was portrayed in the documentary, one plastic thrown
    heedlessly into a river will soon ends up into our oceans. Once the oceans became
    polluted of plastics, with the help of rising temperature and the forces of the tides, plastics
    broke down into tiny pieces. These tiny pieces would soon be mistaken as food by marine
    animals which then results into intermixing with the food chain. And finally, those
    consumed plastics will affect such marine animals’ tissues which could be ended up into
    the stomachs of the ones who have thrown the plastics themselves. As the saying goes,
    what you give to the environment will always come back to you. No matter how
    conscientious you are on keeping your rubbish away from your home, it will still keep on
    returning unbeknownst to us since it could end up into our mouths.

    Knowing the fact that we recognize the interdependence of our actions for and
    against the environment and our responsibility to provide for the next generation will make
    it possible for us to achieve a sustainable development amidst the utilization of plastics.
    As it was portrayed in the documentary, ignorance or a lack of knowledge on how to care
    for the environment also escalates the garbage problem in a certain community. Just as
    it did in the places stricken with poverty such as in Tuvalu and the Baseco Compound in
    the Philippines. They see their surroundings as a means to make a living and were
    ignorant of the fact that such filth should not even exist at the first place especially that
    their homes were beside the coastline. Thus, it is much more important to take care of
    their surroundings and cherish a fruitful ecology in their own vicinities.

    As I learned more about the vile effects of plastics in the environment and animals
    alike, one question sticks to my mind. “How did we come about this?” It seems humankind
    really took Mother Earth for granted. I, too, am guilty of this. Through this documentary,
    the truth should stick into every minds of every sentient being on our planet. That is why
    from now on, I am taking little steps to further contribute in lessening the plastic poisoning
    of the Oceans and the Earth. For every little steps, there accumulates a bigger outcome
    that would benefit not just the Earth but all of the one living on it.

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