Make Our Oceans Clean Again: Final Research Paper

Make Our Oceans Clean Again

Introduction
       The year is 2019. Global issues are contaminating the planet and individuals far and wide are more informed than ever on these topics. People are now more inclined to become activists, fighting for the justice they believe the world needs. While there are hundreds of problems that require immediate solutions, the one that appears most dire to solve for the health of the planet and all of its inhabitants is marine pollution.
       While there are tons of individual plastics traveling on ocean waves, there are also five accumulation zones across the globe with millions of tons of floating plastic islands (“What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?”). Of these five zones, one mass found between Hawaii and California is the largest, referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch or GPGP for short. In a scientific report titled “Evidence that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is rapidly accumulating plastic”, the writer states “...calibrated with data from multi-vessel and aircraft surveys, predicted at least 79 (45–129) thousand tonnes of ocean plastic are floating inside an area of 1.6 million km2…” (1). This large floating mass of plastic waste is three times the size of France and yet, it is only a fraction of the total amount of pollution in the oceans. It has been proven time and time again that plastic pollution in the seas poses a major threat to marine and human life. In an article written by researcher Melissa Denchak about the dangerous state the oceans are currently in, she states “They govern the weather, clean the air, help feed the world, and provide a living for millions. They also are home to most of the life on earth…” (“Ocean Pollution: The Dirty Facts”). These are only a few of the things that the oceans and their inhabitants do for the world. With the amount of plastic being found in the ocean, it is no surprise that marine animals are being found with their stomachs full of plastic bits. Some of these animals are being consumed by humans, meaning that humans are directly consuming bits of plastic as well. The weather, temperature of the globe, and levels of oxygen are all guided by the means of the oceans. If marine ecosystems continue to be abused as they have been, their biodiversity will be destroyed, ceasing their production of the oxygen that life on Earth depends on and leading to global temperatures rising at increasing rates.
       The effects of climate change, ocean and land pollution, and deforestation are more apparent now than ever before. Action must be taken as soon as possible to prevent the Earth and marine ecosystems from being damaged any further. One incredibly beneficial step is to find a way to remove all of the plastic waste found in the oceans with little to no damage to marine life. As the GPGP is the largest, it is the one that requires the most immediate attention. After familiarizing myself with the evidence presented in the various sources I will be citing throughout this paper, I feel as though I can present a realistic solution for this issue. Within this research paper, I will be conducting my own research study to answer this question: What can be done to sustainably remove the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and other large masses of waste from the oceans? While answering this question, I will also be discussing the effects of marine pollution and some ways this contamination can be reduced at the individual level.

Methods
       While conducting this research study, I am an undergraduate student attending the University of Central Florida. The first step to writing this research paper was choosing a topic to focus on. I chose to create a list on paper of hot topics that intrigued me. I then revised the list of ten topics and drew a straight line through those that I believed would be harder to find information on. While narrowing down my topic, I also considered their relevance and how likely it would be for me to discover a solution. This brought me to three main topics: police brutality, pollution in our oceans, and school shootings. I proceed by jotting down bullets of information I already knew about each of the three topics. This allowed me to easily visualize which topic I was more informed about and therefore, would be more successful with, resulting in me choosing to dissect pollution in our oceans.
       While planning for this paper, I first used my laptop to Google the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This brought me to discovering an organization titled The Ocean Cleanup that has developed a technological solution for removing plastics from the ocean. This source inspired me to dig deeper for more possible solutions while also learning about their plan and considering ways it can be modified. Originally, I had selected sources from Google searches as my main sources of evidence. It was brought to my attention by Professor Taylor that these sources were not as credible as they could have been and that I should try searching for new sources using the University of Central Florida’s library tool. On their website, students are able to search keywords in order to discover thousands of journals, articles, and other scholarly sources. By searching the keywords “ocean pollution” and “marine ecosystem importance”, I was able to find four scholarly journals and other research papers written about the same general topic. The reason finding scholarly sources is so important for this particular research paper is because the stakeholders I am targetting, environmentalists and marine conservationists, are convinced by intellectual means. In a reading provided by Professor Taylor titled Backpacks vs Briefcases: Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis, writer Laura Bolin Caroll discusses three methods of persuasion. She states that researchers must consider their audience when they write, likely leaning on logos, an argument from reason that appeals to the audience’s intellectual side, to convince their readers (52). By citing credible sources, the audience will trust me and the information I am providing through my research paper more as all of my claims will be backed up by reliable evidence.
       While planning my research paper, I also relied on other scholarly readings provided by Professor Taylor to guide me toward choosing a stakeholder and genre for this research paper. I chose to refer back to these readings when choosing a genre to write in so that I could ensure that my final product remained within the ENC1102 course objectives. The only issue I had during this process was having to discover new sources after already having done so early on in the process. In the end, this small setback was necessary or I would have been left depending on sources that are not credible or substantial enough to support all of my claims.

Results & Discussion

Contrasting most research papers, I will be combining my results and discussion sections for the sake of ensuring that my findings and the conclusions drawn from these findings are clear and easy to follow. 

       Throughout my research process, I collected an array of data about the effects of pollution in the oceans as well as just how much plastic can be found in the GPGP. One thing that I found to be reiterated by all of the sources I drew evidence from is that on average, 70-80% of the pollution in the oceans comes from the land through rivers (“Microplastics in the oceans: the solution lies on land”, 26). As humans generally live on the land, it can be inferred that our excess use of plastics is causing a surge in marine pollution. This ties directly to corporations that have been increasingly producing plastic to contain their products. In a study done by researchers Geyer, Jambeck, and Lavender, they found that annual global plastic pollution doubled in between the years 2000 to 2016 (Marine Litter: Solutions for a Major Environmental Problem”, 2). Below is a graph that presents their data, showing the exponential growth of plastic production between 1950 and 2016.

Annual global production of plastics between 1950 and 2016 (Data Source: Geyer, Jambeck, and Lavender, 2017).

       The excessive growth of plastic pollution over the course of the last three decades has led to the overwhelming problem that is the GPGP. In a study conducted by a group of scientific researchers, this correlation between the production of plastic and plastic pollution in the oceans is proven. The concentration of plastic in the GPGP doubled between 2000 and 2015. This is represented in the graph below. During these same years, the production of plastics also doubled.

Concentration of plastics in the GPGP between 1965 and 2015 (Data Source: "Evidence that the GPGP is rapidly accumulating plastic").

       This shows that as time progresses, more harmful products are created, consumed, and later thrown away, most likely ending up in the oceans. This brings me to the first phase of the solution I am proposing which is increasing education and awareness of the damage caused by single-use plastics. In the scholarly article titled “Microplastics in the oceans: the solution lies on land”, the writers state, “Consumers clearly play a vital role. Buying responsibly is one way to prevent the production of waste plastic” (Abreu and Pedrotti, 28). As corporations are directly influenced by the demands of consumers, influencing individuals to change their shopping habits may over time lead to a decrease in the production of plastic. Also, once corporations notice that their consumers are being more mindful of their plastic use due to their drive to protect the planet, these corporations will choose to stop using these substances in their products in order to keep their sales up. An example of this can be seen with the Starbucks company which pledged to eliminate all plastic straws from their stores by 2020 due to a surge of concerns from the public over the dangers posed by single-use straws (Corbett, 1). Once both consumers and corporations make an effort to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics, governments will follow. Legislative changes such as France’s ban on lightweight plastic bags are the most concrete way to ensure that consumers across the globe are using little to no single-use plastics (Abreu and Pedrotti, 29). With changes of this nature as well as the development of laws that protect the oceans, it will be much easier to remove the waste from the GPGP and other floating masses as they will no longer be growing at increasing rates. Based on the findings provided above, I believe that before the oceans can be fully cleansed, we must focus on educating the public and bringing this dire issue to their attention.
       Now, moving on to actually removing the giant sums of waste from the oceans sustainably. It is known that the GPGP and other large masses of floating waste are far from coastlines, making them a bit difficult to access. The shape and specific location of the GPGP are also constantly changing due to changes in wind and ocean currents (“What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?”). Because of its location, the GPGP can only be reached by boat. The most sustainable kind of boat would be a solar-powered one but if unattainable, using a regular boat that runs on efficient fuel is the next best alternative. Scientific writer Melissa Denchak claims, “many marine mammals like whales and dolphins...rely on communication by sound to find food, mate, and navigate....an increasing barrage of human-generated ocean noise pollution is...harming...marine species worldwide” (“Ocean Pollution: The Dirty Facts”). In order to ensure that our cleansing process is as sustainable as possible, we must consider different variations of pollution such as sound. Besides having to find an energy efficient boat, we must also ensure that its engine is not very loud as to protect marine wildlife. One way to avoid disrupting mammals mating seasons is to only travel to the GPGP during their off months. According to a study done on whale songs, “Singing is rare during the summer months, becomes more common in fall, peaks during the winter breeding season, and continues into spring...” (Darling, 2). Now that we know that Winter and Spring are the more significant months for breeding in the oceans, we can plan to visit the GPGP strictly during the Summer and early Fall months so those marine mammals can thrive. We can also plan trips to other floating masses of waste in the oceans that are not near breeding sites during the Winter and Spring months. By choosing an energy efficient, quiet boat, we can not only reduce our use of fossil fuels throughout this process but can also protect the mating season of marine mammals.
       To actually remove the GPGP, we must create a piece of technology that is sustainable and does not harm marine life. The Ocean Cleanup has already created a device to do exactly that, but it is not perfect. I believe that with modifications, this piece of technology can work wonders for our oceans. Below is a graphic illustration of the technology currently being used to clean the GPGP. It is equipped with a camera and satellite and navigation devices to keep track of its location as it drifts through the sea.

The Ocean Cleanup System 001 (Data Source: Technology: How it works)

       When modifying this technology, I believe those are two important factors that the device must remain equipped with. This piece of technology is also energy neutral, meaning that there are no fossil fuels required to allow it to travel. The natural currents and forces of the oceans allow it to move around, collecting as much debris as possible. Another major concern is how a device like this will impact wildlife. The Ocean Cleanup claims that the device is slow enough for creatures to swim away, there is a screen to catch debris, not a net, so sea life cannot become entangled, the screen is impenetrable so the current will flow underneath the screen, guiding organisms away, and the plastic will be removed periodically so there will frequently be individuals present to help any wildlife that may have somehow gotten themselves stuck (“Technology: How it works”). All of these are viewed as helpful enough safeguards for marine life. Below is a graphic illustration of how fish are predicted to interact with the device upon an encounter.

Illustration of the downward flow below the skirt (Data Source: Technology: How it works)

       I trust in the studies completed by this organization that these features would be able to protect sea life. So far, all parts of the system I have analyzed here are sustainable and exactly what is needed for a rescue mission of this size. However, because of the openness of the system and its constant interaction with strong currents, I believe that some of the waste caught will easily escape the system and once again get lost at sea. If we can find a way to possibly make the system a bit taller to provide some sort of barrier between the waves and the waste, I believe we will have a perfect system to remove the waste from the GPGP sustainably.
       After removing the waste from the oceans, the most sustainable option moving forward would be to create new products using the upcycled plastics. This is a plan which has already been implemented in a different way in some big stores in the U.K. The company John Lewis exemplifies this by buying old clothing, furniture, and other items from customers. According to the scientific journal titled “Marine Litter: Solutions for a Major Environmental Problem”, the author states, “In 2017, the store took back for upcycling >27,000 electrical products and 2000 sofas” (6). The large number of participants proves that consumers are willing to upcycle their used items instead of getting rid of them. This means that upcycling plastics from the oceans and using them to make new products will likely be very successful and the most sustainable option for getting rid of the marine waste after retrieving it from the oceans.

Conclusion
       After collecting and organizing this data in order to present the severity of the marine pollution issue with a valid solution, I can reiterate that my plan must be carried out as soon as possible. The health of the oceans was put in jeopardy by humans, yet ironically humans are the oceans only hope of survival. We are quickly running out of time and I believe that even if my solution is not as concrete as many would hope, it is trustworthy enough to attempt carrying out. Before conducting this research study, I was already well aware of how dire this topic has been in recent years. I am a strong advocate for protecting the Earth’s natural wonders and shifted my lifestyle months ago to minimize my consumption of single-use plastics as much as humanly possible. In the upcoming years of research on this topic, I hope that my solution is able to make a great change or another solution will be discovered that is even more impactful than the one I created through my own research. I hope that more research is done on other forms of technology that can clean the oceans of plastic or maybe even a newfound purpose for upcycled plastics.
       All in all, this research study opened my eyes to the tragic truth of our planet’s health. I have been able to educate myself further on a topic that is increasingly important and even found a solution for it which I hope my stakeholders will be willing to support.

Works Cited

Williams, A. T. .., and Nelson2 Rangel-Buitrago. “Marine Litter: Solutions for a Major
        Environmental Problem.” Journal of Coastal Research, vol. 35, no. 3, May 2019, pp. 648–663. EBSCOhost, doi:10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-18-00096.1. Accessed 18 June. 2019.
https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=e52c5113-9667-4031-9f55-aae39caa2ea5%40pdc-v-sessmgr02&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=136160641&db=aci

Abreu, André, and Maria Luiza Pedrotti. “Microplastics in the Oceans: The Solutions Lie on
        Land.” Field Actions Science Reports, 2019. EBSCOhost, Accessed 18 June. 2019. search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsrev&AN=edsrev.AE4206E4&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Lebreton, L., et al. “Evidence That the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Is Rapidly Accumulating
        Plastic.” SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, vol. 8. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1038/s41598-018-22939-w. Accessed 20 June 2019.

Ocean Cleanup. “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” The Ocean Cleanup,
        www.theoceancleanup.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch/. Accessed 3 June. 2019.

Carroll, Laura Bolin. “Backpacks vs Briefcases: Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis.” Writing
        Spaces: Readings on Writing, vol. 1, 2010, pp. 1-15.

Denchak, Melissa. “Ocean Pollution: The Dirty Facts.” NRDC, 17 Jan. 2019,
        www.nrdc.org/stories/ocean-pollution-dirty-facts. Accessed 3 June. 2019.

Corbett, Erin. “These 8 Companies Are Ditching Plastic Straws. Here's How They Are Replacing
        Them.” Fortune, 2018, fortune.com/2018/07/11/ditching-plastic-straws-replacements/. Accessed 20 June. 2019.

James D. Darling, et al. “Humpback Whale Songs: Do They Organize Males during the Breeding
        Season?” Behaviour, vol. 143, no. 9, 2006, p. 1051. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.4536395&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Small Setback

Hi all, just checking in! Professor Taylor brought it to my attention that my choice of sources is not the best. I made the mistake of relying on articles and other sources from Google instead of utilizing the UCF library tool which somehow did not cross my mind during this research process. My previous assignments/posts were all created before this information was brought to my attention so I cannot fix them. What I will be doing to improve my final paper is search for new sources through the UCF library that may be more credible. Hopefully, this mishap does not harm my grade too much! Tomorrow I will be posting my final research paper after more time revising and finding better sources. Wish me luck!

Stakeholder and Genre Analysis

Topic question: What can be done to sustainably remove The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and other large floating masses of waste from the oceans?

Part 1: Stakeholder Analysis

Who are these people?

When there is a problem being researched and advocated for, who is responsible? Certain groups of people referred to as discourse communities are known to invest their time in topics that spark their interest. A discourse community can be defined as a group of individuals that have a shared goal or purpose that have adopted unique methods of communication suitable to their genre. My topic question deals with pollution in the oceans and how we can take steps toward a future consisting of clean, serene waves. While considering discourse communities that would be intrigued by this topic, I found a large variety of groups but decided to narrow the list down to the three I believe are most significant. These three are environmentalists, marine conservationists, and environmental engineers.

Why are they stakeholders?

Each of these discourse communities has different shared goals. Environmentalists are concerned with the protection of the environment’s health as a whole, marine conservationists focus on the protection of the seas, and environmental engineers develop solutions to environmental problems using the principles of engineering. Although each group has a different main goal, they can all agree on one thing: environmental issues are incredibly significant and must be solved as soon as possible. In the present day, each of these discourse communities is adamant to remove or significantly reduce the amount of waste in the oceans in order to protect marine life. Knowing this has allowed me to decide that these communities could be considered stakeholders for my research paper. Not only are they already invested in solving my chosen topic, but they are always searching for new solutions in hopes to find one that works as well as they’ve dreamed.

What can they do in response to your findings/proposals/concerns?In order to tackle an environmental issue, several steps must be followed. In a novel titled Ecological Knowledge and Environmental Problem-Solving: Concepts and Case Studies, a scientific framework for settling environmental crises is provided. The first step involves identifying the problem and sharing the ultimate goal researchers have along with identifying “the components of the environment perceived as valuable…” (National Research Council 1986, 105). This step is usually carried out by a scientific researcher or an individual concerned with an issue they have encountered in nature. This step is being carried out by me preparing a research paper. According to the novel mentioned above, “Identifying environmental goals is complex and requires input from the public and from scientists” (National Research Council 1986, 106). This is where the environmentalists and marine conservationists can come in and bring more awareness to the topic at hand. Not only can they help advocate the issue to gain more support towards carrying out the solution, but they can also contribute more scientific knowledge to my findings. Another vital step in the process is referred to as scoping. This is when all interested parties are brought together to discuss their views before major actions are initiated (National Research Council 1986, 105). The National Research Council of 1986 adds that “Early scoping can help to identify the important issues and potential environmental effects associated with planned actions” (107). This can be done by bringing together the stakeholders and formulating an exact plan for reaching the final goal. The environmental engineers can then sketch any models necessary and ensure that any technology needed for this project is environmentally friendly. In short, environmentalists and marine conservationists can bring awareness to my concerns as well contribute any more useful scientific knowledge. Environmental engineers can help strategize a fully working system while also ensuring that all equipment utilized is sustainable. With each of these stakeholders working with me, my end goal can be reached swiftly.

Part 2: Genre Analysis

Where do these stakeholders get their information?

In order to decide how my findings should be displayed, the genres my stakeholders practice must be determined and evaluated. Writer Anis Bawarshi defines genres as “language forms that have identifiable and changing roles in interpersonal relationships and in larger collective texts” (550). This means that genre is a fluid concept that helps individuals predict the conventions of texts as well as conversations based on who the participants are. As genre determines the format and language used in a specific rhetorical situation, its consideration is vital when conducting research. All of my stakeholders are scientists. Science is a subject that is based on observation, research, and factual evidence. With this knowledge, it is clear that my concerns must be presented in a formal manner with evidence supporting my claims. In an article published by the University of California, Berkeley, the factors scientists consider when evaluating ideas are listed. Scientists look for evidence that is based on a large sample of observations and that can prove how two factors correlate with each other and a change in one causes a change in the other (“Convince Me: How Strong is the Evidence?”). They also are drawn to articles that have evidence to back up each claim and look for claims that are supported by multiple sources (“Convince Me: How Strong is the Evidence?”). Scientists practice in the genres of research papers, lab reports, and scientific journals. These are all genres that rely on a large collection of data and various forms of evidence. In Laura Bolin Carroll’s essay titled Backpacks vs Briefcases: Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis, she discusses three methods of persuasion. She states that researchers must consider their audience when they write, likely leaning on logos, an argument from reason that appeals to the audience’s intellectual side, to convince their readers (52). I will have to implement logos in my writing in order to convince scientists, who value facts over all else, to invest time into my project. I will also have to include various forms of evidence ranging from statistics to images, and to written forms of documentation.

Which genre is most suitable?

The genre I found most suitable to present my information is a research paper. A research paper is typically composed of five main sections: introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion. I will be talking about the issue at hand in the introduction section as well as why I am determined to solve it. In the methods section, I will be discussing how and where I got my information from as well as how credible these sources are. Including this information would show my stakeholders that I am well-informed on this topic and gathered information from a wide array of trustworthy sources. In my results section, I will be exploring my findings and reveal what can be and what cannot be done to solve the issue at hand. In the discussion section, I will speak more in depth about the options we have to deal with the pollution problem. The conclusion section will be composed of a quick summary of my findings and the solution that is most probable. The entire paper must be written using a formal voice and all sources will be cited in MLA format using plentiful in-text citations. Presenting my topic question in the form of a research paper while relying heavily on various sources of evidence and the logos appeal will likely allow me to convince my stakeholders to carry out my solution of choice.

Reflection of Relevant Source Information

Ocean Cleanup. “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” The Ocean Cleanup,

www.theoceancleanup.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch/. Accessed 3 June. 2019.

The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organization whose goal is to remove all plastic waste from the oceans in order to protect marine life and humans. The organization is run by 80+ engineers, scientists, and researchers who are passionate to ensure that the future of the oceans is plastic free. There are two pages on this site that information will be taken from to integrate into my final research paper. The first is the page that speaks specifically about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). The most useful information found on this page are the detailed descriptions of the size and location of the GPGP as well as the impacts marine pollution has on sea life, human life, and society. One specific quote that will be included in the final research paper goes as follows: “The GPGP covers an estimated surface area of 1.6 million square kilometers, an area twice the size of Texas or three times the size of France” (“What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?”). This material is important to include as it states the expanse of the plastic pollution problem. The introduction of the final research paper will speak about the dangers of ocean pollution and why it is an important issue to solve, making information such as this extremely relevant.

Information taken from their page describing the technology the organization uses to clean up the oceans will be included as well. Specifically, the technology itself and how it has little to no negative effects on marine life will be thoroughly discussed. A diagram of the technology may also be included along with the following facts: the technology is energy neutral, its design prevents marine life from getting entangled or injured, and there is a satellite system that allows for the team to locate the ocean cleanup equipment (“Technology: How it Works”). As my research topic considers ways to sustainably remove the plastic waste from the oceans, this information is incredibly relevant as it is a well researched, working solution. I would like to use the data found on this page to evaluate the solution to this problem and support my reasons to believe that this topic can be tackled swiftly. This source as a whole is beneficial to the development of my final research paper as it includes a wide range of statistical evidence, scientific research, diagrams, and visual explanations that can all be cited.


Denchak, Melissa. “Ocean Pollution: The Dirty Facts.” NRDC, 17 Jan. 2019,

www.nrdc.org/stories/ocean-pollution-dirty-facts. Accessed 9 June. 2019.

Within this article, four of the leading reasons the health of the oceans is in jeopardy are discussed. The introduction of this article speaks about the oceans themselves and what they do for the planet. I would like to include some of this information in my research paper when I plan to explain the benefits of protecting the oceans. One quote I plan to cite goes as follows: “They govern the weather, clean the air, help feed the world, and provide a living for millions. They also are home to most of the life on earth…” (“Ocean Pollution: The Dirty Facts”). Including this quotation will help to support my desire to clean the oceans, clarifying their importance to global health. This article discusses noise pollution along with physical waste pollution. Noise pollution is another form of damage the oceans must deal with due to human irresponsibility. I would like to include information about this when discussing the solution to this topic. By referencing this, it is clear that I am well informed on this topic and am aware that to remove ocean pollution sustainably, certain technology like a large fleet of boats could not be used as they not only consume tons of fossil fuels but would further threaten marine life with another form of pollution. The inclusion of this source would offer me more credibility when speaking about this topic and when discussing how the solution I will reach is efficient and possible.


National Geographic Society. “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” National Geographic Society, 9

Oct. 2012, www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/. Accessed 9 June. 2019.

This article by National Geographic focuses on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. As my research was always geared to investigate this large expanse of floating waste, this article’s inclusion as a source is necessary. Throughout this article, the kinds of plastics in the GPGP and their origins are discussed. The effects of ocean pollution are broken down using specific examples of products and the animals they harm. This article also speaks about how plastic pollution in the ocean is the most harmful as it is not a biodegradable substance but instead breaks down into thousands of tinier parts. Here is a specific quote I would like to include: “...plastic goods do not biodegrade but instead break down into smaller pieces. In the ocean, the sun breaks down these plastics into tinier and tinier pieces, a process known as photodegradation” (“Great Pacific Garbage Patch”). Citing this piece of evidence is useful when discussing the harm of pollution in the ocean and the significance of removing the floating waste. This pollution is not an issue that nature can solve on its own, but one in which humans must intervene. I would also like to mention that the GPGP is far out at sea in international waters, preventing any country from taking responsibility. Including this bit of information provides more reasons as to why communities should come together and work to unravel this problem. This source is extremely relevant to my research as it gives more reasons as to why this issue is so grand and demanding of an immediate resolution. National Geographic is a highly accredited source for scientific and environmental issues, offering me more credibility by citing this source in my research paper.


Greenstein, June. “Upcycled Ocean Plastic.” Upcycled Ocean Plastic, 9 May 2018,

ocean.si.edu/conservation/pollution/upcycled-ocean-plastic. Accessed 4 June. 2019.

The solution to my research topic is to remove the pollution from the ocean with energy efficient technology and utilize the gathered plastics to create brand new sustainable products. This article talks about several kinds of products that have been made using upcycled plastic from the oceans. Companies included have made sunglasses, running shoes, carpets, soap bottles, skateboards, and clothing lines all with upcycled plastics. By integrating this information in my research paper, I am able to conclude that my solution is one that is full-proof. It is not a brand new solution but one that has worked in the past and continues to work that has not yet been done on a large scale. Reviewing the range of products made from plastic can also help me think of other companies who would be able to make an effort to use upcycled plastics in their products. This article is relevant to my research because it directly correlates to the solution I am aiming to reach. By providing evidence of several companies practicing the solution, I am able to support my reasons for reaching that ultimatum and am able to prove that it is one that works.

Baral, Susmita. “You Can't Just ‘Clean Up’ the Plastic in the Ocean. Here's Why.” Teen Vogue,

Teen Vogue, 23 Dec. 2018, www.teenvogue.com/story/you-cant-just-clean-up-the-plastic-in-the-ocean. Accessed 11 June. 2019.

Within this article published by Teen Vogue, the plastic pollution issue is discussed along with The Ocean Cleanup’s technology that is meant to remove much of this waste from the oceans. Although most of the information in this article is relevant to my topic, much of it has been reiterated from other sources. The most important points that I did not gather elsewhere are the other ways in which individuals can help reduce the amount of plastic waste in the oceans. Specifically, I would like to discuss how consumers can ask corporations to begin incorporating fewer plastics in their products. I would like to include this quote as an example of what corporations could begin doing in the near future: “A PepsiCo spokesperson told Teen Vogue the company is ‘committed to achieving 100% recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable packaging by 2025’ and strives to ‘use 25% recycled plastic content in [their] plastic packaging by that same year’” (“You Can’t Just ‘Clean Up’ the Plastic in the Ocean. Here’s Why”). As I would like to discuss alternative options when considering my solution, this quote is relevant to cite in my research paper. I would also like to discuss how doing large, consistent beach cleanups can help minimize the pollution in the oceans since most of the waste enters from coastlines, so cleaning them could prevent this. The usefulness of this source is to consider alternative solutions to the main one I have found in order to showcase just how in depth my research process has been.

Research Proposal

The effects of climate change, ocean and land pollution, and deforestation are more apparent now than ever before. The health of the environment is something that most people are now considering as research proves that we are losing time to save our planet. As an environmental studies major, this is a topic that I have been interested in for years and hope to help solve in some way. My research question deals with ocean pollution exclusively. What can be done to sustainably remove the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and other large masses of floating waste?

Ocean pollution has been a problem for decades and only recently have people put more effort into solving it. In a study done by National Geographic, it was found that “each year, an estimated 18 billion pounds of plastic waste enters the world’s ocean from coastal regions” (“A running list of action on plastic pollution”). This number is incredibly large and impactful. Pollution in the oceans affect marine wildlife and ecosystems which directly impacts humans in various ways that include the economy, seafood industry, and climate. Without solving this issue, the biodiversity found in the oceans can be ultimately destroyed, leading to severe weather amongst other things. Hundreds of companies and people are currently encouraging others to minimize their consumption of single-use plastics and become more educated on how to dispose of their waste properly. There are also several companies working to produce products from upcycled waste found in the oceans. My research question is one that is currently being worked on and although the results are successful, there has not been a huge, noticeable impact on the largest patches of waste that continue to float around the oceans and harm marine life. I believe that this problem has not been fully solved because the islands of waste are not only ridiculously large, but they are far from coastal areas and tend to move around with the currents, making them harder to access.

The largest of the five offshore plastic accumulation zones is The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. According to an organization titled The Ocean Cleanup, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch “covers an estimated surface area of 1.6 million square kilometers, an area twice the size of Texas or three times the size of France” (“What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?”). This is the size of only one of the five floating mounds of waste in the oceans. As mentioned previously, the large size makes this pollution incredibly difficult to get rid of. There is actually an organization titled Plastic Bank that employs individuals to collect plastic waste from the ocean that can later be upcycled into new products. I believe that the creation of more companies such as these can help to solve the problem of marine pollution while also solving another unrelated global issue: unemployment. So far during my preliminary research, I have discovered a wide range of companies and the products they are making from upcycled plastic. Products range from graduation gowns, sunglasses, reusable water bottles, running shoes, carpets, soap bottles, and more. Not only are companies using upcycled plastic to create new products but some are even changing their packaging to further minimize plastic use and waste (“The Possibilities are Endless for Reuse of Plastic Ocean Trash”). Other people involved in this issue besides companies such as Unif, Clif Bar, and Norton Point are marine biologists, environmentalists, and environmentally-conscious students like myself. I was unaware of how many companies were already working on this issue but now that I know, I hope that through further research I can discover what has not been done yet and how to change that. I am also hoping to discover a sustainable way to reach the patches of waste and how to transport loads of it with minimal disruptions to marine ecosystems. On top of that, I would love to learn about how I can make lifestyle changes to further help protect marine life.

Preliminary Research Sources

Ocean Cleanup. “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” The Ocean Cleanup,

www.theoceancleanup.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch/. Accessed 3 June. 2019.

Howard, Brian Clark. “A Running List of Action on Plastic Pollution.” A Running List of Action

on Plastic Pollution, 11 Jan. 2019,

www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/07/ocean-plastic-pollution-solutions/. Accessed 4 June. 2019.

Greenstein, June. “Upcycled Ocean Plastic.” Upcycled Ocean Plastic, 9 May 2018,

ocean.si.edu/conservation/pollution/upcycled-ocean-plastic. Accessed 4 June. 2019.

US Department of Commerce, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “NOAA's

National Ocean Service: Ocean Topics.” Explore, 5 Sept. 2018,

oceanservice.noaa.gov/ocean/.

National Geographic Society. “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” National Geographic Society, 9

Oct. 2012, www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/.

Denchak, Melissa. “Ocean Pollution: The Dirty Facts.” NRDC, 17 Jan. 2019,

www.nrdc.org/stories/ocean-pollution-dirty-facts.

Topic Reflection

The year is 2019. Global issues are polluting the planet and individuals far and wide are more informed than ever on these topics. People are now more inclined to become activists, fighting for the justice they believe the world needs. While there are hundreds of problems that require immediate solutions, it is incredibly difficult to solve them especially due to their controversiality. By the end of this semester, intense research will have been completed in order to find a solution to the topic of my choice. Throughout this paper, I will discuss three possible topic choices for my research paper with hopes to narrow the options down to one.

In the past couple of years, the news has been flooded with stories of police officers attempting to arrest individuals without probable cause. Many other stories tragically end with officers murdering innocent people. Almost always, the victim is a minority, commonly African American men. Police officers are viewed as the people meant to protect us yet, there are hundreds of cases that showcase corrupt officers abusing their authority, leaving communities and families terrorized. My question asks what can be done to prevent these situations from occurring any longer. For this topic, I feel as though there are more cons to researching it than pros, so I’ll discuss the cons first. To start off, almost all evidence of these kinds of incidences are filmed. It is easy for people to misinterpret a video or for details to be left out of them. This would mean that the research collected on this topic may not be strong. Police officers are also authoritative figures so they have the upper hand, allowing for stories to be misconstrued further by their attempts to defend their case. Plus, since most cases deal with minorities and white officers, assumptions are that the officers are racially profiling which is at times hard to judge even if it is true. Some pros are that many of these kinds of cases are taken to court and there are plenty of examples of officers being fired due to their corruption of power. These cases prove that there is villainy involved but the issue on paper is a pretty slippery slope. To add on to the list of cons, narrowing this topic to a certain discourse community is tricky. Both qualitative and quantitative research would be necessary, including video footage, court, and other legal documents, and statistics of who the victims and criminals are on average.

My second topic of consideration deals with the largest example of ocean pollution to date. Floating in the Pacific Ocean is a patch of garbage that is estimated to have a surface size of 1.6 million square kilometers. My question considers what can be done to sustainably remove this large floating mass of waste from the ocean. There are several pros to researching this topic. For one, in present day people are increasing awareness of climate change and pollution worldwide. There are thousands of articles, scientific journals, documentaries, and other outlets of information on this topic. Conversations on how to recycle and reuse waste more efficiently have become much more prominent in the media and world of science. There are also several companies that have recently pledged to reuse waste, such as plastics, in their products in order to help clean the environment in some way. Plus, there has been a lot of research and discussion on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch specifically, allowing me to access tons of helpful information while researching. I will also be more likely to find a reasonable and realistic solution for this issue with so many resources available. While there are several pros to researching this topic, there are also a few cons that come along with it. One con is that the garbage patch has become so large at this point that there may not be an all or nothing solution to the problem. It is floating in the middle of the ocean, a bit far from land making it difficult to access. That I know of, there is no company or individual accessing the floating trash regularly and using it in their products which may make researching the costs and other specific details for a solution tough. Regarding the fact that my topic of choice must pertain to a specific discourse community, this topic is definitely in the clear. The specifics discourse community can be narrowed down from environmentalists to marine conservationists. Not only does this topic focus on a specific discourse community but it also is a real conversation being made today in this community that is especially focused on pollution in our oceans and how it affects marine life. The research collected on this topic will be both qualitative and quantitative, including sources such as scientific journals, news articles, shorts films, statistics and more. Since the research is so broad for this topic and it is something I am very interested in, I feel as though it is reasonable to find a solution for by the end of the semester.

My final topic considers how we can keep schools protected from mass shootings. In the past two decades in the US, mass shootings have terrorized several public places but most typically they occur at schools. Steps to prevent them have been made but none appear to be sufficient enough to entirely eliminate them. The pros of choosing this topic are that there are many examples of mass shootings to find information on, several solutions schools have tried out, and examples of laws that have been changed. The cons are that this topic is hard to research since it cannot be studied in a controlled setting and we don’t always know as much as we can from the shooter. It is also difficult to focus on attempts to solutions since many schools that add protection are not targeted. This topic as a whole is tremendously inconvenient to study but as it is a topic that sparks my interest I have been considering it. To add on to the list of cons, this topic cannot be narrowed down to a specific discourse community. The kinds of research needed would include, court and other legal documents, interviews, statistics, and articles about specific safety methods used in various cases.

While comparing the three topics I have considered, corruption in the police department and ocean pollution are the two that seemed more fitting with the requirements of the research paper. Due to my own interests and the fact that there seems to be more relevant data available on marine pollution, the topic I will focus on researching this semester is how we can eliminate the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Welcome!

Hello world! My name is Priscila Flores and I welcome you to my blog! I am a first-year student at the University of Central Florida majoring in Environmental Studies. This semester for my English class, I am required to complete a research project on the topic of my choice as well as a blog presenting all of the assignments I have completed leading up to my final paper. Throughout my posts, readers will be able to experience the journey I went through to reach my final product. I hope you all enjoy exploring my topic with me and can take the time to join the movement and make a change! :)