5 Ways To Reduce Ocean Pollution

Plastic in the ocean and on beaches is a huge threat to sea turtles and other wildlife. This trash impacts sea turtles at every stage of their life cycle, from hatchlings crossing a polluted beach, to swimming through garbage patches in the ocean, plastic waste can strangle, entangle, starve, or obstruct sea turtles. But there are many ways to help reduce plastic pollution, both in your life and in sea turtle habitats!

Reduce your use of plastic

Single use plastic is everywhere but it only takes a little planning to avoid much of it. Bring a reusable bag to the store, pick up a reusable water bottle instead of a soda, and stay away from things like disposable cutlery and straws where possible. There are many alternatives to plastic products available now that can help you get plastic out of your home. Look for reusable bottles and bags at thrift stores for less expensive options.

Check out our guides:

Advocate for a plastic-free world.

Individual actions can help but to truly create a plastic-free economy, the businesses that are responsible for plastic waste need to take responsibility and governments need to better regulate the plastic industry. These links below are great places to take action:

Donate to help get plastic out of sea turtle habitats

Our Sea Turtles & Plastic program works with organizations around the world to help clean turtle nesting beaches and the ocean. By supporting this program, your donation will go directly towards helping reduce this threat to sea turtles around the world. Donate on the form to the right or learn more about this program here. You can also purchase items from our online store that benefit our plastic program below.

Clean it up!

There are many events to join others to clean beaches and communities but you don’t need to wait for that to take action. Bring a bag with you whenever you walk your neighborhood, visit the beach, or hike in a park to pick up plastic waste that you find. Recycle what is possible and make sure the rest is properly disposed.

Help create a market for recycled and ocean plastic

Only a small percentage of plastic recycled in municipal recycling programs actually gets recycled, the rest gets shipped to be disposed in developing countries which causes health and environmental issues. But by purchasing products made from ocean plastic (plastic cleaned from the water or washed up on beaches) and recycled plastic, you are helping to create new markets for plastic waste.

Here are some of our sponsors that offer products made from ocean or recycled plastic:

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TEDx Great Pacific Garbage Patch - Presentation by SEE Turtles co-founder Dr. Wallace J. Nichols