Stake-Holders

Who are the "Stake-Holders" when it comes to ocean pollution?

1. The Government 

The Government is one “stake-holder” that contributes to ocean pollution. The government is able to put regulations on many things, and they need to start on ocean life. By allowing the consumption of ocean life, and these big cruise ships and transportation ships that leave oil in our oceans, they are negatively impacting the ocean. The government plays one of the biggest roles as they are capable of controlling and setting limits on the general population and how they go about this issue. It is also seen to have a negative impact considering the fact that the government puts little emphasis on how much trash is dumped into the ocean. According to BidNet, there are some actions that the government can take to help this issue. One being, “Conservation and restoration of coastal lands and habitats, wetlands, tidal marshes, sea grasses and other areas,” another being “Clean up of oil and chemical spills,” and lastly, “Waste treatment and trash collection.” (Calamaras, 2016). By taking these minimal actions, the consequences could be reduced dramatically and the nation would be taking small yet impactful steps to cleaning our oceans and planet. 

2. The consumers 

By consuming ocean wildlife, people are contributing to ocean pollution. By being a consumer, one is showing a demand for fish. A demand for fish means that people are polluting the ocean wildlife by taking these boats that cause oil and chemical pollution to catch them. These consumers are all kinds of people with all different backgrounds. Although fish is a great source of protein and has many different health benefits, there are ways that the population as a whole can take steps to reduce the impact on the ocean. Such that, a shark fin is something that is used just for show and kills an innocent animal in the process. It is things like these that could be eliminated for a healthier and cleaner ocean. Also the consumers are so involved because they are the people demanding plastic. By using and buying water bottles, plastic bags and small things that could easily be substituted for more environmentally friendly options, they are contributing to the problem. By being consumers, there is one benefit and that is choosing to make a difference. 

3. Media

The use of media coverage is a positive for ocean pollution. Media allows people to see the harsh realizations that we are facing as a growing population. Due to the idea of “out of sight, out of mind” people tend to forget the negative effects that consuming plastic can have on the environment. Media coverage can vary, but the more of it on this issue the better. It can also be seen as negative as there is not enough of it, and it is not always efficient. By informing the public on this issue by using the media, it is a great way to see improvements on this situation. By knowing what the stakes are, it is easier to continue to find data and research. The people who are made up of media include, news broadcasts, journal and magazine articles and social media. 

4. Citizens 

One of the biggest sake holders are citizens themselves. It is said from The Globalist that, “Today, an average person living in North america or Western Europe, consumes 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of plastic each year…”(The Globalist, 2017). By just observing these two continents, one can see how big of an issue this is. Humans using plastic has led to this evolving issue, and from what scientists can predict it is only going to get worse. Citizens are not only negatively impacting the oceans, they are as well being negatively impacted by their decisions. By eating fish which have been in the ocean swallowing plastic, people are now consuming those microplastics. It becomes a chain reaction, and people are putting their health at risk by consuming these harmful chemicals. Overall, citizens are contributing to this issue by dumping trash into the ocean and putting themselves at risk while doing so. This is a negative impact on not only the ocean pollution, but the human population as well. 

References:

Calamaras, D. (2016). Business Insights. Retrieved from https://www.bidnet.com/resources/business-insights/protecting-our-oceans-how-government-is-working-to-reduce-pollution-and-promote-sustainability-en.jsp

The Globalist. (2017, October 12). Plastic Consumption: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Retrieved from https://www.theglobalist.com/plastic-consumption-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/