index > Today's Earth, Our Future > 1. Water on our planet > Is the Sea a Garbage Dump!?
 
Is the Sea a Garbage Dump!?Here's a riddle for you: What is the largest garbage dump in the world? Sadly, the answer is "the sea!" About 3.5 billion years ago the first life on Earth emerged from the ocean. So, it makes sense to think of the sea as our home. But, now the sea, our precious home, is a garbage dump? Yes, it's sad but true. The sea has become a giant garbage dump! What kinds of garbage are thrown into the sea? Plastic bags, plastic bottles, cooking oil, leftover food, detergent powder and foam, empty cans, oil leaked from tankers, wastewater discharged from factories, etc. My goodness! Even cars and submarines have been dumped at the bottom of the deep sea. Where did all this garbage come from? Well, some came from people who visited the sea for fishing or swimming. However, according to a survey, most garbage on the beach flowed from rivers out to the sea and then washed back up on the shore. Therefore, we can't say, "the garbage on the beach is none of my business because I don't go to the sea." The garbage found on the beach comes from everyone, everywhere!
If we throw away used cans or snack wrappers into a river after playing at the riverside, they will reach the sea and will make seabirds and fish suffer. So, please bring your trash back home with you. Also, by picking up trash you see along the riverside, it is helpful not only for the rivers but also for the sea. Without our knowing it, wastewater from households is contaminating the rivers and oceans. In our houses, wastewater is generated in the kitchen by washing vegetables and dishes, and in the bathroom by washing our bodies and hair, and by flushing the toilet. An average person in Japan produces about 250 liters of wastewater per day. This amount is equal to a bathtub full of water. In Japan, all wastewater from toilets is treated. However, surprisingly, 65 percent of all other wastewater runs into rivers without any processing at all. About 70 percent of pollutants in rivers come from household wastewater. In fact, household wastewater pollutes rivers much more than do industrial plants. Usually, rivers and seas can become clean by themselves if the contamination is not too severe. Today though, with so many people dumping various wastes into drains and other waterways, this kind of "self-cleaning" is getting more and more difficult. As a result, river and ocean pollution is becoming a serious issue. For this reason, it's important to be careful not to pour water with waste in it into drains. We should keep in mind that even though we can't see it, oil and detergent poured into kitchen sinks travel through rivers and flow into the sea. Therefore, before throwing garbage into rivers or the sea, or before pouring waste liquids into the sinks, just think about the invisible effects. Let's protect our rivers and oceans!
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   1. Water on our planet
   
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