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Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! We are proud to announce that in collaboration with our brilliant volunteers, we are releasing a fascinating series of spooky informational graphics focused on Creatures of the Deep. Today’s graphic focuses on the adorable Vampire Squid.
October 9, 2026 at 11:52 AM
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#ocean #spooky #spectral #halloween #ocean #sea #informationalgraphic #marinebiology #marinescience #deepsea #marinelife #oceanlife #sealife #oceanscience #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #sciencecommunication #sciencenonprofit #fish #madebyhumans #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! We are proud to announce that in collaboration with our brilliant volunteers, we are releasing a fascinating series of spooky informational graphics focused on Creatures of the Deep. Today’s graphic focuses on the terrifying Telescope Fish.
October 7, 2026 at 1:46 AM
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#oceans #fisheries #marinebiology #marinescience #oceanlife #marinelife #informationalgraphic #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #sciencenonprofit #madebyhumans #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of informational graphics on sustainable fisheries. Our final graphic focuses on some of the ways that YOU can be sustainable in your diet when it comes to seafood. One of the ways to do your part in creating the push for sustainable seafood practices in fisheries is to be more sustainable in your diet. One way to do this is to shop locally in order to support your local businesses and the communities they support. Shopping locally also helps you develop a relationship with local fish mongers, allowing for more traceability. It is important to ensure the products you purchase are traceable, meaning you know where the fish was sourced from. There are several resources for this such as friendofthesea.com and Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. These websites are great resources that list out products that offer sustainably sourced seafood and companies that are contributing to marine conservation.  Another factor to be mindful of when attempting to stay on a sustainable seafood diet is to avoid overfished species. To stay informed, doing research on websites by organizations such as NOAA Fisheries and World Wildlife Fund can keep you updated on the fish that are at risk. Purchasing products that are MSC or ASC approved is also a more convenient way to ensure that the products are sustainable. Both organizations set the standard on making sure that the fisheries are leaving enough fish in the water and ensuring that the fish farms are protecting the environment, treating the fish well, and supporting local workers. 
September 22, 2026 at 7:44 AM
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#oceans #fisheries #marinebiology #marinescience #oceanlife #marinelife #informationalgraphic #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #sciencenonprofit #madebyhumans #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of informational graphics on sustainable fisheries. Today’s graphic focuses on sustainability in fisheries.  While fisheries may have certain negative impacts on the environment and marine ecosystem, proper regulation of the industry can help reduce these cons to become a more sustainable industry. One way is to ensure that protected species such as turtles don’t get caught in the nets of the fishing industry’s highly favored method of catch, trawling. Turtle excluder devices, also known as TEDs, help prevent sea turtles that may get stuck in trawling nets and allow them to escape safely. They are made of metal bars and mesh that fit inside the net and have been 97 percent effective in reducing the amount of turtles that get caught in shrimp trawls.  Cetaceans, such as dolphins and whales, are also at risk of getting caught in commercial fishing gear that results in injury or death. One device that was introduced to reduce these instances is acoustic pingers. It works by emitting high frequency sounds that keep the animals away from fishing gear. They have proven to cause a reduction in bycatch of many cetacean species but could still use some improvements to be more effective in deterring dugongs, humpback whales, and bottlenose dolphins.  Another way of making fisheries most sustainable is by setting an annual catch limit. Monitoring annual catch levels helps reduce overfishing and allows for long-term biological sustainability. The recommended steps in this process include calculating the overfishing limit, recommending the acceptable biological catch, specifying the annual limit, and setting annual targets.  Certifications such as MSC and ASC are a great way to support the fight against overfishing.
September 18, 2026 at 9:06 PM
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#oceans #fisheries #marinebiology #marinescience #oceanlife #marinelife #informationalgraphic #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #sciencenonprofit #madebyhumans #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of informational graphics on sustainable fisheries. Today’s graphic focuses on bycatch & trawling. Bycatch is the accidental catching of non-targeted species during commercial fishing operations. Bycatch could include non-target species, young fish, and protected species. It is a complicated issue that affects marine wildlife globally. Trawling is the act of towing a large net across the ocean floor with a boat to capture certain species of crabs or ground fish. The mesh net is designed to contain the fish inside the net as they reel it up to the surface. There are two different types of trawling, bottom trawling, which includes scraping the sea floor, and midwater trawling. Trawling has negative effects on other marine life in the ocean that are not the intended targets of catch. They can become entangled while foraging. Animals such as pilot whales, dolphins, and sea turtles are at high risk of being caught in bottom trawl; they may drown, get injured, or face stress and exhaustion from the capture and release. Trawling does not have to cease entirely, there are ways it can remain a sustainable approach to capturing fish. For instance, in the case of sea turtles, fisheries have introduced turtle exclusion devices which are a grid of bars with an opening near the end of the trawl net which allows for turtles to escape. This has greatly reduced turtle mortality rates in trawl fisheries. Trawling also does environmental damage to the ocean floor, damaging coral & delicate habitats. Some recommended methods to control this method of catching fish are to reduce the number of tows at night and reducing the duration of each tow.
September 13, 2026 at 12:12 PM
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#oceans #fisheries #marinebiology #marinescience #oceanlife #marinelife #informationalgraphic #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #sciencenonprofit #madebyhumans #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of informational graphics on sustainable fisheries. Today’s graphic focuses on overfishing. Is it possible to overfish? The answer is yes, as abundant as the supply may seem, the overfishing of certain stocks of fish is very possible. Overfishing is defined as when too many of a certain type of fish is caught and there are not enough to breed and sustain the population. Overfishing is considered a global crisis which affects the fish on the market, but also can destabilize entire marine ecosystems. Overfishing is caused by several factors, one being the rising human consumption due to the rising population. Climate change is also a major reason for overfishing as ocean temperatures increase, fish will migrate different routes instead of the traditional fishing grounds. Fisheries will then continue to catch at the same level even though there is not as many fish in that area. There is also an overcapacity of fishing vessels in the waters that are getting larger as the pressure to keep up with demand grows. The impacts of overfishing are devastating if no action is taken to combat it. An estimated 36 million people are employed in the wild capture seafood sectors which means if the industry were to collapse, many people would lose their livelihoods. Overfishing can also affect biodiversity because many species of marine life rely on fish to survive, but it is also to be noted that overfishing can also cause accidental catching of other marine species such as sharks and turtles, known as bycatch. This is usually because of trawling, which is a popular way of catching fish which requires a large net that scrapes the bottom of the ocean in order to capture large groups of fish. In this method, other non-targets such as young fish and crustaceans are trapped and killed in the process.
September 9, 2026 at 8:30 PM
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#oceans #fisheries #marinebiology #marinescience #oceanlife #marinelife #informationalgraphic #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #sciencenonprofit #madebyhumans #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of informational graphics on sustainable fisheries. Today’s graphic focuses on some of the most commonly caught commercial fish.  Peruvian anchoveta are found in the southeastern Pacific Ocean off Peru and Chile and are used to produce fishmeal and canned fish.  They are caught with a purse seine which is a large net that is deployed around an entire area of schools of fish. The Japanese Anchovy is another largely consumed anchovy that is also caught via a purse seine or by attracting them at night using powerful onboard lights on ships to gather them into a large mass.  Alaskan Pollock is a member of the cod family and resides in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. Skipjack and Yellowfin Tuna are obtained by pole and line fishing, which is the traditional method of catching the fish one by one, or by longlines, a commercialized method that involves a long main line with several baited hooks.  The Atlantic Herring is another type of fish that is also caught with a purse seine and can also be caught by mid-water trawling, a method that involves a large cone-shaped net that is towed through the open ocean with a boat. The Chub and Chilean Jack Mackerel are also caught using the same methods as the Herring and they can also be caught recreationally by using Sabiki rigs, which is a fishing line with several hooks that contain several attractors such as feathers or fish skin.  The Largehead Hairtail is a cutlassfish that are commonly captured using seines or by bottom trawling, which is the act of dragging a large net across the ocean floor. 
September 6, 2026 at 9:45 PM
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#oceans #fisheries #marinebiology #marinescience #oceanlife #marinelife #informationalgraphic #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #sciencenonprofit #madebyhumans #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of informational graphics on sustainable fisheries. Our first installment features the definition & broad scope of what fisheries entail. Fisheries are broadly defined as the capture of aquatic life for human consumption, recreation or subsistence. Popular methods include line and hook, nets, trapping, and more intensive techniques such as trawling, in which large nets are dragged through the water or along the seabed. Destructive methods such as poisons and explosives have also been used in some areas to capture aquatic organisms, although these can cause significant environmental damage and are prohibited or restricted in many places. Fisheries can be managed sustainably or unsustainably, depending on factors such as the amount harvested, fishing methods, and management practices. Sustainable fisheries aim to harvest aquatic organisms at a rate that allows populations to reproduce and remain stable over time, whereas unsustainable fishing can lead to overfishing, population decline, bycatch, and habitat destruction. Fisheries are an important source of food, employment, income, and economic livelihood, particularly for coastal communities that depend on aquatic resources. Therefore, effective fisheries management is important for balancing human needs with the long-term health of aquatic ecosystems.
September 3, 2026 at 3:34 PM
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#madebyhumans #marinebiology #oceanscience #marinescience #pinniped #seal #sea #ocean #nonprofitorganization #nonprofit #sciencecommunication #sciencenonprofit #informationalgraphic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of seal-themed informational graphics. Today’s graphic focuses on harbour seals. The harbor seal is the most widely spread of all pinniped species, found along coastlines across the Northern Hemisphere. Adults measure roughly 1.4 to 1.9 metres and weigh between 55 and 170 kg, with males generally larger than females. Their coats vary from light grey with dark blotches to dark backgrounds with pale rings, and no two seals share exactly the same pattern. They can dive to depths of over 400 metres and hold their breath for close to 30 minutes, though most everyday dives are much shorter and shallower, usually just a few minutes down to around 90 metres. What's remarkable is how early this ability develops: pups can swim within hours of birth and are already diving for up to two minutes by the time they're just two or three days old. On land, though, their movement is far clumsier, their fused pelvic bones mean they shuffle along the ground in a caterpillar-like motion rather than walk, which is part of why haul-out sites matter so much to them for safe resting. A female gives birth to a single pup each spring, and by the end of that pup's first month of life it may already be capable of traveling over 100 miles from where it was born. Pups nurse for only three to six weeks before being weaned, at which point they're largely on their own. In the wild, harbor seals typically live around 25 to 30 years, with females often outliving males; the oldest recorded wild individual, aged by growth rings in its teeth, reached 35 years. Despite being one of the most common seals in the world, with a global population estimated at 400,000 to 500,000, harbor seals remain closely tied to the health of the coastlines they depend on.
August 30, 2026 at 7:40 AM
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#marinebiology #oceanscience #marinescience #pinniped #seal #sea #ocean #nonprofitorganization #nonprofit #sciencecommunication #sciencenonprofit #informationalgraphic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of seal-themed informational graphics. Today’s graphic focuses on harp seals. Harp seals get their name from the dark, harp-shaped mark on their back, though not every seal has it. Adults grow from 5 to 6 feet long and weigh somewhere between 260 and 300 pounds. They have light gray fur, a black patch across the face like a mask, along with a harp-shaped marking down the back. Younger seals look much different appearance-wise. Instead of the harp shape, they're covered in scattered dark spots, and it's not until they reach sexual maturity, around five and a half years old, that spots merge into the full harp pattern. Pups are born with a thick, woolly white coat that helps them soak up sunlight and stay warm in their first few weeks. Individuals live across the cold waters of the North Atlantic and the Arctic, and scientists recognize three separate populations: one in the Barents Sea, one off the east coast of Greenland, and one in the Northwest Atlantic. Harp seals are highly migratory. Every summer they follow the retreating pack ice north to feed, then head back south again before winter sets in. Some of these trips add up to more than 3,100 miles round trip, which is a lot of distance for an animal this size. Their diet is varied. They eat capelin, Arctic cod, herring, Greenland halibut, and a handful of other fish, plus crustaceans like krill and shrimp. Most of their dives go down to around 100 metres, but at least one seal has been recorded diving as deep as 274 metres. For most of the year they keep to themselves, but that changes completely during breeding and molting season, when thousands of them crowd together on the pack ice at once.
August 27, 2026 at 10:36 AM
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#marinebiology #oceanscience #marinescience #pinniped #seal #sea #ocean #nonprofitorganization #nonprofit #sciencecommunication #sciencenonprofit #informationalgraphic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of seal-themed informational graphics. Today’s graphic focuses on the Ringed Seal (Pusa hispada). The ringed seal is the smallest seal found in the Arctic and the most common. It gets its name from the pale rings scattered across its darker coat. Adults usually grow to about 1.1 to 1.5 metres and weigh between 50 and 70 kilograms, with males slightly bigger than females. They're found all around the Arctic wherever there's sea ice, and a few populations even live in freshwater lakes far inland, cut off from the ocean entirely. What really sets this seal apart is how it deals with ice. Instead of staying near open water like most seals, it uses the claws on its front flippers to dig and keep open its own breathing holes through thick ice, so it can live and hunt well away from any shoreline. When there's enough snow on top of the ice, it digs out small caves around these holes to hide from the cold and from predators, and it guards them closely once it has claimed one. They're strong divers, too, able to go down to around 300 feet and stay underwater for up to 45 minutes while hunting for Arctic cod and small crustaceans. Ringed seals mostly keep to themselves outside of breeding season. That's really the only time they gather with others, hauling out onto the ice together to mate, molt, and rest. During breeding season, males develop a darker face and a strong smell, something local hunters have long learned to notice and steer clear of. Right now the biggest threat to ringed seals is the loss of the sea ice they depend on for breeding, resting, and shelter, made worse by a warming climate. They're also affected by fishing gear, growing ship traffic in the Arctic, and oil and gas activity in their habitat.
August 25, 2026 at 2:57 AM
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#marinebiology #oceanscience #marinescience #pinniped #seal #sea #ocean #nonprofitorganization #nonprofit #sciencecommunication #sciencenonprofit #informationalgraphic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of seal-themed informational graphics. There are three different types of monk seals; the Mediterranean Monk, Hawaiian Monk, and Caribbean Monk seal.  The Mediterranean monk seal is one of two surviving species of monk seals. It is the rarest species of pinniped with an estimated 815-997 individuals remaining. The Mediterranean monk seal has suffered much exploitation, persecution, and harassment, and today all that remain are a few widely separated. Historically, monk seals hauled out on open beaches for resting and pupping, but due to centuries of human persecution and disturbance, they have left their original habitat. They are currently found in the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic Ocean along the coast of Northwest Africa. Newborn pups have a black or dark brown woolly coat called “lanugo” with a white, sometimes spotted, patch on the belly side of the seal. At the adult and juvenile stages, the seal’s coat becomes short and bristly. Mediterranean monk seals are considered opportunistic predators and feed on a variety of prey including bony fishes and crustaceans. The Hawaiian Monk seal is another endangered seal species found in the main Hawaiian islands. Hawaiian monk seals are protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and State of Hawaiʻi law. The estimated population of this seal is about 1,600 seals with nearly 1,200 seals in Papahānaumokuākea. Newborn monk seal pups have black fur and undergo a yearly molt where they shed the top layer of their skin and fur. They eat a wide variety of foods such as common fishes, squids, octopuses, eels, and crustaceans. Hawaiian monk seals are mostly solitary. They don't live in colonies like sea lions or other seals. The Caribbean monk seal is an extinct species of seal native to the Caribbean.
August 21, 2026 at 11:29 AM
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#marinebiology #oceanscience #marinescience #pinniped #seal #sea #ocean #nonprofitorganization #nonprofit #sciencecommunication #sciencenonprofit #informationalgraphic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of seal-themed informational graphics. Today’s graphic focuses on harbour seal conservation efforts by the NOAA. The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is a government regulatory agency that manages the protection of marine mammals and endangered species in the US. The harbor seal, a protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, is one area of concern that they have specialized in through several efforts.  One effort is cleaning up chemical contaminates in the Pacific Northwest and California where seals are most likely to be exposed to. Harbor seals are also at risk of harm during an oil spill in which the NOAA has released guidelines on how to respond in the event of a spill such as care for any oiled marine animals.  When a seal is found stranded, the NOAA and their partners will assess the animal’s health and determine which steps to take next. Figuring out what has caused the seal to become stranded or injured can help give insight on what else is going on in our oceans.  Another danger to the harbor seal population is vessel disturbance, which is a collision between any marine animal and any type of boat. To reduce these instances, the NOAA has issued voluntary guidelines to reduce the disturbance to the harbor seals specifically in the glacial fjords of Alaska. The guidelines include all boating vessels to maintain 500 yards distance from seals and to avoid abrupt changes in engine pitch to avoid loud noises. 
August 18, 2026 at 10:22 AM
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#marinebiology #oceanscience #marinescience #pinniped #seal #sea #ocean #nonprofitorganization #nonprofit #sciencecommunication #sciencenonprofit #informationalgraphic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of seal-themed informational graphics. Seals are held captive by humans for a variety of reasons such as display in zoos and aquaria, scientific research purposes, military work, and rehabilitation to care for stranded individuals. In zoos and aquaria, seals are either kept alone or in groups, while sea lions are most often housed in groups. Seals and sea lions in various captive facilities have access to differing amounts of enrichment, training, and some perform for public shows. They are intelligent and tend to be highly trainable which means they seek novel and varying stimuli through exploration and play. To provide enrichment so that the seals do not get bored, the zoos or aquaria may introduce the seals to balls or toys in the pools, devices similar to dog toys that release food as they are moved around, and large ice cubes that contain fish pieces inside. Some seals may require rehabilitation from humans if they are found  sick or injured. The goal of their rehabilitation is to improve their chances of survival and being returned to the wild. Some rehabilitation facilities may have short term holdings for seals and focus on immediate stabilization while some have long term holdings to give the seal time to recover from illness or injury before being released in the wild. The decision to rehabilitate a live-stranded marine mammal can depend on many factors such as conservation priority, likelihood of survival, and available space at the facility. Rehabilitation facilities also play a vital role in learning about the issues that seals are facing and how they can address it. For instance, the successful treatment of the endangered Hawaiian monk seals was all due to the decades-long work with harbor seals and California sea lions. Data collected from marine mammals in rehabilitation can also help identify and reduce threats to species in the wild. 
August 16, 2026 at 8:29 AM
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#marinebiology #oceanscience #marinescience #pinniped #seal #sea #ocean #nonprofitorganization #nonprofit #sciencecommunication #sciencenonprofit #informationalgraphic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of seal-themed informational graphics. Today’s graphic focuses on seal behaviour. While mostly residing in the ocean, seals will also spend some time on land. This is known as hauling out, where they leave the water for a temporary amount of time to rest, regulate body temperature, avoid predators, or nurse their pups. Seals and seal lions possess the ability to thermoregulate; they will raise their flippers and their blood vessels will either absorb or release heat into their environment. Elephant seals are known to flip wet sand on their backs in order to cool down.  Seals and sea lions are very brisk swimmers, however sea lions have larger flippers which allows them to jump out of the water (porpoise) in order to swim even faster. California sea lions can swim up to twenty five miles per hour. Seals and sea lions also have an interesting way of communicating known as breath exchanging. This is where they bring their snouts close together and exchange smells. Mothers and pups use this method to recognize each other after birth and to bond. 
August 13, 2026 at 1:05 AM
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#marinebiology #oceanscience #marinescience #pinniped #seal #sea #ocean #nonprofitorganization #nonprofit #sciencecommunication #sciencenonprofit #informationalgraphic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of seal-themed informational graphics. Today’s graphic focuses on the differences between sea lions and seals, along with how you can identify each. Seals and sea lions are part of a marine mammal group called pinnipeds. There are two types of pinnipeds called phocids and otariids. Phocids have no earflaps - only earholes, and small front flippers. Otariids, however, do possess ear flaps and large front flippers.  The phocids are known as the “true” seals and they are smaller, quieter, and use their bellies to move on land. The otariids, also known as sea lions, are much larger in size, tend to make loud barking noises, and can use their flippers to move on land. Sea lions are more social animals with many of them gathering together on beaches and offshore rocks. Seals are more isolated especially when in water and usually only gather on land when trying to avoid predators, rest, or mate. 
August 6, 2026 at 9:06 PM
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#marinebiology #oceanscience #marinescience #pinniped #seal #sea #ocean #nonprofitorganization #nonprofit #sciencecommunication #sciencenonprofit #informationalgraphic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant Social Media Volunteers, we created a series of seal-themed informational graphics. Our first installment features the geographic distribution of seals. Most true seals live in colder waters in the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Southern Oceans. They prefer temperatures of less than 20 degrees celsiusSome eared seals such as the Monk seal will live in tropical waters where the currents help keep the water at a cooler temperature. They prefer temperatures of less than 20 degrees Celsius and will stay in mostly coastal areas as well as open ocean.  Harbor seals can be found along the west coast of North America and are considered non-migratory. Gray seals reside in coastal areas in the North Atlantic ocean and tend to share their habitat with harbor seals.  Hawaiian Monk seals live exclusively in the waters of the Hawaiian Islands. The Mediterranean Monk seals reside in the Mediterranean sea and eastern Atlantic ocean. Spotted seals live out in the arctic waters of the North Pacific Ocean and Bearded seals can be found off the coast of Alaska. Ringed seals are mostly found in the Arctic Basin but can also be in the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans. 
August 3, 2026 at 3:49 PM
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#plastic #pleasestoplittering #pollution #marinescience #oceanscience #ocean #sea #oceanlife #marinelife #marinebiology #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #informationalgraphic #infographic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant volunteers, we have created a series of 10 informational graphics on the plastics crisis in celebration of Plastic Free July! Our tenth & final graphic focuses on how we can be more sustainable in our everyday lives. “Items such as plastic bags, straws, bottles, and food packaging are often used briefly but can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. These plastics frequently end up in rivers, lakes, and oceans, where they break down into microplastics that can be ingested by fish, seabirds, turtles, and other aquatic organisms. By carrying reusable shopping bags, water bottles, food containers, and cutlery, individuals can significantly reduce plastic waste, protect marine ecosystems, and decrease the demand for the production of new plastics, which also helps lower greenhouse gas emissions. Polyester is a synthetic fabric made from petroleum-based resources. During washing, polyester garments release tiny plastic fibers known as microfibers, which can pass through wastewater treatment systems and enter oceans, rivers, and lakes. These microfibers are consumed by aquatic organisms and can accumulate throughout the food chain. Choosing natural fibers such as cotton, hemp, wool, or linen helps reduce microplastic pollution and supports a cleaner aquatic environment while decreasing dependence on fossil-fuel-based products. Replacing plastic products with durable alternatives made from metal or bamboo helps reduce waste generation and environmental pollution.
July 27, 2026 at 8:03 AM
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#plastic #pleasestoplittering #pollution #marinescience #oceanscience #ocean #sea #oceanlife #marinelife #marinebiology #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #informationalgraphic #infographic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant volunteers, we have created a series of 10 informational graphics on the plastics crisis in celebration of Plastic Free July! Today’s graphic focuses on how we can mitigate plastic pollution as a society. “Deposit and return schemes are one of the ways society can help reduce plastic pollution. These systems work by giving people a small refund when they return used plastic bottles and cans for recycling instead of throwing them away. This helps reduce litter, improve recycling, and keep plastic waste out of rivers, oceans, and landfills. Deposit and return schemes also encourage people and companies to take more responsibility for waste and support the reuse and recycling of materials.  Ending fossil fuel subsidies means reducing government support that keeps oil, gas, and coal cheaper than their real cost. These subsidies are often meant to make energy more affordable, but they end up costing governments and encouraging more use of fuels that increase pollution and contribute to climate change. In many cases, they do not mainly help low income groups, but benefit wealthier households and large industries that use more energy. They also slow down the shift to cleaner energy like solar and wind because fossil fuels remain artificially cheap. Removing these subsidies can help reduce emissions, lower environmental damage, and improve air quality. It can also free up public funds that can be used for better services such as health, education, and investment in clean energy. Improving transparency in plastic manufacturing and recycling means making it clearer how much plastic is produced, how it is used, and what happens to it after use. This includes better reporting on plastic production, waste collection, and recycling activities so that governments and the public can understand the full plastic life cycle.”
July 25, 2026 at 8:06 AM
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#plastic #pleasestoplittering #pollution #marinescience #oceanscience #ocean #sea #oceanlife #marinelife #marinebiology #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #informationalgraphic #infographic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant volunteers, we have created a series of 10 informational graphics on the plastics crisis in celebration of Plastic Free July! Today’s graphic focuses on how plastic pollution affects humanity. “Plastic pollution has become a global problem because it affects human health, economic activities, and the natural environment. Millions of tons of plastic waste enter the environment each year, and much of it accumulates in oceans, rivers, soils, and urban areas because plastics take a very long time to break down. Plastic pollution damages ecosystems and creates financial losses in sectors such as fisheries, tourism, agriculture, and waste management. The global plastic waste production has increased greatly over recent decades, increasing pressure on governments worldwide. Plastic pollution also increases cleanup costs as countries will spend large amounts of money removing plastic waste from watersheds. Plastic pollution also affects human and ecological health in many ways.  Microplastics have been found in food, drinking water, and air, exposing humans to plastic particles. Some plastics contain harmful chemicals such as BPA and phthalates, which may interfere with body functions.  Communities that depend on fisheries are heavily affected by plastic pollution because healthy aquatic ecosystems are important for fish production and fishing activities. Plastic waste in oceans, lakes, and rivers damages fish habitats and reduces water quality, affecting the survival of aquatic organisms. Marine litter threatens fisheries and food security in many coastal regions. Plastic debris can damage fishing equipment such as nets and boat propellers, increasing operational costs for fishermen. Fishermen often lose time and income because they must remove plastics from nets and repair damaged equipment instead of focusing on fishing.”
July 21, 2026 at 4:57 PM
persaudfoundation.bsky.social
#plastic #pleasestoplittering #pollution #marinescience #oceanscience #ocean #sea #oceanlife #marinelife #marinebiology #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #informationalgraphic #infographic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant volunteers, we have created a series of 10 informational graphics on the plastics crisis in celebration of Plastic Free July! Today’s graphic focuses on microplastics, nurdles, & nanoplastics. “Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm that come from the breakdown of larger plastics, or are manufactured in small sizes for industrial use. Nanoplastics are even smaller fragments, usually below 1 micrometre, and they are considered more mobile in the environment because of their tiny size. Nurdles are small plastic pellets used as raw material in plastic manufacturing and can be easily spilled into the environment during transport or processing. These three forms are linked because larger plastics break down over time, forming smaller and more dangerous particles. Microplastics and nanoplastics are now found in air, soil, rivers, oceans, and food chains, showing how widely they are distributed.  Microplastics can enter living organisms through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption, especially in aquatic animals that mistake them for food. Once inside organisms, these particles may remain in tissues instead of being fully removed, which leads to accumulation in the body over time. This process is known as bioaccumulation, where the concentration of a substance increases in an organism because intake is faster than elimination.  Microplastics can build up in fish and other marine organisms, raising concern as humans may also consume them through seafood. Smaller particles like nanoplastics may penetrate deeper into tissues and organs, making them harder to remove from ecosystems.  Biomagnification is the process where the concentration of a substance increases as it moves up the food chain from lower organisms to higher predators.
July 19, 2026 at 4:32 PM
persaudfoundation.bsky.social
#plastic #pleasestoplittering #pollution #marinescience #oceanscience #ocean #sea #oceanlife #marinelife #marinebiology #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #informationalgraphic #infographic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant volunteers, we have created a series of 10 informational graphics on the plastics crisis in celebration of Plastic Free July! Today’s graphic focuses on how plastic affects the environment. “Plastic causes numerous issues for marine animals by being mistaken for food, leading animals to ingest harmful materials that provide no nutrients and can cause starvation, internal blockages, or poisoning; it also leads to entanglement in items such as fishing nets and ropes, which can restrict movement, interfere with feeding and reproduction, and in severe cases cause injury, suffocation, or drowning, especially for marine mammals, turtles, and seabirds. Microplastics smother coral reefs by settling on coral surfaces and forming a thin layer that covers living tissue, reducing exposure to light  and disrupting oxygen exchange. These plastic particles, produced from the breakdown of larger plastics and from sources such as polyester, packaging waste, and wastewater discharge, are carried into marine environments through runoff, rivers, storms, and human activities. Once in reef systems, they accumulate on corals and reef structures, where their small size allows them to persist and spread easily across surfaces. Over time, this interferes with the coral’s ability to feed properly and maintain energy balance, while also increasing physical stress on the organism. As more particles build up, coral health weakens, making reefs less resilient and more vulnerable to disease. Plastics cause lacerations, gastrointestinal distress, or other physical problems for marine organisms by entering their bodies when mistaken for food or accidentally consumed alongside natural prey. Once ingested, sharp fragments can damage internal tissues, creating cuts and irritation within the digestive tract, while larger or accumulated pieces may block the movement of food and disrupt normal digestion.
July 17, 2026 at 1:38 AM
persaudfoundation.bsky.social
#plastic #pleasestoplittering #pollution #marinescience #oceanscience #ocean #sea #oceanlife #marinelife #marinebiology #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #informationalgraphic #infographic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant volunteers, we have created a series of 10 informational graphics on the plastics crisis in celebration of Plastic Free July! Today’s graphic focuses in how plastic affects the environment. “Plastic pollution affects both land and marine ecosystems by disrupting natural ecological processes and harming living organisms. In terrestrial environments, plastic waste contributes to soil contamination which can interfere with nutrient cycles (movement of essential nutrients in nature) and reduce soil quality needed for plant growth. Plastics in soil can alter its physical and chemical properties, ultimately affecting vegetation and ecosystem stability.  Plastic pollution can also disrupt natural ecosystem functions by affecting how nutrients move through soil and water systems, leading to reduced plant development and long-term environmental imbalance. These changes weaken ecosystem productivity and resilience (ability to recover from damage), especially in areas with high plastic accumulation.  In marine environments, plastic pollution directly harms wildlife through physical injury, including cuts and wounds caused by sharp plastic fragments, as well as entanglement (trapping of animals in plastic materials). Many marine animals also mistakenly consume plastic, leading to internal damage, starvation, and digestive complications.  Plastic ingestion can further cause respiratory problems (breathing difficulties) and gastrointestinal distress (damage or blockage in the digestive system) in marine animals. These effects reduce feeding ability, weaken health, and can eventually lead to death, contributing to declining marine biodiversity (variety of life in ecosystems).”
July 13, 2026 at 10:19 PM
persaudfoundation.bsky.social
#plastic #pleasestoplittering #pollution #marinescience #oceanscience #ocean #sea #oceanlife #marinelife #marinebiology #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #informationalgraphic #infographic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant volunteers, we have created a series of 10 informational graphics on the plastics crisis in celebration of Plastic Free July! Today’s graphic focuses on defining plastic pollution. “Plastic pollution is the accumulation (build-up) and improper disposal of plastic waste in the natural environment, especially in oceans, rivers, and land ecosystems. It mainly results from discarding (throwing away) plastic materials that do not break down easily.  Plastic pollution is addressed under international marine law through frameworks such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations, which prohibit dumping plastics from ships into the ocean under agreements like MARPOL Annex V. However, enforcement is challenging because illegal dumping is difficult to detect and prove across vast ocean areas.  Once in the environment, plastic waste can accumulate in large ocean regions known as garbage patches (areas where ocean currents concentrate floating debris) or break down into microplastics (tiny plastic fragments less than 5mm in size). These microplastics spread widely through water, food chains, and marine ecosystems.”
July 10, 2026 at 7:14 PM
persaudfoundation.bsky.social
#plastic #pleasestoplittering #pollution #marinescience #oceanscience #ocean #sea #oceanlife #marinelife #marinebiology #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #informationalgraphic #infographic #fyp
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen! In collaboration with our brilliant volunteers, we have created a series of 10 informational graphics on the plastics crisis in celebration of Plastic Free July! Today’s graphic focuses on the history of plastic, & how it came to be ubiquitous in all of our lives. “Polystyrene was first discovered in 1839 by Eduard Simon, a German pharmacist. He extracted a substance called styrene from natural resin and later observed it had turned into a solid material, which was an early form of polymer (long-chain molecule formation). This discovery marked one of the earliest steps in synthetic plastic development.  In 1869, John Wesley Hyatt developed the first successful method for industrial scale plastic production by improving cellulose based materials into a usable form known as celluloid. This was one of the first commercially successful plastics and was widely used as a substitute (replacement) for ivory in items such as billiard balls (small, hard, round balls used in cue sports such as pool, snooker, and billiards), marking the beginning of the modern plastics industry.  In 1954, polypropylene was discovered by Giulio Natta, working with Karl Ziegler’s catalyst system. This breakthrough allowed the production of a strong, lightweight, and heat resistant plastic that could be used in packaging, textiles, and household products. Polypropylene later became one of the most widely produced plastics in the world.”
July 7, 2026 at 7:52 PM