EARTH DAY ENTRIES PART 2: 5 THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU THROW YOUR TRASH IN THE SEA

Here are five things that you must know on what happens if you throw your trash in the sea.

1. If you throw those round plastic thingies that are used to hold 6-pack beers or sodas in the sea, birds who dart in the sea to catch fishes can get trapped in these round plastics. Doesn't sound too much trouble to you eh? Well, here's the thing. When they grow, their necks also expand and become almost as big as their heads. And they can't take these round plastic rings off of their necks on their own. And these round plastics are quite sturdy, so no amount of pecking from other birds can remove it from their necks, until a human intentionally does it. And they will end up dead due to choking. Unless you're drowning or Poseidon wrecked havoc on your ship, there is no reason for you not to bring your trash back to the shore and properly place it in a trash bin. And before it gets accidentally thrown in the sea, be sure to cut a portion of the rings so if a birdie gets stuck in it, it'll just fall off of their necks.

2. Physical wastes such as mineral water bottles, plastic cups, etc. will not dissolve in the sea no matter if it's already drifting in it for a hundred years. And if people keep on throwing wastes in the sea, you'll have a bigger version of Pasig River. Plastic colorants can fade and get mixed in the sea which will eventually poison the fishes. the Doesn't sound too good eh? So do yourself a favor. DISPOSE YOUR TRASH PROPERLY.

3. DO NOT THROW PLASTIC BAGS IN THE SEA. I REPEAT. DO NOT THROW PLASTIC BAGS IN THE SEA. Wanna know why? Well, sea turtles eat jellyfish. They like it so much. Yep, your analogy is right. These plastic bags may look like delicacy to them, so they end up chewing on it. Plastic doesn't dissolve right? So turtles who get to eat plastics die of poisoning and choking. A lot of dead turtles have been found in the shores of Bicol. And when they were dissected to find out the reason behind their deaths, the marine scientists always see plastics stuck in the throats of the sea turtles. And the ratio is 8 out of 10. So prove to yourself that you know better by not throwing your plastic bags in the sea. Or better yet, don't use plastic! Buy those eco- friendly tote bags. They're more stylish and are likely to last forever.

4. Do not throw shampoo, conditioner, or soap sachets in the sea. They still contain some of the soapy substance so the chemicals in it can poison baby fishes, turtles, and other smaller marine animals.

5. Whatever trash you see floating in the sea, especially near the shore, try your best to pick it up, compile it and throw it in a trash bin after swimming. That way, you are doing the environment a big favor. And if you're smoking, please, don't throw your cigarette butts in the sea because some fishes will think that it's food, so they'll eat up, and they end up dead due to nicotine poisoning or choking.

The ocean is our provider. In fact, it is LIFE in its own right. What we fail to realize is that we are bringing ourselves to destruction by continuously defacing our environment.

"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
-- Margaret Mead