Should the Government Regulate Ocean Pollution?

The government should regulate ocean pollution due to the fact they are one of the contributing factors to ocean pollution. Ocean pollution affects more than just the waterways. Marine life is decreasing day by day due to the amount of trash that builds up in our oceans. Agricultural fertilizer and climate change have also been afflicted in negative ways by the inconsiderate attitude towards our environment namely the ocean. From nuclear bomb testing to creating the Great Pacific garbage patch. The government has gone under everyone's noses by keeping the spotlight away from waste disposal.

Alongside them should be the environmental protection agency to monitor their actions instead of them allowing for detrimental decisions to be made for their convenience. Instead of directly dealing with debt the government shows us that their number one goal is to raise the national debt budget. We don't have that kind of leniency with the ocean, looking from a big picture perspective the ocean is limited and each piece of garbage is ruining our supply. The government, not only America's, which is primarily responsible for the majority of waste that ends up in our environment must be held accountable and develop new and innovative solutions to benefit the future.

The majority of pollutants that end up in our oceans is nonpoint source pollution which occurs due to runoff. Nonpoint source pollution includes many small sources such as: septic tanks, cars, trucks and boats. Governments fail to properly limit the companies who create these cars, trucks and boats by making them more safe for the environment but especially the oceans. Boats who use gas to run the engine and produce fumes are an example of how easily gas gets leaked into the ocean and the air. There should be a way for boats to have more secure facilities that prevent gas runoff and the products from the usage of gas. Providing a clear set of guidelines on as to what a manufacturer should be attempting to achieve while remaining as realistic as possible for the time we are in is one way the government can assist in the push against water pollution as well as various other types. Marine life and other resources such as minerals are being depleted by cruel methods of waste management. Sloppy crafted landfills offer no real containment of garbage as they are not much different than designating one spot of land for trash. Landfills are not secure areas for garbage so the elements such as wind, heat, and precipitation lead to ground runoff. Eventually making its way to the ocean, or wind directly blowing lightweight materials in the ocean, and heat that makes the piles of garbage that radiate odor and unhealthy chemicals. Strict guidelines should be implemented by governments that are directed towards treatment plants, waste managements, and manufacturers.

Agriculture not only contributes to the oceans pollution, but can be negatively affected by the pollution. We all love food and and know where it comes from. But do we know what happens to our food before we get it. Fertilizer is sprayed on plants that grow our food to keep it fresh. What we don't know is that when it rains and the fertilizer comes off the plants and into the ground it's in our water system. Without government regulation on how much fertilizer can be used it decreases a little bit the amount that ends up in the ocean. On the other hand, the animals on the farm affect our oceans as well. The waste that the farm animals secrete from antibiotics and hormones that are injected in their food. Believe it or not ends up in the ocean because it has seeped through the ground. So we should take care of our farm animals and plants. Animal agriculture is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions which is more than all transportation methods combined. The rising atmospheric temperature is raising the global temperature for the ocean which leads to widespread coral bleaching. Coral bleaching leads to slow coral growth,makes them susceptible to disease and leads to large scale reef die off. A greater concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing the acid levels in the ocean. Action must be taken, the governments have enough power to influence entire nations at a time.

Looking at our own government as a microcosm of our world, we can see that governments neglect to highlight issues affecting our environment. Politicians have a "not in my backyard" point of view. By the time governments unite together and take action the world will have already entered a critical state. Governments don't view ocean pollution as a top priority because such regulations would limit leaders agendas and profits. For every factor, a branch of government, must consider new paths must explored because complications could occur. Alternative solutions are typically more expensive because more people have to be involved and perhaps even entire factories taken to clean the waste we are producing. Reduce what we are currently producing or start taking care of what has already been produced are the two major courses of action that our government can take.

Should the government regulate ocean pollution? For the benefit of the future and ignoring the inconvenience of today's population, organizations can progress to a healthier future. The government should not regulate the ocean pollution because they contribute to the pollution a great deal by themselves. They tend to not care about the issues that don't involve them personally. By giving the government the power to control ocean pollution would be a big mistake due to the fact they only think of themselves and how they can get re elected for another term. The government has been able to oversee all these problems that occur but haven't done much about them. They have had the opportunity but tend to let others do something about it rather than themselves. The government actually has an organization called the environmental protection agency which is funded by the government which helps keep the oceans and marine life safe. Budget cuts have played in a role of how well the oceans are regulated and monitored.

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