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ITSMUN 2017 BACKGROUND GUIDE Environment Committee LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY-GENERAL Esteemed Delegates of ITSMUN’17, My name is Melis Leyal Gürel and this year I am the Secretary-General of ITSMUN 2017, which is an incredible honour and pleasure. I am also one of the founders of ITSMUN and I am really proud of what we have become. We have always aimed to be better and this is exactly what we expect from you. MUN is all about making the world a better place and in my opinion, we should start by improving ourselves. It is a long journey, and I cannot say it is an easy one, but in the end, it is worth it. Before we begin our journey, let me introduce myself properly. I am a senior in Takev Science High School and my journey has begun in 9th grade with Harvard MUN. Since then, I have participated in various projects and organisations; therefore I have travelled a lot and met hundreds of people. Those people I have met and those beautiful countries I have seen made me realise that there is still hope even though the situation of the World does not seem very promising. ITSMUN provides delegates to express their opinions regarding a very large scale of issues and gives the unique opportunity to tackle those issues with innovative ideas. It is expected from you to do an attentive research in order to come up with innovative and applicable solutions to the issues you have been given. This is a tremendous event to hone your MUN skills, meet lifelong friends and have unforgettable experiences. In this background guide, you are going to find some general information regarding your committee's topics. However, it is impossible to know everything, so please do not limit yourself with this background guide. Always remember, that there is so much to discover and so much to learn. Lastly, I must say that I am very excited to be working with you and I am looking forward to seeing the passionate and resolution-driven debate, diplomatic cooperation and inventive solutions that will come out of this conference. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have regarding this committee, ITSMUN or MUN in general; before, during or after the conference. Best regards, Melis Leyal Gürel Secretary-General of ITSMUN’17 [email protected] LETTER FROM THE UNDER SECRETARY-GENERAL Most Valuable and Prospective Delegates, On behalf of ITSMUN 2017, it’s a pleasure to welcome you all to this conference. Model United Nations is a simulation of the United Nations, in which students participate as representatives of countries in various UN committees. My name is Vuslat Özkan, this year I am the Under Secretary General of the Environment Committee. It is my utmost pleasure to be in this position and I can’t wait to inform you regarding our two topics, which I have chosen for this venerable Committee. Firstly I want to brief you a little about me, I live in Adana, and I am a junior in Cag Science High School. My MUN adventure started last year since then I've been participating in Model United Nations conferences in many positions such as delegate, Committee Director, Under Secretary General etc. From the very first conference, I thought that MUN should be a part of my life. When I had the chance, which is approximately once a month, I went to different cities and various conferences to improve my skills. In those conferences besides improving myself and adjusting to the academic life, I’ve met hundreds of people who think the same way as I do. MUN does not just give you a chance to have academic success; it also provides incredible friendships and unforgettable moments. Which is why I am writing this study guide, for you to have a great experience too. Environment Committee gives you an opportunity to find solutions to global issues just like our chosen topics. The main idea of the committee is to tackle environmental issues with ingenious ideas. I am so excited to be working with you and the whole team and can’t wait to meet you all, I hope you will have fruitful debates and you can come up with proper solutions regarding our issues. I want to point out that I believe ITSMUN will be a great experience for us all. I can’t wait to see your diplomatic relations, debates, and effective resolutions. Please do not hesitate to contact me, I always loved meeting my lovely and esteemed delegates, you can ask anything about the committee or MUN in general. I wish you success with your studies. If any questions arise please do not hesitate to contact me directly as I will be very keen to respond. Sincerely, Vuslat Özkan Under Secretary-General of the Environment Committee [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION ONE: General Information Regarding the Committee, Topics and Research A. The Committee: Environment Committee B. The Topics: (Establishing A New Organization to Stop Global Warming &Reducing Marine Pollution) SECTION TWO: Topic A: Establishing A New Organization to Stop Global Warming 1. Statement of the Problem 2. History of the Problem 3. Current Situation 4. Relevant Measures Regarding the Issue 5. Questions a Resolution Must Answer SECTION THREE: Topic B: Reducing Marine Pollution 1. Statement of the Problem 2. History of the Problem 3. Current Situation 4. Questions a Resolution Must Answer SECTION FOUR: Closing & Bibliography 1. Closing Remarks 2. Handouts and References SECTION ONE: General Information Regarding the Committee, Topics and Research. A. The Committee: Environment Committee The environment committee is a General Assembly, which offers you a chance to find solutions regarding environmental issues. Based on the rules of procedure, the committee requires resolution papers for the topics. The activities of the Environment Committee covers a wide range of issues such as global warming, marine pollution etc. B. The Topics: (Establishing A New Organization to Stop Global Warming &Reducing Marine Pollution) Global warming is primarily a problem of too much carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere—which acts as a blanket, trapping heat and warming the planet. As we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas for energy or cut down and burn forests to create pastures and plantations, carbon accumulates and overloads our atmosphere. Certain waste management and agricultural practices aggravate the problem by releasing other potent global warming gasses, such as methane and nitrous oxide. See the pie chart for a breakdown of heat-trapping global warming emissions by the economic sector. Global Warming Emissions by Economic Sector Source: IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007, Working Group III: Mitigation of Climate Change, Chapter 1. This is a snapshot of emissions in 2004 In Today’s world, it is a well-known fact that the oceans have suffered from harmful contaminants such as pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, detergents, oil, sewage, plastics etc. However, according to recent studies; degradation, particularly of shoreline areas, has accelerated dramatically in the past three centuries due to the increased industrial discharge and runoff from farms and coastal cities. SECTION TWO: Topic A: Establishing A New Organization to Stop Global Warming 1. Statement of the Problem 2. History of the Problem Global warming and climate change are terms for the observed century-scale rise in the average temperature of the Earth's climate system and its related effects. Multiple lines of scientific evidence show that the climate system is warming. Although the increase of nearsurface atmospheric temperature is the measure of global warming often reported in the popular press, most of the additional energy stored in the climate system since 1970 has gone into the oceans. The rest has melted ice and warmed the continents and atmosphere. Many of the observed changes since the 1950s are unprecedented over tens to thousands of years. Scientific understanding of global warming is increasing. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported in 2014 that scientists were more than 95% certain that global warming is mostly being caused by human (anthropogenic) activities, mainly increasing concentrations of greenhouse gasses such as methane and carbon dioxide (CO2). Human activities have led to carbon dioxide concentrations above levels not seen in hundreds of thousands of years. Methane and other, often much more potent, greenhouse gasses are also rising along with CO2 Currently, about half of the carbon dioxide released from the burning of fossil fuels remains in the atmosphere. Definition of Key Terms Greenhouse Gases: A greenhouse gas (abbrev. GHG) is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. The primary greenhouse gasses in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Without greenhouse gasses, the average temperature of Earth's surface would be about −18 °C (0 °F), rather than the present average of 15 °C (59 °F). In the Solar System, the atmospheres of Venus, Mars and Titan also contain gasses that cause a greenhouse effect. Climate Change: Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period of time (i.e., decades to millions of years). Climate change may refer to a change in average weather conditions or in the time variation of weather around longer-term average conditions (i.e., more or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change is caused by factors such as biotic processes, variations in solar radiation received by Earth, plate tectonics, and volcanic eruptions. Certain human activities have also been identified as significant causes of recent climate change, often referred to as global warming IPCC: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a scientific and intergovernmental body under the auspices of the United Nations, set up at the request of member governments, dedicated to the task of providing the world with an objective, scientific view of climate change and its political and economic impacts. It was first established in 1988 by two United Nations organizations, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and later endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 43/53. Membership of the IPCC is open to all members of the WMO and UNEP. 3. Current Situation Global Warming: 10 Most Affected Areas Bangladesh People living in the flood-prone delta nation are feeling the full force of climate change. Frequent flooding wipes out crops, spreads disease and destroys homes. The UK government's Department for International Development (DFID) has pledged £75m over the next five years to help the people of Bangladesh cope with the impact of global warming. Sudan Rising temperatures are causing the Sahara Desert to expand, eating into the farmland on the edge of the wastelands and causing immense pressure for food. Rainfall in the northern regions of Sudan, including war-torn Darfur, is down by 30 per cent over the past 40 years, with the Sahara advancing by well over a mile every year. Scientists believe that Darfur is an example of climate change conflict, with tribal disputes being exacerbated by increased demand for scarce fertile land and water reserves. Caribbean Warmer seas are believed to be bolstering the power of hurricanes, which rip through the Caribbean regions with increasing frequency and savagery. Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans in 2005, killing 1,600 people and causing an estimated $40 billion of damages, while research published in this summer in the science journal nature suggests that hurricanes in the Atlantic are more frequent than at any time in the last 1,000 years. Australia Australia's arid climate means it has always been prone to forest fires, but scientists believe the ferocity of recent blazes is linked to climate change. The temperature has been rising steadily since the 1950s and this is increasing the intensity and frequency of outbreaks. Siberia In one of the world's last wildernesses, global warming is causing profound changes to the lives of its people. Winters that used to reach -50 degrees are now a comparatively mild -30, which is causing the permafrost to melt. Arctic houses are subsiding, and the nomadic people of the tundra find that their annual migrations are disrupted by unseasonably warm temperatures or unexpected snow falls. Tuvalu The low-lying Pacific islands of Tuvalu face the very real threat that they could be wiped out by climate change. The highest point of the islands reaches only four and a half meters above sea level, and the coral upon which the islands are built is seeping seawater, making much of the land too salty to farm. Great Barrier Reef Climatologists believe that Australia is experiencing "accelerated climate change", which puts the vast Great Barrier Reef at severe risk. Rising ocean temperatures cause bleaching of the coral when the plants expel the tiny animals living inside them and turning into colorless calcium skeletons. Alps The much-loved European winter playground is increasingly under threat from warmer temperatures, disrupting the snowfall and causing the ice to melt. Scientists from the Convention for the Protection of the Alps published a report in June this year claiming that the Alps were gradually being split in two, with the southern regions receiving 10 percent less precipitation over the past 100 years and the northern regions facing flooding and landslides. Britain Although climate change in Britain may not be as keenly felt as in Bangladesh or Tuvalu, scientists still maintain its effects are notable. The National Trust warns of threats to historic properties and estates from flooding and storm surges and highlights the worrying loss of wildlife habitats. What Causes Global Warming? Scientists have spent decades figuring out what is causing global warming. They've looked at the natural cycles and events that are known to influence climate. But the amount and pattern of warming that's been measured can't be explained by these factors alone. The only way to explain the pattern is to include the effect of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) emitted by humans. To bring all this information together, the United Nations formed a group of scientists called the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC. The IPCC meets every few years to review the latest scientific findings and write a report summarizing all that is known about global warming. Each report represents a consensus, or agreement, among hundreds of leading scientists. One of the first things scientists learned is that there are several greenhouse gasses responsible for warming, and humans emit them in a variety of ways. Most come from the combustion of fossil fuels in cars, factories and electricity production. The gas responsible for the most warming is carbon dioxide, also called CO2. Other contributors include methane released from landfills and agriculture (especially from the digestive systems of grazing animals), nitrous oxide from fertilizers, gasses used for refrigeration and industrial processes, and the loss of forests that would otherwise store CO2. Different greenhouse gasses have very different heat-trapping abilities. Some of them can even trap more heat than CO2. A molecule of methane produces more than 20 times the warming of a molecule of CO2. Nitrous oxide is 300 times more powerful than CO2. Other gasses, such as chlorofluorocarbons (which have been banned in much of the world because they also degrade the ozone layer), have heat-trapping potential thousands of times greater than CO2. But because their concentrations are much lower than CO2, none of these gasses adds as much warmth to the atmosphere as CO2 does. In order to understand the effects of all the gasses together, scientists tend to talk about all greenhouse gasses in terms of the equivalent amount of CO2. Since 1990, yearly emissions have gone up by about 6 billion metric tons of "carbon dioxide equivalent" worldwide; more than a 20 percent increase. 4. Relevant Measures Regarding the Issue Permanent 5 Countries and Precautions USA: The United States is often noted as the being the most significant contributor to historical emissions of global warming pollution. Most of these emissions occur when power plants burn coal or natural gas and when vehicles burn gasoline or diesel. The National Academy of Sciences released a series of reports (2010) emphasizing the urgency of climate change and why the U.S. should act now to reduce emissions of heattrapping gasses. "The longer the nation waits to begin reducing emissions, the harder and more expensive it will likely be to reach any given emissions target." Analysis performed by the Union of Concerned Scientists has demonstrated that the U.S. can dramatically reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and nearly phase-out coal by 2030 while saving consumers and businesses money by investing primarily in energy efficiency and renewable energy UK: 73% of people in the UK want world leaders to agree on a global deal and 66% think action must happen now, according to a new Populus survey (PDF, 166KB, 29 pages). The survey reveals an appetite for action on climate change by the UK public, with only 20% agreeing that it can wait a few years. But the survey also showed that just 40% of people recognize the potential impact of climate change on their lifestyle. France: France is fully committed to the fight against global warming. The second most senior minister in the government heads the large Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development. While the European Union as a whole will respect the Kyoto protocol and has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 8% in 2012 compared to 1990 and by 20% in 2020, France will seek to reduce its emissions by 75% in 2050. Russia: Global warming in Russia describes the global warming related issues in Russia. This includes climate politics, contribution to global warming and the influence of global warming on Russia. In 2009 Russia was ready to reduce emissions 20–25% from its 1990 emission levels by the year 2020. China: China has sought to portray itself as a leader in the global fight against climate change in recent years. The country has expedited the development of renewable energy power plants, experimented with cap-and-trade programs and last year committed to curbing its growing carbon dioxide emissions in coming decades. 5. Questions a Resolution Must Answer • • • • • • • How to reduce people’s effect on global warming? How to reduce the effect of chemicals? How to prevent countries’ insensitivity regarding global warming? How to minimize the effects of climate change? How to reduce the greenhouse effect? If there will be a fund, what qualities should it have? Where can the countries get help from? SECTION THREE: Topic B: Reducing Marine Pollution 1. Statement of the Problem Marine pollution occurs when harmful, or potentially harmful, effects result from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, noise, or the spread of invasive organisms. Eighty percent of marine pollution comes from land. Air pollution is also a contributing factor by carrying off pesticides or dirt into the ocean. Land and air pollution have proven to be harmful to marine life and its habitats. The pollution often comes from nonpoint sources such as agricultural runoff, wind-blown debris, and dust. Nutrient pollution, a form of water pollution, refers to contamination by excessive inputs of nutrients. It is a primary cause of eutrophication of surface waters, in which excess nutrients, usually nitrogen or phosphorus, stimulate algae growth. Many potentially toxic chemicals adhere to tiny particles, which are then taken up by plankton, and benthos animals, most of which are either deposit or filter feeders. In this way, the toxins are concentrated upward within ocean food chains. Many particles combine chemically in a manner highly depletive of oxygen, causing estuaries to become anoxic. When pesticides are incorporated into the marine ecosystem, they quickly become absorbed into marine food webs. Once in the food webs, these pesticides can cause mutations, as well as diseases, which can be harmful to humans as well as the entire food web. Causes of Marine Pollution There are various ways for how pollution enters the ocean: 1. Sewage: Pollution can enter the ocean directly. Sewage or polluting substances flow through sewage, rivers, or drainages directly into the ocean. This is often how minerals and substances from mining camps find their way into the ocean. The release of other chemical nutrients into the ocean’s ecosystem leads to reductions in oxygen levels, the decay of plant life, a severe decline in the quality of the seawater itself. As a result, all levels of oceanic life, plants, and animals are highly affected. 2. Toxic Chemicals From Industries: Industrial and agricultural waste are another most common form of waste that is directly discharged into the oceans, resulting in ocean pollution. The dumping of toxic liquids in the ocean directly affects the marine life as they are considered hazardous and secondly, they raise the temperature of the ocean, known as thermal pollution, as the temperature of these liquids is quite high. Animals and plants that cannot survive at higher temperatures eventually perish. 3. Land Runoff: Land runoff is another source of pollution in the ocean. This occurs when water infiltrates the soil to its maximum extent and the excess water from rain, flooding or melting flows over the land and into the ocean. Often times, this water picks up man-made, harmful contaminants that pollute the ocean, including fertilizers, petroleum, pesticides and other forms of soil contaminants. Fertilizers and waste from land animals and humans can be a huge detriment to the ocean by creating dead zones. 4. Large Scale Oil Spills: Ship pollution is a huge source of ocean pollution, the most devastating effect of which is oil spills. Crude oil lasts for years in the sea and is extremely toxic to marine life, often suffocating marine animals to death once it entraps them. Crude oil is also extremely difficult to clean up, unfortunately meaning that when it is split; it is usually there to stay. 5. Ocean Mining: Ocean mining in the deep sea is yet another source of ocean pollution. Ocean mining sites drilling for silver, gold, copper, cobalt and zinc create sulfide deposits up to three and a half thousand meters down into the ocean. While we have yet the gathering of scientific evidence to fully explain the harsh environmental impacts of deep-sea mining, we do have a general idea that deep-sea mining causes damage to the lowest levels of the ocean and increase the toxicity of the region. This permanent damage dealt also causes leaking; corrosion and oil spills that only drastically further hinder the ecosystem of the region. 6. Littering: Pollution from the atmosphere is, believe it or not, a huge source of ocean pollution. This occurs when objects that are far inland are blown by the wind over long distances and end up in the ocean. These objects can be anything from natural things like dust and sand to man-made objects such as debris and trash. Most debris, especially plastic debris, cannot decompose and remains suspended in the current of the ocean for years. Animals can become snagged on the plastic or mistake it for food, slowly killing them over a long period of time. Animals who are most often the victims of plastic debris include turtles, dolphins, fish, sharks, crabs, sea birds, and crocodiles. Effects of Toxic Waste Hazardous waste is poisonous byproducts of manufacturing, farming, city septic systems, construction, automotive garages, laboratories, hospitals, and other industries. The waste may be liquid, solid, or sludge and contain chemicals, heavy metals, radiation, dangerous pathogens, or other toxins. Even households generate hazardous waste from items such as batteries, used computer equipment, and leftover paints or pesticides. The waste can harm humans, animals, and plants if they encounter these toxins buried in the ground, in stream runoff, in groundwater that supplies drinking water, or in floodwaters, as happened after Hurricane Katrina. Some toxins, such as mercury, persist in the environment and accumulate. Humans or animals often absorb them when they eat fish. -According to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), more than 80% of marine pollution is caused by land-based activities that cause oil spills, fertilizers and toxic chemical runoff and the discharge of untreated sewage. Some water pollution starts also as air pollution, which settles into waterways and oceans, according to the United States' National Ocean Service. 2. History of The Problem 3. Current Situation Atlantic Ocean - Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone The Gulf of Mexico is a basin in the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the gulf coast of the United States, Mexico, and Cuba. The dead zone here is one of the largest in the world. Its waters are full of nitrogen and phosphorus that come from major farming states in the Mississippi River Valley, including Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The presence of these chemicals frequently turns Gulf of Mexico waters hypoxic, or low in oxygen. Hypoxia kills fish in huge numbers. "Hypoxia in bottom waters covered an average of 8,000–9,000 km2 in 1985–92 but increased to 16,000–20,000 km2 in 1993–99," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Atlantic Ocean - North Atlantic Garbage Patch This patch was first documented in 1972 and is entirely composed of man-made marine debris floating in the North Atlantic Gyre. Scientists estimate that the North Atlantic Garbage Patch is hundreds of kilometers in size and has a density of 200,000 pieces of trash per square kilometer in some places. Pacific Ocean - Great Pacific Garbage Patch Located in the northern Pacific Ocean, near the North Pacific Gyre, this collection of marine debris is largely composed of plastic and chemical sludge. This patch is believed to have formed gradually as marine pollution was brought together by ocean currents. The exact size of the patch is unknown, but estimates range from 700,000 sq. km (270,000 sq. miles) to more than 15 million sq. km (5.8 million sq. miles). Because the floating debris is largely composed of microscopic pieces of plastic, it is invisible from space. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch collects marine debris from North America and Asia, as well as ships traveling through the area. Rubbish from the coast of North America takes about six years to reach the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, while detritus from Japan and other Asian countries takes about a year. Indian Ocean A garbage patch in the Indian Ocean was discovered in 2010. This patch, mainly formed by plastic debris and chemical sludge, is the third major collection of plastic garbage in the world's oceans. According to the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX), the Indian Ocean is gravely polluted by plastic debris and chemical runoff, resulting in hypoxia. INDOEX has documented widespread pollution covering about 10 million sq. km (3.86 million sq. miles). According to scientists, tropical cyclones that cause large numbers of deaths around the Arabian Sea (a region in the northern Indian Ocean) are becoming increasingly common as a result of pollution. Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean is probably the most polluted ocean in the world. The United Nations Environment Programme has estimated that 650,000,000 tons of sewage, 129,000 tons of mineral oil, 60,000 tons of mercury, 3,800 tons of lead and 36,000 tons of phosphates are dumped into the Mediterranean each year. Because it is so enclosed by land, the warm waters of the Mediterranean take more than 100 years to clean and renew themselves, according to Greenpeace. Due to the high rates of pollution, many marine species are at risk of extinction, among them the Mediterranean Monk Seal, one of the world's most endangered marine mammals. Baltic Sea Overfishing, oil spills, and land-based pollution are high threats to the Baltic Sea, situated between Central and Eastern Europe. Half of the fish species in the Baltic are at levels below the critical biological level. As it only has a narrow outlet to the ocean - between Sweden and Denmark – its water takes 25-30 years to refresh itself. The health authorities of Finland have warned against eating some species, such as Baltic herring, from the Baltic Sea. Caribbean Sea Located in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea is one of the areas most seriously damaged by human activity. According to a study by the National Centre for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS), oil spills; overfishing, pollution and climate change are killing marine life. Oyster and sea grass beds, mangroves, fisheries, and coral are slowly disappearing. 4. Questions a Resolution Must Answer • How to minimize the vast amount of chemicals in the oceans? • How to prevent people’s effect on marine pollution? • How to minimize agricultural/residential/agricultural waste in oceans? • How to protect marine life and its habitats? • How to reduce the effects of littering? • How to prevent the effect of toxic waste? • How to make people aware of this situation? • What can the countries do about voluntary funding? SECTION FOUR: Closing & Bibliography 1. Closing Remarks Dear Delegates, In the committee we expect you to find solutions to our agenda items, I hope this study guide will help you understand the topics well and helps you debate about it. Every country and their representatives must be working on these problems because these are very critical and important for your own country's and the other country's' citizens. I hope I will be able to help you. As I wrote before if any questions arise please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Vuslat Özkan Under Secretary-General of the Environment Committee [email protected] 2. Handouts and References http://www.livescience.com/topics/global-warming http://www.nmsea.org/Curriculum/Primer/Global_Warming/fossil_fuels_and_global_warmin g.htm http://whatsyourimpact.org/global-warming http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/globalwarming/6486612/Globalwarming-ten-most-affected-areas.html http://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-causes/ http://timeforchange.org/main-cause-of-global-warming-solutions https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_pollution http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/pollution/marine-pollution-definition-and-causes-ofmarine-pollution/28281/ http://www.alternet.org/environment/how-ocean-pollution-impacts-marine-life-and-all-us