Here are some other easy things you can do to help the Starfish Project: Pick up your trash (and other people’s) on the beach. You’re not just cleaning up the environment, but also teaching (by example) others who are enjoying the natural resources of Cambodia about responsible tourism. Use your skills to get involved.

Humans impacted the starfish in many ways. Human beings used starfish as source of entertainment and sell. Human beings have polluted the water sources and destroyed their habitats and finally kill the starfish.

Marine Protected Areas Increasing the protection of the Ocean via the designation of specially protected areas has had positive impacts on habitats and fish stocks in many locations.

Human activities affect marine life and marine habitats through overfishing, habitat loss, the introduction of invasive species, ocean pollution, ocean acidification and ocean warming.

Here are five of the biggest challenges our oceans face, and what we can do to solve them.

• Climate change. Climate change arguably presents the greatest threat to ocean health.
• Plastic pollution.
• Sustainable seafood.
• Marine protected areas.
• Fisheries subsidies.

Human activities contribute to climate change by causing changes in Earth’s atmosphere in the form of greenhouse gases, aerosols etc. Burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas to generate large amounts of energy is the human activity that has the greatest impact on global warming.

Humans impact the physical environment in many ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Changes like these have triggered climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water.

Some human activities that cause damage (either directly or indirectly) to the environment on a global scale include population growth, overconsumption, overexploitation, pollution, and deforestation, to name but a few.

“We disrupt ecosystems, and we shake viruses loose from their natural hosts. When that happens, they need a new host. From coastal erosion to the decline of natural resources such as fisheries and forests, the loss of nature carries a huge economic cost.

The loss of ecosystems is caused mainly by changes in land and sea use, exploitation, climate change, pollution and the introduction of invasive species. Some things have a direct impact on nature, like the dumping of waste into the ocean.

31+ Stunning Ways to Save the Environment from Destruction

1. Change the way you get around.
2. Be mindful of eating habits.
3. Grow your own food or buy it locally.
4. Embrace secondhand shopping.
5. Replace standard products with energy efficient versions.
6. Buy recycled products.
7. Spread the word.
8. Stop using plastic water bottles.

Once in the environment, plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller particles that attract toxic chemicals, are ingested by wildlife on land and in the ocean, and contaminate our food chain. However, plastics are not destroying our environment and compromising our health by themselves.

Plastics can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose, depending on the material and structure. Additionally, how fast a plastic breaks down depends on sunlight exposure.

How does plastic harm the environment? Plastic sticks around in the environment for ages, threatening wildlife and spreading toxins. Plastic also contributes to global warming. Almost all plastics are made from chemicals that come from the production of planet-warming fuels (gas, oil and even coal).

Plastic affects human health. Toxic chemicals leach out of plastic and are found in the blood and tissue of nearly all of us. Exposure to them is linked to cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption and other ailments.

No. There is no good evidence that people can get cancer from using plastics. So, doing things like drinking from plastic bottles or using plastic containers and food bags won’t increase your risk of cancer.

Adverse Health Effects of Plastics

• Direct toxicity, as in the cases of lead, cadmium, and mercury.
• Carcinogens, as in the case of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)
• Endocrine disruption, which can lead to cancers, birth defects, immune system suppression and developmental problems in children.

Here are some adverse health effects caused by plastic:

• Asthma.
• Pulmonary cancer due to inhalation of poisonous gases.
• Liver damage.
• Nerve and brain damage.
• Kidney diseases.

Here are some long-lasting plastic alternatives available right now.

• Stainless steel. Tough and easy to clean, stainless steel options for reusable food and beverage storage have multiplied in recent years.
• Glass.
• Platinum silicone.
• Beeswax-coated cloth.
• Natural fiber cloth.
• Wood.
• Bamboo.
• Pottery and Other Ceramics.

Plastics pollution has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife. Thousands of seabirds and sea turtles, seals and other marine mammals are killed each year after ingesting plastic or getting entangled in it.

Leo Baekeland

The seven types of plastic

• 1) Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE) Can it be recycled?
• 2) High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Can it be recycled?
• 3) Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC – U) Can it be recycled?
• 5) Polypropylene (PP) Can it be recycled?
• 6) Polystyrene or Styrofoam (PS) Can it be recycled?
• 7) OTHER. Can it be recycled?

The first plastic based on a synthetic polymer was invented in 1907, by Leo Hendrik Baekeland, a Belgian-born American living in New York State.

Plastics could protect the natural world from the destructive forces of human need. The creation of new materials also helped free people from the social and economic constraints imposed by the scarcity of natural resources. Inexpensive celluloid made material wealth more widespread and obtainable.

In the 1960s, plastics were just becoming popular. Polyethylene, which today is one of the world’s most ubiquitous plastics, had been created in 1898, and then again in 1933.

Plastic never goes away. Plastic is a durable material made to last forever, yet 33 percent of it is used once and then discarded. Plastic cannot biodegrade; it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces.

They prevent millions of tons of plastic from entering the waste stream each year. Not only does banning single-use plastic reduce pollution, but it also reduces demand for plastic production that’s contributing to global climate change. But beyond these impacts, the bans have cultural effects.