Quantification and Classification of Garbage Presence in Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico
Garbage presence and marine debris on coastal shores has detrimental effects to ecosystems, including hazards to the health and safety of marine life, as it often entangles or is ingested by seabirds, marine fish, and mammals. This study addresses the issues of garbage presence along the coastal zone of Veracruz by assessing how much and what types of garbage is present. In total, 1,806 pounds of garbage was collected, 87% of which were recyclable glass, plastics, wood, and cardboard.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Monday, July 1, 2013
What is the importance of studying garbage presence in marine environments? These pictures might give you some clues.
Garbage floating in a mass of organic marine materials. Notice the pipe on the right. |
Floating for now, but doomed to sink and become suspended in the water column. |
The only two garbage receptacles on the 1.06 miles of shore in my study area. |
If these items remained, they would indubitably be swept into the ocean at high tide. |
How many quarts of oil can you spot? |
If you are enjoying a beer with your feet in the water, remember to recycle your containers! |
How many plastic items can you spot? |
Location of collection site number 3, a rocky and sandy shore combination. This site was interesting, as I expected the quantity to be fairly low. This was not the case. |
How much garbage can you see present on the beach during this beach day? |
Plastic bags and plastic materials suspended in the very shallow water column. |
Plastic bag suspended in a deeper water column. |
I like to think of this picture as the ocean regurgitating the debris and garbage in it, returning it to humans. Waves threw this garbage pile out of the ocean and back onto the boardwalk. |
One of the garbage cans. |
This beachgoer enjoyed wine and spirits during their visit. |
A lone wine bottle, perhaps left behind by tweens playing a game of "Spin the Bottle" before their parents picked them up. |
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
What does it mean when I say "garbage presence" in coastal zones? Take a look!
Six ring plastic holder, plastic cup, plastic bag |
One night of fun, hundreds of years in the ocean |
A popular boardwalk on a Monday morning |
The morning after a storm. Notice the blue oil container and overturned boat. |
Plastic, styrofoam, wood flotsam. |
Microdebris floating in the water column. |
Birds looking for a tasty treat. Let's hope they don't mistake any of these plastics for food! |
The location of study site number 1, with residents and visitors swimming in the ocean. Notice the garbage and lack of receptacle for the visitors to this beach! |
Microplastics accumulating at the shoreline! |
So many pieces of polymers, styrofoam, and other non-natural materials. |
Garbage being swept away with the tide. |
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Meet Pedro Garcia-Gonzalez, recycler extraordinaire.
This is Pedro Garcia-Gonzalez, a man who walks the coasts of Veracruz city collecting plastic and glass bottles. He returns the materials he collects to a recycling center, where they pay him dismally for them. He was excited to share his story with me because he wanted me to be aware that the amount of garbage in Mexico existed for a reason: there is not enough incentive to collect the recyclable materials and return them to the recycling center 8 miles inland. According to Pedro, the amount of work it takes to do this is not worth how much he gets paid, but his options are limited.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Microplastics accumulating on the shoreline
Microplastics accumulating at the shoreline, June 2013. Notice the numerous plastic bottle caps, which take hundreds of years to decompose. Marine life commonly mistakes these plastics for food, causing health and safety problems.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Will oceans remember humans long after they are gone? With some of these materials, they just might.
The beautiful Gulf of Mexico and Port of Veracruz. |
The writing on the rocks tells of how human want their presence to be remembered when they go. With this box of beer bottles, they will be remembered in more ways than one. |
A boat, unable to be used, is left behind for natural processes to weather until it is no more. |
The yellow plastic runner from the side of a boat shows that debris is not only left by humans visiting the shorelines, but also by distant humans in the open sea. |
No need for cigarette boxes when the cigarettes are all gone. |
Plastic construction tubing. |
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Water quality along the coast of Veracruz, Veracruz. Has water quality suffered from increased water pollution?
pH level on this day was tested at about 6. On a scale of 1-4, where 4 is excellent, 3 is good, 2 is fair, and 1 is poor, this is a 3, meaning the water quality in this category is good. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)