A photo of a polar bear with a piece of plastic in its mouth is up for an Ocean Photographer of the Year award, further underlining an unignorable pollution problem.
As Live Science reported, photonaturalist Celia Kujala took the photo on Kiepert Island near Norway. It is included in the competition's impact category, which honors the work of a photographer "who most powerfully communicates any of the many perils facing the ocean today."
In a statement from award competition representatives, the photo is "a stark reminder that even the uninhabited reaches of the Arctic are not exempt from the pervasive grip of plastic pollution."
Plastic pollution in the ocean is a major problem and deserves the attention and concern of communities worldwide. Photographs capturing disturbing images like this help people understand how real and pervasive pollution threats are to vulnerable animals.
Plastic waste threatens the health of marine species and animals that live in coastal areas. It also provides transportation for harmful species that hitch rides on floating pieces of plastic, enabling them to become invasive in other parts of the ocean.
Ocean plastic affects human health by contaminating seafood and entering the food chain. When people ingest that plastic, health risks increase for reproductive problems, endocrine disruption, and cancer.
Plastic trash is now reaching some of the most remote places on the planet and damaging fragile ecosystems far away from human landfills.
Yet floating trash is gradually creating its own landfills, which polar bears are starting to rely upon for food as the sea ice they hunt upon melts due to warming temperatures.
One study about polar bear diets revealed that 28% of their stomach contents contained plastic.
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Even in the remote Arctic where Kujala's photo was taken, plastic is everywhere and becoming increasingly dangerous. It is essential to tackle plastic pollution straight from its sources to establish a healthier future for our oceans and all who rely upon them for survival.
Thankfully, there are people out there who are investing heavily in solutions. The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit, has removed millions and millions of pounds of trash from the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, for more than 25 years, people have worked hard to remove marine debris from the waters around Hawaiʻi. For steps you can take to limit your plastic use at home, visit the TCD Guide.
John Whiteman, Polar Bears International's chief research scientist, said, "Sea ice loss, and the resulting increase in time spent on land, is making it ever more important to find safe, long-term ways to manage trash — an issue that multiple Arctic communities have tackled with success."
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