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Channelling passion for the ocean towards plastic pollution

Nature Human Behaviour volume 1, pages 697–699 (2017)Cite this article

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Plastic pollution is caused exclusively by humans. It poses growing global threats to both the ocean and society, and requires urgent action. Using psychological principles can motivate and implement change by connecting symptoms and sources.

Oceans have inspired passion in humans for millennia, but are increasingly at risk from human behaviour. Marine debris, especially plastics, is a major concern. Plastic materials are inexpensive, durable and lightweight, resulting in widespread use in packaging, healthcare, transport, and so on. Production has expanded from 5 million tons annually in the 1950s to over 300 million tons today, and plastics are predominantly derived from fossil fuels1. Nearly 40% of plastic materials are used as packaging2, most of which is single-use. Using a large proportion of plastics only once before disposal seems frivolous, considering that plastics could persist in the environment for generations, either in landfill or as litter. Jambeck et al.3 have estimated that, at the extreme, 5–28% of plastic waste at the country level could be mismanaged and thus be at risk of entering the ocean. Exactly how long plastic persists is not yet clear, but conventional plastics do not ‘go away’ unless incinerated. Rather, they break down from macro-items to smaller particles at the micro- and possibly nanoscale. Items travel considerable distances in the ocean, leading to impacts far from their place of origin — including the Arctic and the deep sea. A large body of research now describes the ecological impacts of plastic litter, not just on visually appealing, charismatic marine species, but also on small invertebrates such as shellfish and worms. Negative economic impacts have also been established, for example in the fishing and shipping industries4. Plastic particles have been found in commercially important seafood, in rivers and soils, and in salt for human consumption, although effects on human health are as yet unknown5. Plastic pollution may also undermine the psychological benefits that people ordinarily receive from coastal environments6.

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Fig. 1: An illustration of visual communications added to consumer items.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. P. White for comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK

    Sabine Pahl

  2. School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK

    Kayleigh J. Wyles

  3. School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK

    Richard C. Thompson

Authors
  1. Sabine Pahl
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  2. Kayleigh J. Wyles
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  3. Richard C. Thompson
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Correspondence to Sabine Pahl.

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Pahl, S., Wyles, K.J. & Thompson, R.C. Channelling passion for the ocean towards plastic pollution. Nat Hum Behav 1, 697–699 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-017-0204-4

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