(Describer) Mallory Seibold .
Hi, everyone.
My name is Mallory,
and I work here
in the Shores Region
at the Columbus Zoo
and Aquarium.
And today is
a very special day
because it is World Oceans Day.
World Oceans Day is
very near and dear to my heart
because I am privileged
to work with some
of the aquatic animals
that call the zoo their home.
And oceans are amazing.
They take up 3/4 of the planet,
and marine plants
actually create
about 70% of the world's oxygen.
All life depends
on a healthy ocean.
(Describer) Animated bubbles.
And I actually want
to talk to you guys today
about one of the biggest threats
to our healthy ocean,
and that is plastics.
Plastics are cheap;
plastics are versatile,
and plastics
are destroying our oceans.
(Describer) A bottle on a beach.
We have become
a disposable society
where about 50%
of the plastics used
are only used once
and then thrown away.
Plastics eventually make it
from our households
all the way to the ocean,
and they never go away.
They'll just break down
into smaller particles,
and they can become
microplastics.
It can be ingested
by marine animals,
causing intestinal blockage
which can cause death.
But it's not
just the material part
of the plastic that's dangerous.
It's the chemicals as well.
Marine animals absorb these
chemicals into their bodies
when the plastic is ingested.
So if a fish ingests plastic,
and then we eat that fish,
we are actually eating
the chemicals
from the plastic it ate.
So everyone is affected
by plastics.
Ingesting plastic is not
just the only threat
to marine life.
They can also become entangled
in plastic fishing lines,
in nets,
and even the six-pack
aluminum can holders.
(Describer) A sea lion.
So these items can get wrapped
around arms, legs, heads,
and can cause difficulty
for the animals to find food,
and impeding their movement.
And it's not
just on coastal regions.
Here, in Ohio, we actually
can affect animals on beaches
because everything
eventually leads to the ocean.
But I'm not here just to talk
about doom and gloom.
This is a human-made problem;
therefore, humans
can find a solution.
So, small changes
in our lifestyle
can mean big changes
for the environment--
things like not getting
plastic shopping bags
and buying reusable bags.
You guys can put them
in your car.
You can set them by the door
before you leave
to remind yourself to take them
to the grocery store,
and even use them
as a lunch box.
Avoiding single-use plastics
like straws and silverware,
instead buying reusable.
Again, you can keep them
in your purse
to help remind you to use those
instead of using
plastic silverware and straws.
You can actually volunteer
for a cleanup
around the local river,
lake, beach,
wherever you live.
Be an ocean advocate.
Inspire change
in your community.
Here at the Columbus Zoo,
we care deeply about our animals
and try to keep plastic as far
away from them as possible.
But their wild counterparts
aren't so lucky,
so they need your help.
Our mission is
to lead and inspire
by connecting people
and wildlife.
And I hope that our animals here
can inspire you to create
small changes in your lifestyle
that will eventually make
big changes in the environment.
So, next time
you're at Columbus Zoo,
why don't you stop
by the Shores Region
to visit some
of our water-loving animals?
(Describer) A logo: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Visit us at ColumbusZoo.org Accessibility provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Accessibility provided by the
U.S. Department of Education.
