'What can be Found in the Ocean': Pink Undies, Double Mattress, Christmas Tree and More

Due to a recent global pandemic, the dreadful spread of SARS-COV-2 or COVID-19, many clean-up drives are being canceled or suspended to avoid mass gatherings. Because for the information of many, one that should be general knowledge by now, mass gatherings worsen the spread of the virus. However, due to the influx of waste deposits of mostly plastics, these community clean-ups are needed now more than ever.

Why is it essential to continue these initiatives?

Just because there's a new global problem doesn't mean the existing ones should just be forgotten. Improper waste disposal has worsened, and it is the people's responsibility to combat it.

Studies show that global plastic consumption has significantly risen during the worldwide pandemic. The staggering rise of plastic usage is due to the people choosing courier or delivery services to tend to their basic needs like food and medicine during the lockdowns. These services mostly use plastic to transport goods as it is easier to handle and dispose of. This, together with the already existing waste management problem, create waves and waves of plastic wastes polluting the waters.

However, plastic is not just the problem that the waters of the world are facing; during many beach and shoreline clean-up operations, it has been discovered that many PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) were improperly disposed of and were left to drift off to the ocean. Surgical and cloth face masks are floating on the shore together with many plastic face shields. It is kind of ironic to see the things that were supposed to keep people safe is what's endangering the sea.

In a report in The Guardian, the UK beach clean 2020 has discovered the most common and weirdest things disposed in the ocean. Here are some of them:

• full-size disco ball
• double mattress
• plastic Christmas tree
• fridge door
• wig
• wedding shoe
• pink underwear

How do we keep the oceans clean without risking exposure to the virus?

Yes, cleaning the ocean is essential. But, given that the virus is still around, these community service operations should be done under strict regulations to ensure that quarantine protocols are always followed. Social distancing should be exercised at all times. All the people who choose to participate or coordinate such events should also wear the necessary protective equipment like face masks or face shields.

In the UK, many private sectors decided to continue the annual beach clean-up tradition but on a smaller scale. These private institutions coordinate with the local authority before doing the clean-up operations. The number of people involved is also limited, unlike the usually large number of attendees pre-covid.

It is unsure as to when everything will return to normal or if things will even get back to what many got used to. However, these are not reasons to stop caring about the environment. As a matter of fact, the environment needs these initiatives now more than ever.

We are facing a critical global emergency. Collectively, everyone must help each other out to help eliminate or significantly lessen the infection. But, the existence of a new problem is not the end of the old ones. Initiatives, operations, and programs to help the environment should be continued. It may not be possible to do it on a larger scale like how everyone got used to, but it is still possible.