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10 Ways We Can All Reduce Plastic Pollution In The Ocean and Waterways

Plastic pollution in the ocean is a serious issue that has far-reaching impacts on human health, marine life, and ecosystems. Australians consume three times the global average of plastic, and our rivers and ocean are often the recipients of mismanaged plastic waste.

Even though the issue of plastic pollution in the ocean is a mammoth one, there is reason for hope: we can all be part of the solution to ocean litter.

Conservation Volunteers Australia aims to empower Australians everywhere to protect our waterways and ocean, which is why we launched the SeaToSource program.

10 Ways to Get Involved in Ocean Conservation

Here are 10 practical actions you can take to reduce plastic pollution and protect our precious ocean.

1. Say NO to single-use plastics

Refusing to use single-use plastics is a powerful action that anyone can take to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in the ocean.

According to our SeaToSource report, based on the citizen-science data collected during our 3-year project between 2020–2023, between 60% to 95% of litter in our ocean and waterways is plastic.

Single-use plastics are items like plastic straws, plastic water bottles, plastic bags, plastic cutlery, and plastic packaging which are generally used only once before being thrown away as trash.

Single-use items can be replaced with alternatives. For example, instead of buying a disposable shopping bag, you could take your own reusable shopping bag made from cloth.

🌊 Plastic-free tip: Discover alternatives to single-use plastics by getting the CVA App and accessing our SeaToSource resources.

2. Take part in beach and river cleanups

Volunteering your time to help clean up local beaches and waterways and remove plastic waste, can also help.

Conservation Volunteers Australia organises cleanup events across Australia. You can find and register for upcoming volunteering events on our website, and on the CVA App.

3. Join the #SeaToSource Plastic Waste Challenge

You can participate in our fun and family-friendly #SeaToSource Plastic Waste Challenge and start your journey to reduce your household’s plastic footprint.

The challenge helps you take stock of how much plastic your family consumes and then provides inspiration, tips and resources to help you reduce your plastic consumption.

Download the CVA App today to get started reducing your plastic footprint!

4. Reduce, reuse, recycle

In addition to refusing plastic products, reducing plastic consumption and reusing or upcycling products can help minimise the amount of plastics being consumed.

If you do use plastics, these should be recycled where possible. It’s important that you follow local recycling guidelines so that the plastics you recycle are actually able to be recycled. This may involve cleaning products intended for recycling.

5. Be a conscious shopper

Plastic is ubiquitous and is found in products that you may not ordinarily associate with plastics. Being more conscious about what you’re buying and what materials were used to make a product, can be another way of reducing your plastic footprint.

For example, many facial scrubs contain small plastic microplastics, while other products are heavily packed in plastics.

Transitioning to a zero-waste lifestyle can help reduce your plastic footprint. Choosing to buy products from companies that are committed to reducing plastic waste and recycling, being more circular, and upcycling materials can also help.

6. Help raise awareness about plastic waste

Educating others about the impact of plastic pollution and raising awareness about this issue can help empower others to reduce their plastic consumption and the amount of plastic waste that ends up in the ocean.

You can help to raise awareness and advocate for reducing ocean plastics by sharing informative posts on social media, taking part in community workshops and events like World Oceans Day, by volunteering with local conservation organisations.

At CVA we engage with communities and partner with businesses and schools to raise awareness about ocean conservation and the positive impacts of beach and river cleanups and restoration activities.

Our 2020–2023 SeaToSource program was instrumental in raising awareness about plastic waste. Over 10,600 volunteers took part in a range of activities to tackle ocean and river litter and helped to remove over 19 tonnes of mismanaged waste.

Our programs have also inspired youth to take action on plastic waste through anti-litter posters and video contests, interactive ocean conservation events like Night At The Zoo, and youth art contests.

7. Watch out for microplastics

Microplastics are small particles and fragments of plastic that are particularly harmful to river ecosystems and ocean life, with implications for human health too.

To avoid contributing to microplastic pollution of our ocean, avoid products that contain microbeads, opt for natural fabrics (as synthetic fabrics release microplastics into waste when getting washed), and use a microfiber filter on your washing machine.

8. Advocate for Improved Waste Management Systems

You can reduce the likelihood of plastics reaching rivers and the ocean by properly disposing of waste and by avoiding littering. Being part of a movement to call for and promote improved waste management can also help reduce plastic waste.

At CVA, our dedicated SeaToSource Program volunteers involved communities in the establishment of bin butts to reduce cigarette butts which are made from plastic – the most littered item in Australia – ending up as litter.

Our SeaToSource Program’s Nature Ambassadors were also involved in maintaining and monitoring TAngler bins which make it easier to responsibly dispose of fishing tackle to reduce entanglement and choking hazards for riverine and ocean animals.

9. Support CVA’s SeaToSource Program

Our SeaToSource Program calls on Australians to “sea the change” and take part in ocean conservation.

With Sea The Change, there are many ways to take action for our ocean, wetlands and rivers:

• Participate in river and beach cleanup surveys
• Take part in wetland restoration volunteering events
• Reduce your plastic consumption at home with the SeaToSource Plastic Waste Challenge

Our 2020–2023 SeaToSource program was highly successful at reducing plastic waste entering our creeks, rivers and the ocean by empowering communities to take action. The program is now a model for ocean and river restoration, having resulted in over 10,600 volunteers removing around 19 tonnes of litter.

10. Help CVA collect data on ocean plastic

Australia consumes three times as much plastic each year compared with the global average. This 3.8 million tons of plastic results in plastic pollution. Our ability to regularly monitor how much plastic is consumed and how much ends up as litter and waste in our ocean and rivers matters.

When we know how much plastic pollution there is, we can take steps to address the challenge. That’s why collecting data on ocean plastic is helpful – it can motivate action, inform policy and help us know what’s happening around us.

At CVA, we partner with various organisations and government departments to help collect citizen-science data for conservation with our volunteers. Our SeaToSource Debris Monitoring Surveys gathered data that was fed into CSIRO’s National Plastic Pollution Baseline Survey, and we continue to collect citizen-science data through our CVA App.

 

Tackling Plastic Waste for the Ocean

Reducing the amount of plastic waste in the ocean is an enormous task. To do this at speed and scale requires a collaborative effort. All the above actions are things you can do to tackle the plastic pollution crisis and help preserve the health of our ocean and rivers.

Every action, however small, counts. Together we can create a cleaner, healthier, more biodiverse ocean and rivers and turn the tide on plastic pollution.