SHOCKING reality facing oceans: Plastic pollution 'equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute'

If nothing is done to reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean, there will be more plastic than fish by 2050.

Everyone has heard of the spread of plastic pollution in our oceans -but how many of us realize just how serious the situation really is? According to the World Economic Forum, the amount of plastic currently dumped into our oceans each year is the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic every minute.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to the World Economic Forum, unless something changes "on the current track, oceans will contain more plastic than fish by 2050 (by weight)."

A report by the World Economic Forum, titled The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics, has brought to light the alarming statistics indicating the devastating results of the widespread use of "plastic packaging and plastics in general."

The report specified that current plastic usage results in "at least 8 million tonnes of plastics" leaked into the ocean annually, "which is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute."

Images of what the trash has done to wildlife are plastered all over the internet and awareness campaigns. A graphic viral video of a turtle with a straw stuck up its nostril has led to several other videos indicating the plastic trash in the ocean has reached an all-time high and is dramatically impacting wildlife in deadly ways.

Though the situation seems dire, there is hope. 

Martin R. Stuchtey, of the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment, reported: "Plastics are the workhorse material of the modern economy - with unbeaten properties. However, they are also the ultimate single-use material. Growing volumes of end-of-use plastics are generating costs and destroying value to the industry.

After-use plastics could - with circular economy thinking - be turned into valuable feedstock. Our research confirms that applying those circular principles could spark a major wave of innovation with benefits for the entire supply chain."

The World Economic Forum reported, "in Europe today 53% of plastic packaging could be recycled economically and environmentally effectively."

According to the report, other ways to reduce the amount of plastic present in the ocean - and the world - would be to do the following:

• Create an effective after-use plastics economy
• Radically increase the economics, quality and up-take of recycling
• Scale up the adoption of reusable packaging
• Drastically reduce the leakage of plastics into natural systems and other negative externalities
• Improve after-use collection, storage and reprocessing infrastructure in high-leakage countries
• Increase the economic attractiveness of keeping materials in the system
• Steer innovation investment towards creating materials and formats that reduce the negative environmental impact of plastic packaging leakage
• Scale up existing efforts to understand the potential impact of substances raising concerns and accelerate development and application of safe alternatives
• Decouple plastics from fossil feedstocks
• Establish a Global Plastics Protocol and coordinate large-scale pilots and demonstration projects
• Mobilize large-scale "moon shot" innovations
• Develop insights and build an economic and scientific evidence base
• Engage policy-makers
• Coordinate and drive communication of the nature of today's situation, the vision of the New Plastics Economy, best practices and insights, as well as specific opportunities and recommendation, to stakeholders acting along the global plastic packaging value chain

"The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the Future of Plastics" report "focuses on systemic stalemates in global material flows that are too big or too complex for an individual business, city or government to overcome alone, as well as on enablers of the circular economy such as digital technologies.

So what does that mean?

It means that to take steps toward oceans without plastic pollution; the world must join forces to enact specific laws concerning the recycling of plastics, the creation of ways to reuse the currently single-use material, establish global protocols and decrease the amount of plastic currently dumped in oceans, landfills and other such natural ecosystems.

The report is expected to be mentioned at the 46th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is set to take place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, between January 20-23.

The 2016 theme is "Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution" and will hold over 250 sessions, 100 of which will be webcast live.

---

The California Network is the Next Wave in delivery of information and entertainment on pop culture, social trends, lifestyle, entertainment, news, politics and economics. We are hyper-focused on one audience, YOU, the connected generation. JOIN US AS WE REDEFINE AND REVOLUTIONIZE THE EVER-CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE.