Would you consider going zero waste to save the sharks? If you’re not familiar with the concept, this article will tell you everything you need to know about a living waste-free! But, let’s talk a little bit about these majestic underwater creatures first. 

For starters, whether or not you’re a fan of them, there’s no doubt that sharks are fascinating creatures. Feared by most, this type of fish is surrounded by a variety of cruel misconceptions. For example, sharks symbolize danger and ruthlessness. However, they also play an integral role when it comes to keeping our oceans clean and healthy. 

In fact, without them, the coral reef ecosystem would become overwhelmed by algae, and inevitably die. 

Now the most important question is ― how can we help save the sharks, and in turn, save our oceans? Can going zero waste make a difference? 

The short answer is yes, but let’s elaborate on that a little bit. 

What Does Going “Zero Waste” Mean?

Simply put, going zero waste means not producing any garbage. Basically, in order to live waste-free, we would need to reduce our overall daily needs, reuse everything we can, recycle what can be recycled, and compost the rest. 

If you’ve been living your life like the majority of the world, this concept must seem inconceivable. However, it’s not. 

What’s more, once you learn about all the good you can do by simply making better purchases, and reusing what you already have instead of constantly buying more and more stuff, you’ll probably wish you had gone zero waste ages ago!

As it is now, we live in a linear economy, taking resources from the earth and dumping them into a landfill once we’re done with them. When you stop and think about it, we’re the only living things that produce trash. The overall goal of zero waste is to move from linear to a circular economy, taking waste out of the equation and reusing resources.

But what does any of this have to do with the ocean and sharks?

Landfills, Oceans and Pollution  

As we mentioned, all of the waste we produce ends up in landfills. Except when it doesn’t, and that’s when things get messy.

Would it shock you to know that over 8 million tons of plastic waste ends up in our oceans every year? 

And would it also shock you to hear that it takes a plastic bag from the grocery store around 20 years to break down? Now, consider how long you actually use that plastic bag: 15 minutes, maybe 20? Finally, think about how many people use plastic bags around the world. We won’t even get into all the other plastic waste such as bottles, containers and those pesky six-pack rings.

Read more about Ocean Plastics an what you need to know in this EcoWatch Guide

How Can Going Zero Waste Help Save the Sharks?

Several studies have shown that sharks and other species of fish are either strangled by plastic debris, or ingest it on a regular basis. Needless to say, that’s quite alarming.

As human beings, we tend to think that one person cannot make a difference (which is quite unfortunate since it’s completely wrong). So, instead of trying out the zero waste lifestyle and encouraging others to do the same, we simply do nothing. 

But, we’re not here to criticize, we’re here to motivate. Yes, one person can make all the difference, so here’s why going zero waste can help save the sharks and in turn, our environment!

Plastic Food

We may be able to tell a plastic bottle floating in the ocean apart from a fish, but sharks aren't as lucky. Unfortunately, sharks will gobble up anything resembling food which can cause severe damage to their insides. 

But sharks aren’t the only species that can consume plastic. In fact, small fish feed on bits of plastic bags and wrappers all the time. Once they do so, the plastic can block their digestive tract and damage their stomach lining. In most cases it won’t cause instant death, but rather a slow, painful one. 

With that in mind, a shark looking for its next meal can’t tell whether a fish has ingested plastic or not. Once it eats its prey, it has also ingested the plastic within the fish. Again, this may not cause instant death, but the shark will get sick sooner rather than later. 

Easy Entanglement

Unfortunately, ingesting plastic isn’t the only danger sharks face. They can get entangled in plastic loops of debris which makes it incredibly difficult for them to move around, hunt their prey, and even avoid predators. 

The same goes for small fish which (more often than not) get entangled in six-pack rings and die.  

No Waste, No Danger

The bottom line is that without all that dangerous waste, our oceans would be much safer for sharks and other species. As we mentioned before, if there were no sharks, the consequences would be catastrophic, to say the least!

These majestic creatures help regulate the fish population, prevent sea turtles from overgrazing the vegetation, and they feed on fish that eat oxygen-generating plankton.

So you see, we need sharks more than they need us! 

The Conclusion

Remember, it only takes one person to make a positive change in the world, so why not start with yourself? 

After all, where there’s a will, there’s a way. If you want to help make a difference, there’s no better way to do so than by going zero waste. Not only will it help the environment, but it will also make you feel incredibly good about yourself. Hopefully, it will also motivate you to educate others on the matter, and then we’ll really get somewhere!