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Adam Scott
DeBock
10 November 2016
English IV

Politics Behind Pollution

Humans have done an extreme amount of damage to the ocean and to surrounding
waterways, the government has been trying to slow the tremendous effects of pollution for years.
The argument always sparks on if the government is doing the right things to protect the world.
Not only does the United States government focus on pollution but so do many governments all
around the world. It is important to realize that the government cannot get enough funds to
successfully end pollution, nor do they have enough manpower to fully enforce maritime laws.
Laws that protect the ocean are hard to produce, because not one country owns the ocean many
countries must work together to create laws benefitting the ocean. The government works hard to
create laws and outlaw pollutants into local waterways and oceans through plastic bag bans, The
national ocean policy, and ongoing efforts to control offshore oil drilling.
Firstly, the government protects the ocean with plastic bag bans. Recently plastic bag
bans have been in debate. The ultimate question: Is the ease of plastic bags worth the amount that
end up in waterways and the ocean? The main issue with plastic bags are that they take much
longer to decompose than most other materials. Humans are recycling and reusing the bags less
than ever, thus causing more to end up in the oceans (Wilson). "When it comes to plastic bags,

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there's only one thing to do that's 100% effective. Ban them." (Wilson). Many countries have
already developed plastic bag bans, vowing to protect the bodies of water that they get their
natural resources from. Many governments focus primarily on businesses. Plastic bag bans
would not help businesses, and in fact would harm quite a few. Plastic bags can be made cheaper
than any other material, yet many do not understand that the manufacturing of these bags is done
many times at the price of the ocean. Governments have been trying to work together to create a
way to keep plastic materials out of the waterways. Governments want these bags to be replaced
with environmentally friendly reusable, paper bags. Plastic bags cannot be recycled fast enough
to protect the growing environment. The production of plastic bags severely outweighs the
amounts that end up at recycling centers. The only way to protect the ocean 100% from plastic
bag pollution is to place a ban on plastic bags (Wilson). The government needs to work with the
rest of the nations to develop an in depth plan for banning and or lessening the use of plastic and
other non biodegradable materials.
Secondly, the government has protected the ocean through The National Ocean Policy.
The government has created the National Ocean Policy to work among other governments to
protect the ocean. Many big businesses despise the policy claiming that it restricts the use of the
ocean. "The National Ocean Policy creates a federal ocean zoning regime that will likely result
in substantial new regulations and restrictions on ocean users," Nils Stolpe, spokesman for the
Seafood Coalition (Winn). Big businesses and small commercial fisheries believe that the
ocean should have a hands off policy of protection (Winn). This policy was created to attempt to
protect the ocean from the effects of big business. This policy also places restrictions on

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shellfishing. New limits have been created for commercial fisheries. These limits force
shellfisheries to use different, less efficient equipment than in the pass. The policy forces
commercial fisheries to use similar tactics to recreational fisherman instead of large scale fishing.
These restrictions have been far more harmful for small business fisheries and those that are just
beginning (Winn). The National Ocean Policy helps to stop overfishing, recently some fish
species have been fished nearly beyond existence. It is important to ration resources now so that
Earth does not run out in the future (Conathan). The policy has gone as far as reducing the use of
pesticides in many places to protect local fish and waterways. The policy is also beginning to
work to protect shellfish species they call for restocking and protection of certain areas. The
protection of waterways, wetlands, and the species inside them is important and accomplished
through the National Ocean Policy.
Thirdly, the government has faced the issue on whether to make offshore oil drilling legal
or not. In addition to this basic decision the government must place regulations on their decision
if they make it legal. Businesses argue that the government has no control over the ocean and
therefore should not be able to place restrictions on offshore drilling. Offshore drilling is
endangering to the environment but many think the loss is worth the gain. The long term effects
coming from offshore oil drilling outweigh the short term revenue made. Expanded offshore
drilling poses the risk of oil spills ruining our beaches from Florida to Maine and along the
Pacific Coast, bringing harm to those who live, work, and vacation along the coasts, as well as
harming habitats critical to plants and animals. (Natural Resources Defense Council). The
government has created policies to reduce the negative effects of offshore drilling, but the effects

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cannot be diminished completely. It is important for business to weigh out the damages done to
Earth when drilling offshore.
The government works hard to create laws and outlaw pollutants into local waterways
and oceans through plastic bag bans, The national ocean policy, and ongoing efforts to control
offshore oil drilling. The government has most recently started to work to preserve the ocean
and waterways. Many suffering species are starting to catch a break from pollution and harsh
chemicals. The ocean is important to our environment. Laws and plans are nothing if society will
not follow them. It is important that enforcement of the laws and plans be in effect to preserve
the ocean. Pollution has become a large issue in our current day and age but can be changed
through hard work and dedication to preserve the oceans that our world loves. Many of the issues
with ocean pollution have been caused and or worsened by human actions, meaning society must
work to clean the ocean with the help of laws and plans from the government. The decreasing in
the quantity and quality of ocean life shines the light directly to the need of ocean laws and
preservation plans. The government has been working hard to fight for the ocean and the
waterways.

Works Cited
Conathan, Michael. "The National Ocean Policy Benefits Businesses." Endangered Oceans. Ed.
Helga Schier and Lynn M. Zott. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2014.
Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Sensible Ocean Policy Falling Victim to Political
Games." ThinkProgress. 2012. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.
Crye, Michael. "Voluntary Efforts Are Adequate to Reduce Cruise Ship Pollution." Endangered

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Oceans. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing
Viewpoints. Rpt. from "A Delicate Balance." World Cruise Industry Review.
2007. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 25 Oct. 2016
Natural Resources Defense Council. "Offshore Oil Drilling Endangers Oceans."
Endangered Oceans. Ed. Helga Schier and Lynn M. Zott. Farmington Hills, MI:
Greenhaven Press, 2014. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Protecting Our Ocean and
Coastal Economies: Avoid Unnecessary Risks from Off-Shore Drilling." 2009. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 27 Oct. 2016.
Seachman, Steve. "Government Regulations Do Not Prevent Water Pollution." The Environment.
Ed. Laura K. Egendorf. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt.
from "American Citizens Are Left to Swim in Government Cesspool." Insight on the
News (26 Aug. 2002). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.
Winn, Pete. "The National Ocean Policy Endangers Businesses." Endangered Oceans. Ed. Helga
Schier and Lynn M. Zott. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2014. Opposing
Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Fishermen to Congress: Please Scuttle Obama's National Oceans
Policy." CNS News. 2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.
Wilson, Stiv. "Plastic Bag Bans Protect the Environment." The Environment. Ed. Lynn M. Zott.
Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2014. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "In
Defense of Plastic Bag Bans." GreenBiz.com 28 Dec. 2011. Opposing Viewpoints in
Context. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.