Have you ever explored a tide pool? They are full of little worlds that ebb and flow with all kinds of cool creatures.
However, one person walking along the North Shore of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, discovered something that definitely did not belong in a tide pool, as shown in a TikTok video posted by Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi (@coasthuggers).
@coasthuggers Just a few feet from the ocean, we found millions of styrofoam pellets scattered across tidepools. #sustainablecoastlineshawaii #coasthuggers #cleanyobeach #cleanbeachesstartathome #plasticpollution #styrofoamballs ♬ original sound - SC Hawai'i
"Just a few feet from the ocean, we found millions of styrofoam pellets," the nonprofit organization wrote in the post.
Styrofoam is made of polystyrene, which is a kind of plastic. That means it leaches harmful microplastics into the food and water humans consume. It can also injure and kill wildlife that mistake it for food.
This material is made from crude oil, which is a significant contributor to rising global temperatures and causes further damage when it pollutes a natural ecosystem such as a coastline.
Volunteers with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi who attempted to clean up the trash found that it was scattered across more than 100 feet of tide pools.
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Yet they were determined to uplift the area. First, they tried to suck up as many pellets as possible with handheld vacuums. Then they went back on a second day with stronger shop vacuums and nets, according to follow-up posts on their Instagram account, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi (@sustainablecoastlineshawaii).
"Cleaning it up is a great reactive solution, just not the ultimate solution," the group explained in the first Instagram post. "We can't vacuum forever. At some point, we have to turn off the tap on plastic at the source."
In this case, the source was a torn-open beanbag chair that volunteers stumbled across during the cleanup effort.
Encouraging elected officials to ban companies from using materials like styrofoam in products and packaging can help prevent this kind of pollution from happening. Avoiding plastic products when you can is a good step, too.
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Should the federal government ban Styrofoam packaging material? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely ✅ "There is no excuse for styrofoam to still be in use when there are so many great biodegradable options!" a commenter on the original TikTok video wrote.
"This breaks my heart," another said.
"I HATE POLYSTYRENE," a third commented.
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