Oceans

Join our newsletter

The best of EcoWatch, right in your inbox. Sign up for our email newsletter!

    Scientists Create Biodegradable Plastics Made From Spirulina

    Scientists Create Biodegradable Plastics Made From Spirulina

    Plastics are everywhere. They’re used to make food packaging, bags, water bottles and for many other common applications. As they break down, their tiny particles — known as microplastics — end up in the ocean, on the highest mountaintops, in our lungs and in our blood. The problem with plastics is that they stay in […]

    LAX Bans Single-Use Plastic Water Bottle Sales

    LAX Bans Single-Use Plastic Water Bottle Sales

    One of the world’s busiest airports, Los Angeles International (known by its airport code LAX) has banned sales of single-use plastic water bottles. On June 30, LAX officials shared on Facebook that a ban on single-use plastic bottle sales in the airport would take place immediately. Officials recommend that visitors bring reusable alternatives and use […]

    Seabird Die-Offs Linked to Marine Heat Waves

    Seabird Die-Offs Linked to Marine Heat Waves

    A new study, led by researchers at the University of Washington, has linked mass seabird die-offs to marine heat waves. The study, published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series, analyzed data collected from residents along coasts from Alaska to central California from 1993 to 2021. The researchers were looking to find if these marine […]

    Carbon Sequestration 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Carbon Sequestration 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Quick Key Facts What Is ‘Carbon Sequestration’? Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide — the most commonly produced greenhouse gas — and storing it in the Earth. Most of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is formed by the combustion of fossil fuels, primarily coal and petroleum. The amount of atmospheric […]

    Deep-Sea Mining Could Cause 25x the Biodiversity Loss of Land-Based Mining, Report Warns

    Deep-Sea Mining Could Cause 25x the Biodiversity Loss of Land-Based Mining, Report Warns

    Rising demand for metals like nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese to make batteries used in smartphones and electric vehicles, along with depleting land-based deposits, has led to increased interest in deep-sea mining. But research suggests that the process of extracting mineral deposits from the ocean floor could destroy habitats and decimate species. According to a […]