Canadian Boating May 2024 - 7

Trash traps in action. Credit: ITTN.
items and plastic straws/stirrers.
The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup is
another initiative that is actively removing
plastics from our waterways. Since 2020,
their findings show the top items collected
are small fragments consisting of hard
plastics, foam pieces and film pieces,
along with cigarette butts.
It's important to see these facts and to
realize that this is just a small percentage
compared to the bigger picture. These
millions of pieces that were collected in
Canada are just a mere handful of what's
out there.
But it's not all bad news. Recently, our
editor Andy Adams commented on the
marine industry's admirable environmental
progress. Research conducted by the
NMMA and the ICOMIA stated that the
marine industry is a small contributor to
greenhouse gas emissions compared to
other sectors.
In a recent newsletter, NMMA Canada
reported that since 2000, the marine industry
has reduced engine emissions by 75-95%
and improved fuel efficiency by 40%.
It's clear that the industry is committed
to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
There have been significant advances
with electrification and more eco-friendly
options all around, and it's just getting
started.
But that doesn't mean we should wait
around for more change to happen.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
As boaters, we obviously love the water
and I'd like to think that we do our very
best to keep our waterways healthy. But
the reality is that we're experiencing climate
change in so many ways and most of
us are ignoring it.
Climate change and plastic pollution
do affect us in the marine industry. Trash
accumulation creates visual pollution and
affects businesses. It produces unpleasant
odours and health hazards often attracting
bugs and pests. Increasing nutrient levels
lead to green scum and hydrocarbons that
discolour boat hulls. Lack of ice cover
and higher water levels cause erosion to
shorelines and damage to infrastructure
like marinas and waterfronts. Invasive
species are wiping out all of the fish we
regularly go and catch every summer.
Poor water health prevents us from safely
going for a swim.
Swim Drink Fish Canada, a national
charity dedicated to connecting people to
water, commented that some of their most
recent findings have shown excess nutrients
coming into the water causing eutrophic
conditions where algae blooms grow
out of proportion to anything they've seen
in the past. Algae can clog intakes and
boat motors posing a threat towards marinas
and boats.
Hannah De Frond from the ITTN
explains that plastic is " everywhere. It's
making its way into our food. It's making
its way into us. It affects everyone. So even
if it feels like it's not affecting you, plastic
pollution has been found in every single
ecosystem on earth. " Just because you
can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there.
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Canadian Boating May 2024

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