Annotated Bibliography on Marine Litter: Finding Solutions to a Global Problem

Scholarly Article 1

Reference:

Williams, A. T., & Rangel-Buitrago, N. (2019). Marine Litter: Solutions for a Major Environmental Problem. Journal of Coastal Research, 35(3), 648-663. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-18-00096.1

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Annotation:

This is a peer-reviewed article, written by renown writers and approved by one of the most revered schools in the United Kingdom - University of Wales Trinity Saint David. The article is inclined into finding and elaborating solutions towards the nagging problem of marine littering and pollution - which increases the overall carbon footprint into the marine planet. The article majorly argues that the significant environmental issue at the moment is marine litter - which is "persistent, manufactured or processed solid materials deposited over the coastal and marine environment" (p. 2). Therefore, the central claim of the article is that collaboration in reducing carbon footprint is key to reducing marine litter and pollution at large. The authors claim that collaborating in cutting down plastic waste from the source, cleaning up beaches, using circular economy, educating individuals, as well reducing packaging ensure that the overall carbon footprint of any activity or individuals are cut down significantly. Despite admitting to the fact that the process is complicated, the authors acknowledge that it is possible and they even provide evidence for the same. For instance, the authors highlight that attacking the primary source of pollution is very vital for their spread. This evidence is provided by the research that they conduct in companies using Polylactic Acid (PLA). They concluded that a reduction of such bottles leads to a decrease in greenhouse gases by about 60% (p. 5). Lastly, the authors claim that mitigation - which involves solutions focused on actions that allow revision, reorganization, and adaptation of specific human behavior- is very eminent in ensuring the same outcome.

While critically analyzing the content of the article, it is paramount to acknowledge that the thesis is well elaborated and adequately supported. This is major since the thesis is supported by well-documented research on the same issue as well as solutions concerning the same. What is more, the article is of current publication (having been published in 2019) while it also references articles not more than fifteen years. This means that the information presented in the article are of contemporary accuracy. This, apart from the fact that the research was led by Coastal and Marine Research Group, University of Wales, and Universidad del Atlantico, elevates the credibility and authority of the source to my research subject. Therefore, the source helps to respond my research subject by stressing and elaborating on lucrative ways to decrease the carbon footprint of the society at large, in order to ensure marine safety, which is the concern of my research question.

Scholarly Article 2

Reference:

Laura La Beur, Lea-Anne Henry, Georgios Kazanidis, Sebastian Hennige, Alison McDonald, Michael P. Shaver, & J. Murray Roberts. (2019). Baseline Assessment of Marine Litter and Microplastic Ingestion by Cold-Water Coral Reef Benthos at the East Mingulay Marine Protected Area (Sea of the Hebrides, Western Scotland)

Annotation:

Laura La Beur, Henry, Kazanidis, Hennige, McDonald, Shaver, and Roberts (2019) explore the baseline levels of marine litter and micro-particles for a deep-water setting in a continental shelf around Scotland. Their editorial is a peer-reviewed article with wide-reaching evidence concerning their exploration. The study mainly argued that marine pollution mostly affected suspension feeders as they have a higher number of ingested micro-particles compared to other feeding guilds and that hollow marine areas store most of the particles compared to elevated grounds. The researchers largely utilize historical surveys and samples in assessing the marine litter in their assigned region. However, the researchers also carried out direct experiments to samples collected in the region, thus providing immediate evidence regarding their hypothesis. The article also elevates the notion that historical data, as well as samples that are collected for other purposes, are very useful in obtaining baseline values for marine litter.

Additionally, the article supports its arguments in an adequate and well elaborative manner. This is because, apart from using direct practical tests, the authors use historic and readily available data for their analysis. Moreover, the article is very recent - having have been published by two renown UK universities in 2019. The same research was conducted by members of high-level universities in the United Kingdom - the University of Manchester as well as the University of Edinburgh - making it more credible and authoritative due to the high standards of review from the same institutions. Despite the fact that the article does not directly help in answering my research question - it is vital to understand that the results of the same study show the eminence of reducing the carbon footprint as it highlights the negative effects of the same to marine life.

EBook

Reference:

Allsopp, M., Pambuccian, S. E., Johnston, P., & Santillo, D. (2008). State of the World's Oceans. Springer Science & Business Media.

Annotation:

This is a book elaborating the actual and diminishing status of the oceans - despite them being home to many species - due to pollution and an increase in carbon footprint. The book brings forth quite a number of arguments, but one that stands out most is the idea that an increase in pollution and carbon footprint affects the diversity in marine life, while destroying it. The book has presented photos and actual historical incidences that reflect the arguments presented. The book also furthers the idea that reducing carbon output from an individual level is eminent in not only conserving marine life but also in ensuring the same in terrestrial beings.

The book is adequate in presenting its arguments for the thesis presented. The authors used a number of evidence ranging from pictures to pre-collected data at marine protected areas (MPAs). However, the information presented in the book is as of the year 2008. Nonetheless, this does not disqualify the authority of the same data as the accuracy, and the projection still remains to be almost - if not fully - similar. Moreover, the book has been reviewed severally and ascertained to be of high quality and statue - making it highly authoritative in my research. Therefore, the only limitation in this source might be the year of publication, which can make some of the presented facts to be obsolete or outdated. However, the book present many ways in which the carbon footprint of an individual, community, or even an event can be reduced - thus helping in my research.