When grocery shopping or eating out, we don’t often give much thought to buying an item encased in a plastic clamshell and doubly wrapped in cellophane, then loaded into plastic bags. It’s the same with getting takeout in a non-recyclable plastic container with utensils we toss out later. But it could be something to stop doing and participating in today, June 8, World Ocean’s Day.

With thousands of causes bombarding us daily to do this or change, that — why should we care?

Because, plastic pollution is a number one source of what’s killing the ocean. It doesn’t take a genius to make the connection between human consumption and environmental destruction. Whether it’s the recent story of the overwhelming plastic debris that regularly washes up on Hawaii’s beaches or the 13 sperm whales that were found dead, washed up on shore, their stomachs full of plastic, it’s time to be a little more conscientious in choices when it comes to buying or using or being given plastic.

The Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots nonprofit environmental organization with 85 national chapters that work to protect and preserve the world's oceans, waves and beaches. Melissa Gates, Northeast Regional Manager, said, "One of the best ways to reduce our plastic footprint in the ocean is to change our every day consumer behavior, such as bringing your own shopping bags to the grocery store or refusing plastic straws when you go out to eat. When grocery shopping, refuse to buy items that are overly packaged. These little changes really goes a long way. Not only does it remove the market demand, but also it sets an example to others, as we continue to work to make that paradigm shift."

All that throwaway plastic ends up as litter on beaches, streets and sidewalks, and then through storm drains or creeks flowing into the ocean. Plastics, such as Styrofoam or water bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate, never break down and never goes away. It doesn’t biodegrade, it photodegrades, which means it is broken down by the action of light into smaller and smaller fragments over time

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, billions of pounds of plastic currently swirls in large convergences, making up about 40 percent of the world’s ocean surfaces. If that doesn’t make you sick, this will:

All those photodegraded tiny bits of plastic are mistaken as a food source by marine animals, such as fish we catch, and eat.

“All of the broken down bits can be ingested by marine life with devastating results,” said Gates. “Not only is it creating this toxic soup that all marine life is swimming around in, but of course, when you eat seafood, you are also eating those toxic chemicals.”

Surfrider Foundation’s Maine chapter organizes periodical campaigns to do beach clean ups—but it’s not simply to beautify the beaches, it comes with the mission to study the debris they pick up and to analyze where it’s coming from.

“First, we catalogue the debris to trace it back to the source of pollution,” Gates said. “Then, we use the data to help inform regulatory decisions that would stop the source of pollution in certain areas.” Asked what are the biggest sources of trash and debris the Maine volunteers have collected on beaches over the last few years, she said, “Cigarette butts are very prevalent on beaches. A lot of people don’t think of it as plastic pollution, but filters often contain little bits of plastic. Plastic grocery bags, abandoned fishing gear and expanded polystyrene, like Styrofoam coolers, food packaging and cups that have broken apart, are also big sources of marine debris.”

Just like Earth Day, which started in 1970, has galvanized more than a billion people worldwide to make small differences to protect the earth, World Oceans Day is inspiring people to take part in creating a healthy ocean.

Gates and fellow Surfrider Foundation member and Friendship lobsterman, Richard Nelson, will be participating in a panel following the film screening of Ocean Frontiers, an award-winning film about ocean stewardship. The screening will take place on Thursday, June 16 at the Belfast Free Library. The Maine chapter’s next public event is on Saturday, June 18, which is International Surfing Day in Ogunquit.

FMI: More details. To find out when other campaigns and beach cleanups will be happening in Maine, visit their Facebook page or sign up on their email list.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com