Climate- and Water protection for the Earth.
Clean and Save the World e.V was founded with the mission to reduce or even clean up harmful agents such as plastics, both found as nano- and microplastic; fuels of all kind, as well as chemicals and heavy metals found to reduce their harmful effects in seas and on land. For this we are using the most modern environmental technologies and methods. By cleaning up harmful agents in the oceans, lakes, rivers, seas, channels, and harbours, balance is brought to our environment and its biology. For this we need lakes and oceans, not only as places of sightseeing and as vacation spots but also ordinarily for our daily lives. Many plankton organisms inhabit our oceans, producing half of the oxygen that we breath. Additionally, lakes absorb up to 90% of sun energy and binds circa 30% of carbon dioxide to regulate the climate.
Our ecosystem is throughoutly damaged.
Whether in the deep sea, or in the tropical regions of the north- and east seas. At each coast of the world plastic waste products are found.
In the oceans drift at least 150 million tons of plastic waste. This is equal to the weight of 15,000 eiffeltowers or half of the world population. Every year circa 10 million tons are added. These massive amounts of plastic waste arrive through the rivers of Asia, Europe, the USA and Canada into the lakes and oceans. Through the ocean currents massive amounts of plastic waste are gathered in the ocean. In total, it is assumed that there exist five garbage patches, with a sixth one forming in Antarctica.
The biggest garbage patch is located in the Pacific Ocean is about the size of Middle Europe.
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The biggest environmental problem of our time in regards to climate- und water protection.
- Weather extremes such as heat burns and droughts, heavy rain, floods and cyclones are all becoming more frequent. The consequences of climate change are felt worldwide. Especially in water these effects are most apparent, often in connecting with of areas suffering from too much or too little water supplies and worsening water quality.
- The polar caps are melting. The water levels are rising worldwide at an alarming and environmentally damaging rate.
- Our lakes are overflowing with plastic waste which cause the Gulf Stream to be slowed down, it being critical to ocean life. By now plastic particles are found in the bodies of 50% of all fish in the Mediterranean Sea and 80% of fish larvae in river deltas in the European Union. These plastic particles arrive in the human food chain.
- As plastic particles bind many toxic chemicals to themselves, it can, for example, be the cause for various cancers in the organism of humans and other animals.
- Plastic in the human body can lead to damages in genetic material, inflammation, organ damage and increased rates of heart attacks and strokes. Plastic substances have already been found inside the human heart.
- The water which is the foundation of life and that of future generations is systematically endangered.
- Das Meer ist inzwischen einer der dreckigsten Orte der Welt. Deutschland ist Müll-Europameister.
- Even in the animal kingdom drastic consequences are becoming apparent. Due to the global waste catastrophy, over 700 animals species are directly endangered. Every year millions of sea birds and a hundred thousand sea mammals die as a result of excess waste in our environment.
- The overwhelming flood of plastics cannot be processed by the environment. For example, a plastic bottle could remain in the environment or seas for 250 years, e.g forever.
- “Plastic does not break apart, but only becomes smaller. One piece of plastic waste, (for example, Polyethylene), the size of a sugar cube, in the course of time breaks into circa 1500 microparticles, (with a diameter of 10 μm), or circa 150,000 nanoparticles (a diameter of 100 μm). It is the rule, that the smaller the plastic particle, the more problematic it becomes, as nanoparticles easily enter into human cells. (For example, the SARS-CoV 2 virus has a size of 60 to 90 nanometers.) Additionally, nanoplastics possess an extremely big specific surface to which harmful substances and heavy metals can bind themselves to and enter into the organism. According to estimates, every human ingests up to five grams of microplastics weekly through their food. As many as for a credit card.” (Source: FAU Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen Nuremberg)
The rich sinking of carbon dioxide in the ocean as well as through mangrove forests is being severely hampered and disadvantaged by plastic waste, present as micro- and nano particles.
The property of the ocean to take in massive amounts of carbon dioxide has kept the Earth safe from a total collapse of its climate. Between 30 to 40 percent of the carbon dioxide released with fossil sources by humans are broken apart inside of the ocean. In theory, the ocean could store up to 80 percent of carbon dioxide. In reality, this would take at least a thousand years. This is because the higher the concentration of carbon dioxide in the ocean, it becomes more difficult for such a process to function over time. Additionally, a measurable slowing of the oceans circulation has blocked the intake of climate gases.
Reduced carbon dioxide binding
Plankton contaminated with micro- and nano plastics bind less carbon from the atmosphere. Thus, the function of the ocean and lakes as global carbon sinks are reduced. In the Mediterranean Sea it is estimated that every two plankton organisms contain a part of microplastic within them. A study from the GMIT shows that micro- and nano plastics have an impact on our climate.
“As a result of the fragmentation through ripples and UV-radiation, certain types of plastics, (mainly one-way plastic material such as packaging), release greenhouse gases. Mostly it is methane and ethylene. The impact of methane is especially severe as methane leads to a 34 times stronger greenhouse gas efect than carbon.”
Methane emissions from plastic particles are dependent on their size. Thus, a fine powder produces up to 500 times more methane than the same amount released as bigger particles. The smallest particles of nano plastics are carried over thousands of kilometers, even onto the Artic continent, where they mix into sea ice.
Even the mangrove forests, which serve as carbon sinks, and coral reefs are endangered by plastic waste substances.
Coral reefs belong to the most known ecosystem of the ocean. These especially sensitive and complex habitats have been named the rainforests of the ocean, thanks to their species variety. As nets and plastic bags cover corals, they suffer from less access to light and nutrients.
Coral reefs and mangrove forests threatened
Coral reefs and mangrove forests are counted as the most productive ecosystems of our world outside of rainforests. They protect beaches and coasts from tsunamis and erosion while offering a habitat for thousants of animal spieces. Plastic waste in oceans worldwide threatens these unique habitats. Mangroves are especially efficent as carbon reservoirs. They can take in a large amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which is saved inside their biomass and sediment. The carbon which is stored inside of the mangrove sediment can remain stored there for hundreds or even thousands of years. Compared to other forest ecosystems of the Earth, mangroves are able to store four times as much carbon per square area. Thus, it provides an important role in the fight against climate change as natural carbon sinks.
In a total of 120 countries of the Earth, approximately 14 million hectars of mangrove are part of natural coastal vegetation.
Let our blue planet become blue again!
The conditions of our waters is closely interlinked with the health of our climate. We need to act, otherwise in the year 2050 more plastic waste will be floating in the lakes as fishes and our climate are severely damaged.
At the same time we want bring awareness of the dangers of environmental pollution to the consciousness of mankind. Politicians are also called to prevent an increase in one-way plastics and to further observe the bio recyling of all plastics with the highest priority.