Life Under Water: UNSDG #14 by William O'Keefe, Sophie Berges, Melina Luciano

1. Life Under
Water
BY:
WILLIAM O'KEEFE
SOPHIE BERGES
MELINA LUCIANO
STONE SOUP LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE
SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT
JUNE5TH-9TH

2. Main topics
1 2 3
THE PLASTIC AND
LITTERING PROBLEM
THE EFFECTS OF
GLOBAL WARMING ON
MARINE LIFE
THE DANGERS OF
FISH AND GAME

3. The Effects of
Global Warming
on Marine Life
The ocean covers more than 70 percent of the
Earth's surface
More than 90% of Global Warming is going into
the ocean
Things to Know:
Coral Bleaching
Warmer Waters
Causing extinction/endangerment
Coastal Flooding
Problems Occurring:
Thriving ecosystems provide us with food,
medicine, jobs, and recreation.
Why We Should Care:

4. Coastal Flooding:
Coastal flooding is a flood occurring on low-lying
land that is usually dry. This is due to the melting of
land ice and the expansion of ocean water. When
the water is pulled back into the ocean, it can pull
plastics, toxic materials, etc. with it.
What is happening now?
Coral Bleaching:
Algae make food through photosynthesis. When
water gets too warm, algae cannot
photosynthesize. Algae will either die or the
coral reefs with spit them out. Slowly, this is
making coral reefs weak and killing them.
Warmer Waters:
As the ocean gets warmer from global
warming, oxygen demand rises for marine
life. Warmer water holds less oxygen, this
leaves marine life leaving their habitats
looking for colder water. For some species
relocating isn't easy and they die from the
journey.

5. How is this
Effecting Us?
Coral Bleaching:
Coral reef plants are important sources of
medicines being developed to treat numerous
diseases including heart disease, cancer,
arthritis, and more. With coral bleaching,
these reefs are dying and soon we will have
little to no access to these resources. The
medical advancements that we have made
with coral reefs will no longer be available.
Warmer Waters:
As our ocean water gets warmer and our marine life is
dying. We are losing a main food source for America.
55% of America purchases and consumes seafood. This
is more than half of our population that may soon no
longer have access to this resource.
Coastal Flooding:
Coastal flooding causes damage to
our shorelines and infrastructures.
Up to 410 million people are at risk
and can suffer from injury, death,
and significant losses.

6. ENTANGLEMENTS WITH
NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT
WHALES
OVERFISHING
OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
GHOST FISHING
IRRESPONSIBLE FISH
FARMING
What is
happening in
Fish and Game

7. The effects on our community
Entanglements with
whales
Reduced Northern Atlantic Right whales,
a natural predator. If it gets taken out,
there will be escalated fish and
phytoplankton populations, that would
hurt the ecosystem.
Overfishing
Because some fishers will catch
more than necessary for the
economy, Our fish populations will
be lowered faster than they can
repopulate.
Ocean Acidifcication
Due to the affects of air pollution,
the ocean absorbs a 1/3 of our
carbon dioxide and through that,
our oceans increase in the acidic
pH level

8. Effects pt. 2
Ghost fishing Irresponsible Fish Farming
Ghost Fishing is when fishing gear is
accidentally dropped into the ocean or
lakes. These pieces of gear can still
entangle gear and cause decreses in
some populations.
Irresponsible fish farming
comes into effect when
farmers Use lots of chemicals
when fish farming. When
groups of these fish get
accidentally released back
into the wild, they could carry
pollutants and new diseases
that could wipe populations.

9. How does littering and plastics affect the ocean?
When you throw away even the slightest bit of palstic it may seem
like you aren't doing much. It's just a thought right? Actually this
slight move can harm the ocean entirely. When we throw our
plastics into the ocean, our sea life may consume these items or even
arts of the microplastics left over from the when they feed on their
prey. This can cause some sea life to get their fins and legs caught in
the plastic or choke on the plastic as well.

10. How does this affect us?
When our sea life consumes these microplastics and the food
chain keeps continuing on these microplastics keep going from
animal to animal. When fisherman are sent out to go catch fish to
provide food for us humans they may catch fish that have
consumed these plastics which at this point in their digestion,
have probably become micro plastics. We eventually consume
these microplastics when we eat the fish which could eventually
become super harmful to us. This can take a hold on our
environment because the more plastic we start to consume the
worse our environmental waste will get.

11. Sustainable
innovations
in our community
for marine life
Our Sustainable
Innovations include:
Reduced Carbon Emissions
Replacements for plastics
Changing boat pathways for
whales to pass through
Fish and game policies for little
entanglements with marine
wildlife

12. Sustainable Job
careers for life
under water
OCEANOGRAPHY
MARINE SCIENCE
CORAL REEF
RESTORATION
HABITAT
MANAGEMENT*
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW*
NOAA
ANY ENVIRONMENTAL-
RELATED CAREER*
*Any Land job contributes
as much to the ocean as any
ocean job.