By now, most of us know that plastic is bad for our oceans. But beyond being an eyesore, how does it actually impact marine ecosystems? Plastic poses a physical threat—marine animals can become entangled in discarded fishing gear, nets, and other debris, leading to injury or death. Sea turtles, seabirds, and whales often mistake plastic for food, and many have been found dead with stomachs full of it. The problem doesn’t end there. Through a process called “biomagnification,” plastic carries toxic chemicals up the food chain, eventually reaching top predators, including us. On a chemical level, UV-exposed plastics release methane and dissolved organic carbon into the water, disrupting the carbon cycle that supports marine food webs. Plastics also absorb toxic pollutants like PCBs and heavy metals, creating hotspots of contamination that can be up to 85,000 times higher near the coast. Just imagine how these impacts stack up as they ripple across our oceans, crossing paths with anyth...