Roosley 2

Annotated Bibliography: The Effects of Depression on Women

Albert, Paul S. “Why Is Depression More Prevalent in Women?”  Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, vol. 40, no. 4, Canadian Medical Association, July 2015, pp. 219–21. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.150205. Accessed 16 July 2023

Nolen-Hoeksema, Susan. “Gender Differences in Depression.”  Current Directions in Psychological Science, vol. 10, no. 5, SAGE Publishing, Oct. 2001, pp. 173–76. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.00142. Accessed 12 July 2023

Paykel, E. S. “Depression in Women.”  British Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 158, no. S10, Cambridge UP, May 1991, pp. 22–29. https://doi.org/10.1192/s0007125000291952. Accessed 16 July 2023

Western, Deborah. “Gender-based Violence and Depression in Women.” SpringerBriefs in Social Work, Springer Nature, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7532-3. Accessed 14 July 2023

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3

Thompson

Student Example

Ms. Bradley

English 1001

15 April 2021

Turning Off the Spigot

Fig. 1. World’s Largest Collection of Ocean Garbage is Twice the Size of Texas (USA Today)

Everyone that has looked at a map of the United States has been able to spot the state of Texas because of its significant size. Imagine if there was a mass of plastic over twice the size of Texas floating around in the Pacific Ocean. Well, there is, and it’s called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This patch was found in the late ninety’s and was described as a soupy pool of plastic. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an accumulation of plastic and trash circling in the Pacific Ocean that is over twice the size of the state of Texas. In order to preserve the Pacific Ocean and decrease the size of this garbage patch, it is essential to stop the problem where it begins. Humans needs to be more mindful of the plastic they are using and properly recycle products that they frequently throw away.

The garbage patch was discovered by Charles Moore who was a professional sailor and oceanographer. When he spotted the soupy mass, he couldn’t quite see what it consisted of until his yacht neared the patch. He saw that it was tiny plastic debris circling together. No one really knew the actual size of the patch until a satellite picked up an image. It is unknown how much the Great Pacific Garbage Patch has grown since Moore discovered it, but since plastic production has increased it is likely the mass has also grown significantly.

There are five total patches in the ocean due to circulating currents, but the one of the most concern is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch located in the Pacific Ocean in between Hawaii and California. The reason this one is so concerning is because of the trash that is in it. It is not regular garbage someone would see in a trash bag, its microplastics which are very complicated to clean up. Microplastics are plastic pieces smaller than five millimeters in size so the garbage patch actually may look smaller than it really is (Marine Debris Program). The Marine Debris Program adds:

While some areas of the patch have more trash than others, much of the debris is made of microplastics (by count). Because microplastics are smaller than a pencil eraser, they are not immediately noticeable to the naked eye. It’s more like pepper flakes swirling in a soup than something you can skim off the surface. You may come across larger items, like plastic bottles and nets, but it’s possible to sail through some areas of a garbage patch and not see any debris at all. Garbage patches are huge! It’s difficult to determine an exact size as the trash is constantly moving with ocean currents and winds (Marine Debris Program).

On top of all of the microplastic there are other types of trash circling along with nets and plastic bottles such as food wrappers, plastic bags, bottle caps, straws, cups, and plates. Once these plastics enter the ocean it never fully biodegrades which means it never fully breaks down (Flash Magazine). More and more plastic is being added to the garbage patch and once it is there it will likely remain there.

Every minute of the day the equivalent of a truckload of plastic enters our oceans and finds its way to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Wagner). The main contributors to this problem are the individuals of the world that are not recycling and are not being mindful of the plastic they are using. Easy companies to point fingers at would be The Coca-Cola Company, Nestle, and Pepsi Co. since they are the top plastic producers of the world, but they have created sustainable bottles and they highly encourage their consumers to recycle (RT). Instead of blaming corporations, humans need to be accountable and know that choosing not to recycle has a negative impact.

The garbage patch has impacted marine habitats, fish and wildlife, and humans. Marine habitats such as coral reefs and beaches fall victim to marine debris. Seventy percent or more of all marine debris sinks therefore blanketing the ocean floor where coral reefs are present. What is not commonly known about coral reefs are that they are actually animals, not plants, and they are critical for the ecosystem of the ocean and Earth. Fishing nets can get wrapped around coral reefs and rip off the heads of coral. Coral reefs can also eat the microplastics causing negative side effects. Beaches mostly effected by marine debris are Hawaii and Midway Atoll which is a small island owned by the United States. Large debris and microplastics cover the sand where some marine life call home (Perdew 33-37). Habitats as well as the ecosystem are in jeopardy.

Samples done by The Ocean Clean Up found that the ratio of plastic to plankton by weight was ten to one. This means that the ocean is filled with ten times more plastic than food for marine wildlife. Animals also need a healthy ecosystem to survive and marine debris puts a strain on that. Not only can marine life like dolphins, turtles, and fish eat the plastic in the ocean, but they can also get tangled and trapped in it. This is an issue for birds as well because they are unintentionally feeding plastic that they find in the ocean and on the beach to their young causing them to die. Lastly, it is concerning that the fish and wildlife are ingesting plastic that give off toxins and chemicals, therefore unknowingly poisoning themselves (Perdew 41-50). This can be dangerous to human health as well as the economy.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch effects humans economically because there have been lots of damage to boats by the garbage causing fisherman to dock their boats while paying for repairs and not getting paid for fish. Coastal areas have also lost revenue due to lack of tourism because of polluted beaches and water. In Perdew’s eBook it was confirmed that “In 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that US West Coast communities spend in excess of $520 million each year to keep beaches clean” (Perdew 55). There is yet another way the marine debris harms and impacts humans.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch drastically impacts human health. If a fish consumes plastic filled with toxins and chemicals and people eat that fish, aren’t humans exposed to those same toxins and chemicals? The answer is yes. Some humans that live in Northern America rely on fish as their main source of protein and if fish has toxins and chemicals in it what are those individuals going to eat (Perdew 53-59)? The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is putting habitats, wildlife and fish, and humans in jeopardy and damaging the ecosystem. It is time to make a change and find a solution.

There have been several cleanup organizations send ships out to collect the debris from the patch in the Pacific Ocean. The issue with doing this is that the microplastics slip through the nets and the nets only collect the bigger debris. Boats also get damaged because of the thickness of the patch causing economic issues. Using boats is a concern because there is a chance of an oil spill, therefore causing more harm to the ocean and ecosystem. Boats also negatively impact the ocean water by releasing toxins and ruining the water quality. Ruining the water quality hurts the ocean’s wildlife and marine habitats which is no different than what the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is doing. Boats can also injure the wildlife that come into contact with the speedy boats (Environmental Protection). Although using boats and nets to remove the trash in the Pacific is a good effort in decreasing the size of the mass, plastic is accumulating faster than the ships can remove it.

Flannery notes that “The Ocean Cleanup estimates it would take 79,000 years and tens of billions of dollars to collect the plastic from just one garbage patch using vessels and nets, the most obvious method. Challenging the conventional wisdom that the only feasible response to plastics in the ocean is to stop dumping them there and, wherever possible, to stop using them” (Flannery 25). This goes to show that removing the plastic and trash from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch will not be completely effective because it will not get rid of the microplastics and will put a strain on the economy.

The current solution is to stop the plastic from getting there in the first place. People can do this by being more mindful of the plastic they are using that inevitably reaches the ocean because it was not recycled. Since plastic bottles from companies like Coca-Cola have sustainable options people need to try their best to recycle those items because the health of the ocean depends on it. Humans should also research how to proper recycle plastic and other debris.

One action that would make people consider recycling would be repeating a method Sophia Schultz did. At age 12 Schultz did a study on herself where she went through her normal daily routine but kept track of everything she used and disposed of that was a type of plastic. She thought of conducting this study when she became aware that disposing plastic was a huge problem. After Schultz started monitoring her use of plastic, she found that she uses about four types of disposable plastic products every day and only recycled a third of what could have been recycled. After she noticed this, she decided to try harder to recycle and find other plastic alternatives. Schultz did this for about a week and noticed a drastic improvement. She said that monitoring her use of plastic helped her be more aware of the problem and make more of a conscious effort to reduce her plastic use. Schultz also gives advice on better alternatives to plastic like stainless steel water bottles instead of plastic bottles and fabric bags instead of plastic bags (Schultz). These are simple changes that add up to a big difference.

If people still aren’t sold on recycling to decrease the size of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, they need to listen to a woman that had a first-hand experience visiting the patch named Angela Sun. Cathy Pyrek wrote about Sun’s experience who wrote and directed a documentary about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Sun describes how overwhelming and thick the circling garbage patch is. She even visited Midway Atoll and called it a breeding ground awash in plastic debris. After Sun’s research trip to the Pacific Ocean her and other experts came up with a clear conclusion which is that the mess cannot be cleaned up without first turning off the spigot (Pyrek). There are many ways humans can do their part in turning off the spigot and decreasing the size of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

People can make slight adjustments to their everyday lives that will add up to a positive impact on the ocean. Other than recycling bottles and other forms of plastic in recycling bins, humans can make sure that if their trash somehow enters the ocean it will not harm the wildlife in the patch. Humans can do this by crushing bottles and cutting out the plastic holes on drink holders. As stated in the study done by Schultz, investing in a stainless-steel water bottle and fabric bags would be a great sustainable option. If people need to buy plastic, they need to consider buying biodegradable plastic so it can break down easier. Also, humans need to try their best to refrain from using plastic in the first place especially single-use plastics like straws, to-go boxes, and plastic silverware (Hutchinson). By doing this, there is not as much plastic that has to be produced and distributed.

If there is no more plastic being thrown away and thrown into the ocean the Great Pacific Garbage Patch cannot get any bigger. It starts with one person at a time. Recycling and decreasing the use of plastic is the only way to stop it from increasing. Just imagine if the patch was completely gone. There would be no soupy mass of plastic circling the Pacific. There would be no wildlife getting poisoned or choking on plastic bags. The coral reefs and beaches would thrive, and the ecosystem would be healthy. It would take many years for these things to be attainable, but it has to start at some point before it is too late. So, what happens if nothing changes? The Marine Debris Program response is:

The answer is that we do not know. The locations and sizes of these garbage patches are not likely to change very much any time soon. However, the amount of debris may continue to grow as more and more debris enters our ocean each year. This growth will likely worsen current impacts on the environment, navigation, vessel safety, and the economy (Marine Debris Program).

If humans do not change their behavior now their great grandchildren or even grandchildren will have to pay the cost of having the ocean be overtaken with garbage that this generation put there. Unfortunately, the amount of plastic waste entering the ocean is projected to triple in the next 20 years (Hutchinson). The goal is to not let that happen by being mindful of the plastic humans are using.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a soupy pool of plastic and other debris circling the ocean that is over twice the size of Texas. Humans need to do their part in minimizing the size of the patch by turning off the spigot. People need be more mindful and make an effort to recycle while limiting the use of plastic in order to preserve the Pacific Ocean. The size of the garbage patch is way out of hand and if only projected to get bigger and denser. It is harming marine habitats, fish and wildlife, and humans. The biggest issue is that microplastic is difficult to clean up compared to regular garbage. Using boats and nets to clean up the garbage will not get the job done due to microplastics slipping through the nets and boats harming the ecosystem. The only feasible solution to this problem is to turn off the spigot by stopping the plastic from getting into the ocean in the first place. Human can do this by being more mindful of the plastic they are buying or throwing away. People need to invest in alternatives to plastic like stainless-steel water bottles as well as recycle the plastic they use correctly. If humans turn the spigot off it will be one mess their grandchildren or great grandchildren will not have to clean up in the future.

Works Cited

“Coca-Cola is the world’s top plastic pollution corporation – report.” YouTube, uploaded by RT, 27 Oct. 2019.

Flannery, Jim. “It’s Time to Clean up Our Giant Ocean Messes … but How?”  Soundings: Real Boats, Real Boaters, vol. 53, no. 1, Sept. 2015, pp. 24–28.  EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=108734778&site=eds-live. Accessed 25 Mar. 2021.

“Garbage Patches.” Marine Debris Program, https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/info/patch.html. Accessed 24 Mar. 2021.

Hutchinson, Brian. “7 Ways To Reduce Ocean Plastic Pollution Today.” Oceanic Society, www.oceanicsociety.org/blog/1720/7-ways-to-reduce-ocean-plastic-pollution-today. Accessed 30 Mar. 2021.

Perdew, Laura.  The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Essential Library, 2018.  EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1491416&site=eds-live. Accessed 23 Mar. 2021.

Pyrek, Cathy. “Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.”  The Contemporary Pacific, vol. 28, no. 1, Mar. 2016.  EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsbig&AN=edsbig.A439361922&site=eds-live. Accessed 25 Mar. 2021

Schultz, Sophia. “Reducing Plastic Pollution: The Winning Story for This Year’s Young Reporters for the Environment Award Demonstrates How We Can Change Our Habits.”  Alternatives Journal, vol. 43, no. 2, Sept. 2017, p. 68.  EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edscpi&AN=edscpi.A517720938&site=eds-live. Accessed 25 Mar. 2021.

“Time for a Sea Change.”  Flashes Magazine, no. 41, May 2018, pp. 16–21.  EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=asn&AN=133698041&site=eds-live. Accessed 25 Mar. 2021.

“The Environmental Impacts of Boating.” Environmental Protection, eponline.com/Articles/2017/03/27/The-Environmental-Impacts-of-Boating.aspx?Page=1. Accessed 30 Mar. 2021.

USA Today. World’s largest collection of ocean garbage is twice the size of Texas. www.usatoday.com/story/tech/science/2018/03/22/great-pacific-garbage-patch-grows/446405002

Wagner, Anna. “What Will It Take to Clean Up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?” Green Peace, www.greenpeace.org/usa/will-take-clean-great-pacific-garbage-patch/. Accessed 25 Mar. 2021.

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Research Paper Source Requirements English 1001:

(for works cited entry help , be sure to look at the MLA chapters in the Norton Field Guide. You can also use this link to Purdue Owl’s MLA citation guide: MLA Formatting and Style Guide // Purdue Writing Lab ).

Professional Sources: 1 Book/eBook 2 Journal Articles 2 Newspaper/ Magazine Articles (periodical) 1 Nontraditional Source (video clip). You will refer to this source in your research paper as you would a traditional source with direct quote and/or paraphrases. 2 other professional sources of your choice (video and image are excluded) Additional Source:

1 image (Appropriate. This can come from a source or Google Images).

Remember in the research paper you need 2 block quotes (a collected group of sentences from the same source off set from the rest of your paper). It can come from the book, journal article, or periodical selection, but must be relevant to your research topic.

The paper is EIGHT PAGES MINIMUM, so do your research accordingly. Most of you will probably need several more sources than those listed above and that is completely okay!

ONLY 1 VIDEO AND 1 IMAGE MAY BE USED TOTAL!