While some make documentaries to address current global issues, others get to practise to illustrate human impact on the environment. Brno Zoo opened an aquarium where exotic marine species swim with trash – including plastic bottles, plastic bags, and other regular waste.
According to Petr Sramek, the aquarium’s curator, their goal was to raise awareness to the topical issue of ocean pollution.
“People often talk about water and ocean pollution, but they can’t really imagine it. It is much more illustrative when they can see it directly and in detail. We show what it looks like for animals when garbage floats around them”, – Petr Sramek told Brno Daily.
The aquarium is filled with inhabitants of Asian and African waters, allegedly, because they suffer the most from the excessive amounts of poured waste.
According to the report published by IUCN, at least 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean annually. Therefore, the inhabitants face a real risk of dying from getting stuck or accidentally eating the trash. Sea Turtle Conservancy estimates that over 1 million marine animals die each year due to plastic debris.
Because of such a drastic impact, countries all over the world are taking positive steps to limit or reduce the consumption of plastic. EU, China, Australia, Canada, and many other countries all approved single-use plastic ban, which will forbid the use of most plastic (the exact type differs in each country), including plastic bags, straws, and containers.
