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Diving Deep
Lucy Rebelmore loves surfing, but there's a lot of junk underwater messing up her radical waves. Many everyday items that we use for just a few moments or even seconds can wind up in the ocean, where they can last a really long time. Dive into the ocean and discover just how long some of the things we use stay in the ocean by clicking or tapping on each of the pieces of floating garbage.
To play again, click or tap on the logo!
A happy ocean is a clean ocean!
Click to return to the surface!
IDENTIFICATION CARD
Name: Lucy Rebelmore
Height: 53 ft.
Weight: 29 tons
Address: 6 Aotearoa Avenue
Pollution Threat: all plastic
Favorite Activity: surfing
Favorite Food: fried plankton
Humpback Whale
Scientific name: Megaptera novaeangliae
Habitat: North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Indian Ocean
Diet: Krill
Lifespan: up to 100 years
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Threats from Ocean Plastics
Whales and dolphins often mistake plastic for food, especially larger plastic objects like bags, bottles and cups, and can end up dying as a result. Humpback whales eat primarily krill and plankton. When they feed, they swallow large mouthfuls, filtering their food from the water. Unfortunately, with so much plastic in our ocean (5-13 million tons enter the ocean each year), whales often have a hard time distinguishing plastic from food. Plastic isn’t whale food, but it’s quickly becoming their main meal. Hopefully, it won't be their last.
Fun Fact
Humpback whales are underwater composers! Listen to a humpback whale song.
Learn more about whales
Hooray!
Now that you know how long some of these objects take to decompose, you can help keep our ocean clean by reducing the amount of disposable items you use. To find out more about how to reduce your reliance on single-use products, please visit our resources page!
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Paper towels
2-4 weeks
Newspaper
6 weeks
Cardboard boxes
2 months
Waxed cartons
3 months
Plywood boards
1-3 years
Cigarette butts
2-5 years
Plastic bags
20 years
Disposable coffee cups
30 years
Styrofoam cups
50 years
Steel cans
50 years
Foam board
80 years
Aluminum cans
200 years
Plastic straws
200 years
Six-pack holders
400 years
Disposable diapers
450 years
Plastic cups
450 years
Plastic bottles
450 years
Coffee pods
500 years
Toothbrushes
500 years
Monofilament fishing line
600 years
Glass bottles