Reflection

Reflection

As a person who frequently visits coastal beaches on vacations, ocean pollution makes me feel extremely disheartened. As I reflect on nostalgic memories of taking pictures of starfish and other ocean creatures, I also worry about the future of our oceans due to the large amount of debris and pollutants constantly being dumped into them. With this fear and uncertainty comes a sense of optimism and hope for oceans and marine life. Despite the pollution that many oceans face, increasing EPA regulation of ocean debris and other similar legislative reforms can make it possible to create a positive impact on marine environments. In order to reflect that in my piece of artwork, I depicted three EPA members cleaning up ocean debris in recyclable bags. The contrast between the cleaner ocean environment on the left and the more polluted water on the right serves to represent how optimism towards ocean protection can create a huge difference for marine lifeforms and their environments.