Swathi Shivaram
Cumming, GA
2015, Junior, Creative Writing

“This is Samantha Brookswood reporting live at the New York conference stadium today!”, the reporter boomed over the mic. Many applauses were heard till she made a satisfied nod. “Ladies and gentlemen, doctors, researchers, scientists, business men, women, and many others…”, she paused for a dramatic silence. Her head was cocked at a perky angle, I’m here today to host this world conference, and have the privilege of inviting a very renowned guest who is working with internationally renowned OMA. Ocean Micro-plastics Agency”, she walked to the other end of the podium, and thrust a hand out to say, “As you all must be very well introduced to OMA, and now eager to meet our guest”! More applauses were heard as a figure made it’s way up on the podium, a women in her formal clothes. The reporter shook her hand and they took their seats. There was a biologist, young and full of knowledge. The reporter turned to the audience, “Now, if you already don’t know her, then we have with us today biologist Jillian Seawalk”! The reporter waited for the applauses to die down, a perky smile still plastered across her face. “Dr. Seawalk has not only worked with OMA, but also many other organizations, and today we have the privilege of interviewing her”! She turned to biologist without waiting, “So! Dr. Seawalk, you seemed to be very involved in ocean awareness being a biologist and all”! The Biologist nodded, “Yes, though I never started out as a biologist. Um…actually I had first gotten a degree as a doctor”, “I see…”, the reporter went. The biologist continued, “I actually was a certified vet, and in 2000, I joined a rescue crew on an ocean coast in Florida. And that’s where my interest in biology sparked, and I soon got a degree as a biologist”! The reporter made a flustered face, “My! Dr. Seawalk! How many degrees do you have!?”, the biologist gave a good natured laugh, and a few chuckles were heard from the audience as well. She tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear, “Well, I first got two degrees, one for being a vet, and a biochemist one, but I had to go and get another one to become a biologist. “Amazing!”, the reporter commented. “So, Dr. Seawalk, could you explain to us what the issue of your main focus is”? “That’s simple.”, the biologist replied, “It’s plastic. And many people that I come across are like, ‘Plastic? Well, I have a recycling bin!’, and that’s great, but the problem is much more than that”. She shifted, “ It can start just from the litter on the street of a place much far from the ocean. This litter can be swept into drainage holes during any form of precipitation, and it can run-off into lakes, streams, or even rivers, thus leading to the ocean”. “Yes, yes”, said the reporter, there was a hint of ignorance to her voice. The biologist detected it immediately, “Slides please”. Like an answer to a command, a picture projected on a huge jumbo tron. It showed just a regular ocean with a canal of land at a side-view. “This…is a garbage patch!”, the biologist concluded. The reporter raised an eyebrow. “Don’t believe me?”, the biologist said. She clicked a button on a remote, and the normal ocean became graphed, turning green, with many purple dots all over. “See those purple dots? Those are just a skimmed look of the millions of microplastics and sewage that makes this a garbage patch!”, her eyes searched the audience, then settled, “Now most of you must be thinking ‘how does this effect the ocean’”? She hit another button with her thumb, and the slide changed to display a fish laying on a beach shore, it eyes bulging out, and it’s mouth jutting outward. Not quite dead yet. The reporter’s perky smile turned into a frown. The biologist explained, “This…is a fish that has spent all it’s life in the ocean, and a quick trip by the garbage patch has contaminated it’s body with hazardous chemicals, and might I say those small micro-plastic pellets have clogged up it’s digestive system, and one is stuck in it’s esophagus”. There was silence, so she took the chance to switch to the next slide. It showed a turtle on it’s back, while a rescue crew seemed to be doing a medical procedure. “This turtle has swallowed a plastic bag thinking that it was a jellyfish.”, the biologist said; “The result was a plastic bag being jammed in-between it’s esophagus and digestive system. Breathing was difficult, and eating was no better. Luckily, a rescue crew found it in time”. She changed a slide, and now, the audience, and even the reporter gave a real gasp. A dolphin lay on the shore, hopelessly entangled in a net of some sort, it’s eyes staring helplessly into the camera. The biologist looked satisfied, “This female dolphin, possibly a mother, was minding her own business, when suddenly, some leftover fishing net entangled it. Due to it’s fidgeting, it’s mouth was shut tight by the net, and it must of been starving for days, till it was found washed up on shore”. “Poor, poor thing…”, the reporter murmured, her voice sincere. “Yes”, the biologist agreed, “and not only sea creatures like this dolphin get effected, but seagulls mistake micro-pellets for fish-eggs and choke on them”. She thrust her arms out, “Who knows, soon even us humans won’t even be able to step foot in the ocean because it will be filled with so much trash and sewage”! Agreeing murmurs were heard from the audience. The reporter intently nodded, but before she could speak, the biologist said, “And that’s not all! Beyond garbage patches and animals, are these things call geyers. They are currents of trash and sewage, sort of almost like a whirlpool of trash! If these continue to grow…then disaster isn’t far”. The reporter took the opportunity to straiten herself, “Oh, yes, but might I ask what we normal people could do”? The biologist’s shoulders relaxed, she chuckled, “of-course, most biologists would say ‘join a beach crew’, but there is much that can be done for many that live quite a distance from the ocean too”! She paused for a thoughtful moment, “Well, for starters, pick up any litter that’s just lying around, and it won’t be harming anyone’s reputation in doing so.”, she turned to the audience, “Also, I would like encourage the business men and women to reuse plastics and other resources in their products”. She perked up, “And even children can get involved”! She switched to the next slide, it showed a beautiful collage of some sort, representing the ocean on canvas. “My daughter loves to spend her free time making crafts from left over plastic bags, sometimes a rare water bottle, many times left over cardboard from packaged food”! The reporter seemed quite interested, “Well! Dr. Seawalk! I must say that is quite shocking to see what your daughter can do with just recycled materials”! The biologist nodded, “Thank you”, and she stood up; the reporter followed, “Our ocean is much more than an expanse of water as Dr. Seawalk explained today, and I personally must say that you have very much inspired me to think more about the ocean!”, said the reporter. She turned to the biologist, “Thank you very much Jillian for joining us today-” “No! Thank YOU Samantha for having me here today, and giving me the opportunity to discuss this important matter, in-fact, thank you all for being present here today, and taking part in my mission”! There was a standing ovation, and the reporter once more shook the hand of the biologist.

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Live Conference with Dr. Seawalk