ESSAY #3-CAUSE AND EFFECT FINAL: ANOREXIA: A disease perpetuated by the unrealistic images portrayed in the media.

Women in our society are bombarded daily with visions of what is acceptable as the “perfect body” on television, in magazines, and by the young stars today who wear a size “0”. Although anorexia is not a new problem, depiction of the "perfect body" in the media causes an increase in anorexia in women and especially young girls because it portrays skinny women as healthy, it pressures someone with an already low self esteem and image to get thinner and thinner, and it feeds on the irrational fear that anything but a size “0” will make them unpopular and ugly.

Women’s and teen magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Seventeen, Health and Fitness, and the tabloid People Magazine, constantly advertise images and products that promote thinness through dieting and exercise. The front covers of these magazines usually have photos of actresses or athletes with perfect body images. Most people understand, and accept, that in many of the photos airbrushing has been done to make the persons look enhanced. Airbrushing can make their teeth whiter, their waist’s slimmer, thighs skinnier, and abs tighter. Along with airbrushing of their photos, most Hollywood stars have personal trainers, chefs, fashion consultants, and the money to buy the body the public sees on the movie screen, television and in magazines. For most people, it does not affect their self-image, but for someone, especially a young girl who does not understand this, the fake images can lead to trouble.

Media targeting teenage girls are emphasizing the ideal of thinness as beauty. The average height and weight for a model is 5'10" and 110 lbs, and the height and weight for the average woman is 5'4" and 145 lbs. (Media). It is easy to see why this can create a huge health risk for young girls. According to an article in the National Institute on Media and the Family, and as reported in USA Today, “ In a survey of girls 9 and 10 years old, 40% have tried to lose weight, according to an ongoing study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute” (USA Today). “Anorexia is most common in adolescent girls and young women, with a typical age of onset between the ages of 13 and 20” (helpguide).

What starts out as wanting to lose a few pounds to look like the stars, turns into an obsession with thinness, and it doesn’t matter to the young girls how they reach that objective. They do not want to accept the fact that most stars are not naturally so fit or gorgeous. They do not understand the consequences of dieting too much, what it does to their bodies, and the effects on their vital organs. There have been many public figures that have confessed to being anorexic, and some have succumbed to the damage caused by this disorder. Pop singer Karen Carpenter from the 1970’s, died from a heart attack after she had been on the road to recovery from anorexia. Actress Tracy Gould suffered from anorexia and to this day struggles with her self-image. Mary-Kate Olson of the famous Olson twins has not come out and admitted to being anorexic, but the photos and images portrayed in the media painted the true representation. Even the late Princess Diana confessed to having an eating disorder.

The dieting industry makes billions of dollars each year by consumers continually buying products in an effort to be the ideal weight. Hollywood displays an unrealistic and unattainable standard of beauty. With the images of the “perfect body” being seen by millions of people each day, it is not unreasonable to expect many to have a feeling of inadequacy and a sense of not being good enough, of not being thin enough. This takes an enormous toll on one's self-esteem and ultimately can lead to an eating disorder.

Some advertisers are starting to realize the impact they have on young people, especially women. Dove launched a campaign in response to what the media portrays as an “ideal” woman: "Campaign for Real Beauty." This campaign features women in their plain white underwear, proudly showing their not so perfect bodies, whose bodies are curvy and have realistic proportions like most women. Dove has also produced commercials that criticize the industry for distorting the perception of beauty. They are showing that it is ok to have a body that is not stick thin and that won’t fit into a size “0” jean. Some critics say that Dove has doomed itself to becoming the spokesperson and brand for “fat” women.

One of the biggest breakthroughs to come through was in 2006 when the Madrid Fashion show, Pasarela Cibeles, chose to ban models with a dangerously low Body Mass index (BMI). Photos that appeared in the media showing models whose ribs could be seen and counted, with sunken cheeks, and collarbones that stood out sharply, brought this on. When they did this, only 68 out of a typical 300 models applied. It was a brave and broad move, one that was not met with enthusiasm by the fashion industry. It will take years to convince the fashion industry that natural curves should be the norm.

While the media cannot be blamed totally for the increase in anorexia, it is perpetuating the problem by portraying unrealistic models, causing a negative effect on women and girls, which can lead to self-esteem problems and eating disorders. Society needs to speak out against this false picture of health. Advertisers such as Dove need to continue to speak out. Society needs to ask why does the media continually portray these super-thin, gorgeous models in magazines ads and covers? Why do the film industry and the arts communities continually push size “0” actresses? Can’t society stand up and say that the media should show real people as they truly are? Society and the media need to say it’s ok to be a size 14; it’s ok if your ribs can’t be counted, and it’s ok if your body has curves. Maybe this would help get rid of the negative feelings that so many impressionable young people have about their bodies. If magazines and the television showed models that were of a variety of weights and sizes, people might not have that insecurity and feel they need to be super thin and a size “0” to fit in. The media is a powerful tool in today’s society, and it should act responsibly.


Works Cited

www.helpguide.org/mental/anorexia_signs_symptoms_causes_treatment.htm
Updated 27 February 2008, 29 Nov 08

“Media and Eating Disorders.” Rader Programs, 08 Dec 2008,

National Institute on Media and the Family. 08 Dec 2008

USA Today, 1996: P 01D http://www.usatoday.org/

Blogger Formatting

I don't know if anyone is still reading others blogs, but can someone tell me how to get the MLA formatting for the Works Cited to work? When I look at my blog in Edit mode, they look fine. When I look at them in view mode, they do not-especially EBSCOhost. Frustrating to no ends!
Thanks.

Part 5 RESEARCH PAPER: FINAL DRAFT

Cruise Ships: Paradise, Profit and Pollution

Often called the highways of life, the worlds’ oceans are vital to millions of people and sea creatures who depend on them for their survival. Whales, sharks, sea turtles, corals, and plankton depend on the oceans. Oceans support the commercial fisherman, the villager feeding his family, and countries that survive by exporting and importing goods. There are many different types of vessels, which use the oceans; oil tankers, tug boats, container ships, barges, and passenger ships. While a fairly small percentage of the total industry worldwide, the cruise industry provides more than $25 billion in benefits annually and generates over 295,000 jobs in the U.S. alone (“Cruise Ships” 1). Although there are many laws and regulations internationally, domestically and locally against the dumping of graywater, blackwater, bilge, ballast and garbage into the oceans, cruise lines are still violating the rules and need to be stopped because it is harmful to the marine life, the ecosystem of the oceans and to humans who use the oceans for swimming, fishing and survival.

Considering the nature of marine pollution and the fact that once it enters the waterways and knows no boundaries, many regional treaties and conventions local and international, have evolved over time. Standards were developed and established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, MARPOL (short for marine pollution) (“International”). The MARPOL Convention was signed on February 17, 1973. However, it did not come into force until October 2, 1983. This was due to the fact that the convention required ratification by 15 states, but by 1976 there were only 3 states, which had ratified it. In response to a rash of tanker accidents a conference was held in 1978 on Tanker Safety and Pollution. The measures adopted at this conference were incorporated into the 1973 MARPOL Convention. Now called MARPOL 73/78 it includes six technical annexes and is considered to be extremely important to the cause of protecting the oceans and the ecosystem of the marine environment. According to the IMO website, “Its stated objective is: to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances” (“International”). One hundred thirty six countries had signed on to the Convention as of December 31, 2005. A ship flagged under a country signatory to the MARPOL Convention, must abide by the strict requirements of MARPOL 73/78 no matter where they sail, with responsibility falling to the member nation for any ship registered under them (“International”).

In the early 1970’s, the United States enacted the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries’ Act (MPRSA) that uses a, “comprehensive and uniform waste management system to regulate disposal or dumping of all materials into ocean waters” (Copeland 2). In 1988 the House and Senate passed the Ocean Dumping Ban Act (S. 2030), which made it “unlawful for any person to dump, or transport for the purpose of dumping, sewage sludge or industrial waste into the ocean waters after December 31, 1991” (“US Environmental”). Under the Ocean Dumping act the following four federal agencies have responsibilities to uphold the regulations: The Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Coast Guard.

Cruise ships carry over 3,000-5,000 passengers and crewmembers. Known as “floating cities,” they offer every amenity that one can imagine. The types of waste generated, and the harm caused to the oceans by these floating cities is measurable.

Graywater is the wastewater from sinks, showers, galleys, laundry and dry cleaning facilities. Phosphates from soaps, shampoos and detergents, fluoride in toothpaste, bacteria from personal hygiene, medical waste, oil and grease from the galleys and dry cleaning fluid are all in the graywater that is dumped into the oceans. The toxicity and pollution from these components, and the oxygen used by these toxins has a negative effect on the oceans. Corals and fish cannot survive without oxygen. As noted in a report by Kira Schmidt of the Bluewater Network, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean states, “that a typical cruise ship can generate up to 1,000,000 gallons of graywater on a one week voyage” (Schmidt 4). Graywater is exempt from U.S. regulations, except in Alaska, and there are no international treaties in force.

Blackwater is the sewage generated on ships. Sewage is more concentrated on a ship than what is generated domestically because there is less water used to diffuse the material. The discharge of raw sewage into the oceans is allowed once the ship is 3 nautical miles from shore, except in Alaska. Ships are required by the U.S. Clean Water Act to install marine sanitation devices (MSD) to treat or hold raw sewage. They are to either treat the sewage with chemicals or by using bacteria but this also causes problems because this foreign material is introduced to the oceans when discharged. Sewage is harmful to corals and coastlines. Waste has been discharged near shrimp beds or shellfish beds, making them unsafe for human consumption. The fact that raw sewage is dumped in the oceans is also repulsive and has a negative effect for swimmers, boaters, scuba divers and surfers. Many environmentalists charge that state and federal rules which, “regulate cruise-ship wastes are weak and inadequately enforced…” (Clemmit 2-3). The discharge of blackwater is supposed to be monitored, although most articles and reports state that little monitoring is being done.

J. Michael Crye, President of the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) acknowledges that cruise lines understand the oceans must be clean and pollution free and that they are, “actively developing, testing and adopting cutting-edge technologies to foster a healthier marine environment” (Clemmit 1). He goes on to state later in the article that the request by environmentalist for new rules and legislation is not needed because the “current laws and voluntary industry actions have virtually eliminated pollution problems”, and, “that its’ members have embraced the principles in the MARPOL treaty and have comprehensive environmental programs in place” (Clemmit 3).

Bilge is the oily water that collects at the bottom of the vessel in the hull. Typically, it is full of residual fuel oil, wastewater from the engines and other machinery. It may also contain such materials as paint, cleaning agents, and oily rags. This bilge must be flushed out and pumped dry to help maintain the stability of the vessel. In the CRS Report for Congress, Claudia Copeland writes, “Vessels are required to have a separator on board that will extract the oil from the waste to be re-used, incinerated or stored until it can be legally off-loaded at port” (Copeland 12). The Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act have regulations that limits the concentrations of bilge water that can be discharged. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 was created to impose serious penalties for the illegal dumping of oil, wastewater, sewage, and other toxic and hazardous substances. Despite the penalties for illegal dumping or discharge, vessels have been found guilty of falsifying records. Norwegian Cruise Lines, “cost the new owner, Colin Veitch, approximately $1 million in fines for illegally dumping oily waste into the ocean” (Adams 1-2). Veitch found out from the crew that they had lied to the Coast Guard, had altered their books and had been discharging more than the legal limit of pollutants. Veitch agreed to plead guilty to the Justice Department. In a another case reported in the July 31, 2008 Oil Spill Intelligence Report, charges were brought against the operator for GmbH & Co KG (RKS), a ship management company, and the chief engineer aboard the MV MSC Uruguay, operated by RKS, who pled guilty to falsifying the vessel’s Oil Record Book (“Two” 4). When the MV MSC Uruguay docked in the Port of Philadelphia it was subject to an inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard. The U.S. Coast Guard found out with help from the crew that the ship had illegally discharged bilge waste “directly overboard” in December 2007 and again in January 2008. The crew had hooked a hose up to bypass the separator, and then doctored their books showing they had properly processed the waste. RKS had to pay $1,000,000 in fines and $200,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife foundation, was put on three years’ probation, and must follow strict environmental laws("Two"4).

Ships must take in millions of gallons of ballast water to stabilize the vessel to ensure safe operating conditions. The water is taken on board at the port where the voyage begins. Many local organisms are sucked in with the water. Some may die during the voyage due to heat, or lack of air or food, but others survive and when the vessel discharges its ballast at the next port of call, these organisms are flushed into the foreign water. According to a report by the MIT Sea Grant Center for Coastal Resources, “many non-native organisms take over and kill the native population causing disruptions in the natural ecosystem, economic troubles, and even carry human diseases” (“Marine” 1). Called “bioinvaders”, these populations of foreign species can grow fast because they don’t have natural predators. They can and do overtake the native species by fighting for food and habitat, even preying on them. “Economic damage may occur when a bioinvader displaces species that are harvested for food or other goods…” (“Marine” 1). The anchovy fisheries in Russia and Turkey have all but disappeared due to the introduction of a foreign species, the “mnemiopsis leidyl, a comb jelly (similar to a jelly fish) that was likely introduced via ballast water from New England (USA) into the Black Sea”(“Marine” 2). The Clean Water Act regulations currently exempt ballast water discharges incidental to the normal operations of cruise ships.

As reported in the August 28, 2008, Oil Spill Intelligence Report, the shipping company B. Navi Ship Management Services was sentenced to pay a $1.2 million fine and pay the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation $300,000, is on three years’ probation, and must implement and follow a stringent environmental program. It was found guilty of illegally dumping oily sludge, bilge waters and oil-contaminated ballast water and falsifying records to the US Coast Guard (“Company” 4). While many vessels have voluntarily installed state of the art systems for wastewater and follow the rules and regulations for the dumping of bilge and ballast water, most regulatory commissions believe that more needs to be done.

In April 2008, the House of Representatives passed legislation which does not allow for any living species to be dumped in the oceans from ballast water as part of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2008 (H.R. 2830), which will “require installation of technology meeting current International Maritime Organizations by as early as 2009,” (“New” 1). By 2012 they will have to install treatment equipment meeting even more stringent restrictions. The University of Michigan has designed one possible solution to the problem of ballast water and the discharge of non-native organisms. Researchers have designed a ballast-free ship that would use fresh water or saltwater that would be run through a series of pipes. The ships would not have to haul ballast water or take in water and organisms from each port. (“Ballest”).

According to a report by Oceana, a typical cruise ship with 3,000 passengers can generate up to 7 tons of garbage and solid waste a day. This trash includes bottles, cans, and plastic, cardboard and food wastes. Approximately 75 to 80 percent is incinerated at sea and then the ash is dumped into the ocean (Oceana.org). Many cruise ships do recycle or dispose of some waste on land as required by law. Laws in the U.S. prohibit any dumping of plastics and allow garbage to be dumped within three miles in U.S waters; international laws put the limit from three to 25 miles out. Despite these laws, there have been many instances of cruise ships dumping their garbage illegally.

The effect on marine life is visible and astounding. Sea animals become trapped or poisoned by marine refuse. Sea turtles often die from eating plastic bags that they mistake for jellyfish; Sea lions, birds and other marine life get tangled in plastic six-pack holders, nets and other trash. Often the oceans currents will deposit this dumped garbage on our beaches, making them ugly, unsanitary and unsafe.

The oceans fragile ecosystem must be protected from unlawful dumping in order for our oceans to survive. The conventions and treaties signed by countries, are there to protect the oceans, but more needs to be done. Cruise ships that depend on the oceans for survival should not damage the oceans pristine shorelines and clean water and must be held accountable for their actions. The laws and regulations must be enforced and, in some cases, made tougher. The life offered to millions of sea creatures and organisms must be saved from pollution. Man should be able to enjoy the beauty and mysteries that the oceans offer whether snorkeling, surfing, swimming or taking a dream cruise. The survival of the earth depends on the oceans and we cannot allow the oceans to be endangered by pollution.

Works Cited


Adams, Marilyn “US Keeps Wary Eye on Cruise Ships for More Pollution.” USA Today, Updated 8 November 2002: 1-4, 16-Nov 2008. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2002/2002-11-08-cruise-dumping.htm

“Ballest-Free Ship Would Keep Lakes and Waterways Clean.” Machine Design 80.12 (2008): 22. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University of Alaska Fairbanks lib. 16 Nov 2008

Clemmit, Marcia “Saving the Oceans-Is More Action Needed to Stem Pollution and Over Fishing?” CQ Researcher, 15.39 (2008): 949-951, Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University of Alaska Fairbanks lib. 16-Nov 2008

“Company Sentenced for Illegal Dumping.” Oil Spill Intelligence Report 31.36 (2008): 4-4, ½. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University of Alaska Fairbanks lib. 16 Nov 2008 < http://libapps.uaf.edu>

Copeland, Claudia “Cruise Ship Pollution: Background, Laws and
Regulations, and Key Issues.” CRS Report for Congress, The Library of
Congress, Updated 18 Feb 2005: 1-22

Copeland, Claudia “Ocean Dumping Act: A Summary of the Law.” CRS Report for Congress, The Library of Congress, Updated 25 August 2008: 1-6

“Firm Nabbed for Oil Record Book Violations.” Oil Spill Intelligence
Report 30.32 (2008): 3-4, 2p. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Lib. 16 Nov 2008

“International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as Modified by the Protocol of 1978 Relating Thereto (MARPOL).” International Maritime Organization, December 9, 108
http://imo.org/conventions/contents.asp?doc_id=678&topic_id=258

“Marine Bioinvasions Fact Sheet: Ballast Water.” International Maritime Organization, MIT Sea Grant Center For Coastal Resources,

“New Ballast Tank Legislation.” Pollution Engineering 40.7 (2008): 38-41. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University of Alaska Fairbanks lib. 16 Nov 2008


Oceana 16-Nov-2008. http://www.oceana.org/uploads/Chapter_8.pdf

Schmidt, Kira “Cruising for Trouble: Stemming the Tide of Cruise Ship Pollution.” Bluewater Network, March 2000: 1-10 http://www.bluewaternetwork.org/reports/rep_ss_cruise_trouble

“Two Plead Guilty to Falsifying Records.” Oil Spill Intelligence Report
31.32 (2008): 4-4,2/3. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University
Of Alaska Fairbanks Lib. 16 Nov 2008

US Environmental Protection Agency. Ocean Regulatory Programs. 29 Nov 2007 http://www.epa .gov/owow/oceans/regulatory/vessel.disch.html

PART 4-RESEARCH PAPER ROUGH DRAFT #2

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2008
Part 4: Research Paper-Rough Draft #2
Cruise Ships: Paradise, Profit and Pollution

Often called the highways of life, the worlds’ Oceans are vital to millions of people and sea creatures who depend on them for their survival. Whales, sharks, sea turtles, corals, and plankton depend on the oceans. Oceans support the commercial fisherman, the villager feeding his family, and countries that survive by exporting and importing goods. There are many different types of vessels which use the oceans; oil tankers, tug boats, container ships, barges, and passenger ships. While a fairly small percentage of the total industry worldwide, the cruise industry provides more than $25 billion in benefits annually and generates over 295,000 jobs in the U.S. alone. Although there are many laws and regulations internationally, domestically and locally against the dumping of graywater, blackwater, bilge, ballast and garbage into the oceans, cruise lines are still violating the rules and need to be stopped because it is harmful to the marine life, the ecosystem of the oceans and to humans who use the oceans for swimming, fishing and survival.

Considering the nature of marine pollution and the fact that once it enters the waterways and knows no boundaries, many regional treaties and conventions local and international, have evolved over time. Standards were developed and established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, Marpol (short for marine pollution). The Marpol Convention was signed on February 17, 1973. However, it did not come into force until October 2, 1983. This was due to the fact that the convention required ratification by 15 states, but by 1976 there were only 3 states, which had ratified it. In response to a rash of tanker accidents a conference was held in 1978 on Tanker Safety and Pollution. The measures adopted at this conference were incorporated into the 1973 Marpol Convention. Now called Marpol 73/78 it includes six technical annexes and is considered to be extremely important to the cause of protecting the oceans and the ecosystem of the marine environment. It was designed to minimize pollution of the seas, including dumping, oil and exhaust pollution. “Its stated objective is: to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances:” (imo.gov). One hundred thirty six countries had signed on to the Convention as of December 31, 2005. A ship flagged under a country signatory to the Marpol Convention, must abide by the strict requirements of the Marpol 73/78 no matter where they sail, and the member nation is responsible for any ship registered under them.

In the early 1970’s the United States enacted the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries’ Act (MPRSA) that uses a “comprehensive and uniform waste management system to regulate disposal or dumping of all materials into ocean waters” (Copeland 2). In 1988 the House and Senate passed the Ocean Dumping Ban Act (S. 2030), which made it “unlawful for any person to dump, or transport for the purpose of dumping, sewage sludge or industrial waste into the ocean waters after December 31, 1991” (epa.gov). Under the Ocean Dumping act the following four federal agencies have responsibilities to uphold the regulations: The Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Coast Guard.

Cruise ships carry over 3,000 passengers and crewmembers, with larger ships being built to carry over 5,000 people not far behind. Cruise ships are known as “floating cities.” Offering every amenity that one can imagine, the types of waste generated, and the harm caused to the oceans by these floating cities is measurable.

Graywater is the wastewater from sinks, showers, galleys, laundry and dry cleaning facilities. Phosphates from soaps, shampoos and detergents, fluoride in toothpaste, bacteria from personal hygiene, medical waste, oil and grease from the galleys and dry cleaning fluid are all in the graywater that is dumped into the oceans. The toxicity and pollution from these components, the oxygen used by these toxins has a negative effect on the oceans. Corals and fish cannot survive without oxygen. As noted in a report by Kira Schmidt of the Bluewater Network, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean states, “that a typical cruise ship can generate up to 1,000,000 gallons of graywater on a one week voyage” (Schmidt 4). Graywater is exempt from U.S. regulations, except in Alaska, and there are no international treaties in force.

Blackwater is the sewage generated on ships. Sewage is more concentrated on a ship than. what is generated domestically because there is less water used to diffuse the material. The discharge of raw sewage into the oceans is allowed once the ship is 3 nautical miles from shore except in Alaska. Ships are required by the U.S. Clean Water Act to install marine sanitation devices (MSD) to treat or hold raw sewage. They are to either treat the sewage with chemicals or by using bacteria but this also causes problems because this foreign material is introduced to the oceans when discharged. Sewage is harmful to corals and coastlines. Another problem that can surface is, if the waste is discharged near shrimp beds or shellfish beds this would make them unsafe for human consumption. The fact that raw sewage is dumped in the oceans is also repulsive and has a negative effect for swimmers, boaters, scuba divers and surfers. Many environmentalists charge that state and federal rules which “regulate cruise-ship wastes are weak and inadequately enforced…” (Clemmit 2-3). The discharge of blackwater is supposed to be monitored, although most articles and reports state that little monitoring is being done.

J. Michael Crye, President of the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) acknowledges that cruise lines understand the oceans must be clean and pollution free and that they are “actively developing, testing and adopting cutting-edge technologies to foster a healthier marine environment “ (Clemmit 1). He goes on to state later in the article that the request by environmentalist for new rules and legislation is not needed because the “current laws and voluntary industry actions have virtually eliminated pollution problems”, and that its’ members “have embraced the principles in the Marpol treaty and have comprehensive environmental programs in place” (Clemmit 3).

Bilge is the oily water that collects at the bottom of the vessel in the hull. Typically, it is full of residual fuel oil, wastewater from the engines and other machinery. It may also contain such materials as paint, cleaning agents, and oily rags. This bilge must be flushed out and pumped dry to help maintain the stability of the vessel. “Vessels are required to have a separator on board that will extract the oil from the waste to be re-used, incinerated or stored until it can be legally off-loaded at port” (Copeland 12). The Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act have regulations that limits the concentrations of bilge water that can be discharged. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 was created to impose serious penalties for the illegal dumping of oil, wastewater, sewage, and other toxic and hazardous substances. Despite the penalties for illegal dumping or discharge, vessels have been found guilty of falsifying records. Norwegian Cruise Lines “cost the new owner, Colin Veitch, approximately $1 million in fines for illegally dumping oily waste into the ocean.” (usatoday). He found out from the crew that they had lied to the Coast Guard, had altered their books and had been discharging more than the legal limit of pollutants. Veitch agreed to plead guilty to the Justice Department.

In a another case reported in the July 31, 2008 Oil Spill Intelligence Report, charges were brought against the operator for GmbH & Co KG (RKS), a ship management company, and the chief engineer aboard the MV MSC Uruguay, operated by RKS, who pled guilty to falsifying the vessel’s Oil Record Book (4). When the MV MSC Uruguay docked in the Port of Philadelphia it was subject to an inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard. The U.S. Coast Guard found out with help from the crew that the ship had illegally discharged bilge waste “directly overboard” in December 2007 and again in January 2008. The crew had hooked a hose up to bypass the separator, and then doctored their books showing they had properly processed the waste. RKS had to pay $1,000,000 in fines and $200,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife foundation, was put on three years’ probation, and must follow strict environmental laws.

Ships must take in millions of gallons of ballast water to stabilize the vessel to ensure safe operating conditions. The water is taken on board at the port where the voyage begins. Many local organisms are sucked in with the water. Some may die during the voyage due to heat, or lack of air or food, but others survive and when the vessel discharges its ballast at the next port of call, these organisms are flushed into the foreign water. According to a report by the MIT Sea Grant Center for Coastal Resources, “many non-native organisms take over and kill the native population causing disruptions in the natural ecosystem, economic troubles, and even carry human diseases” (massbay 1). Called “bioinvaders”, these populations of foreign species can grow fast because they don’t have natural predators. They can and do overtake the native species by fighting for the food and habitat, even preying on them. “Economic damage may occur when a bioinvader displaces species that are harvested for food or other goods…” (massbay 1). The anchovy fisheries in Russia and Turkey have all but disappeared due to the introduction of a foreign species, the “mnemiopsis leidyl, a comb jelly (similar to a jelly fish) that was likely introduced via ballast water from New England (USA) into the Black Sea”(massbay2). The Clean Water Act regulations currently exempt ballast water discharges incidental to the normal operations of cruise ships.

As reported in the August 28, 2008 Oil Spill Intelligence Report, the shipping company B. Navi Ship Management Services was sentenced to pay a $1.2 million fine and pay the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation $300,000, is on three years’ probation, and must implement and follow a stringent environmental program.. It was found guilty of illegally dumping oily sludge, bilge waters and oil-contaminated ballast water and falsifying records to the US Coast Guard (4). While many vessels have voluntarily installed state of the art systems for wastewater and follow the rules and regulations for the dumping of bilge and ballast water, most regulatory commissions believe that more needs to be done.

In April 2008, the House of Representatives passed legislation which does not allow for any living species to be dumped in the oceans from ballast water as part of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2008 (H.R. 2830), which will “require installation of technology meeting current International Maritime Organizations by as early as 2009” (pollution engineering 1). By 2012 they will have to install treatment equipment meeting even more stringent restrictions.

According to a report by Oceana a typical cruise ship with 3,000 passengers can generate up to 7 tons of garbage and solid waste a day. This trash includes bottles, cans, and plastic, cardboard and food wastes. Approximately 75 to 80 percent is incinerated at sea and then the ash is dumped into the ocean (Oceana 2). Many cruise ships do recycle or dispose of some waste on land as required by law. Laws in the U.S. prohibit any dumping of plastics and allow garbage to be dumped within three miles in U.S waters; international laws put the limit from three to 25 miles out. Despite these laws, there have been many instances of cruise ships dumping their garbage illegally.

The effect on marine life is visible and astounding. Sea animals become trapped or poisoned by marine refuse. Sea turtles often die from eating plastic bags that they mistake for jellyfish; Sea lions, birds and other marine life get tangled in plastic six-pack holders, nets and other trash. Often the oceans currents will deposit this dumped garbage on our beaches, making them ugly, unsanitary and unsafe.

The oceans’ fragile ecosystem must be protected from unlawful dumping in order for our oceans to survive. The conventions and treaties signed by countries are there to protect the Oceans, but more needs to be done. Cruise ships that depend on the oceans for survival should not damage the oceans’ pristine shorelines and clean water and must be held accountable for their actions. The laws and regulations must be enforced and, in some cases, made tougher. The life offered to millions of sea creatures and organisms must be saved from pollution. Man should be able to enjoy the beauty and mysteries that the oceans offer whether snorkeling, surfing, swimming or taking a dream cruise. The survival of the earth depends on the oceans and we cannot allow the ocean’s to be endangered by pollution.



Works Cited


Adams, Marylin “US Keeps Wary Eye on Cruise Ships for More Pollution.” USAToday, Updated 8 November 2002: 1-4

Clemmit, Marcia “Saving the Oceans-Is More Action Needed to Stem Pollution and Over fishing?” CQ Researcher, 15.39 (2008): 949-951, Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University of Alaska Fairbanks lib. 16-Nov 2008

“Company Sentenced for Illegal Dumping.” Oil Spill Intelligence Report 31.36 (2008): 4-4, ½. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University of Alaska Fairbanks lib. 16 Nov 2008 http://libapps.uaf.edu

Copeland, Claudia “Cruise Ship Pollution: Background, Laws and
Regulations, and Key Issues.” CRS Report for Congress, The Library of
Congress, Updated 18 Feb 2005: 1-22

Copeland, Claudia “Ocean Dumping Act: A Summary of the Law.” CRS Report for Congress, The Library of Congress, Updated 25 August 2008: 1-6

“Firm Nabbed for Oil Record Book Violations.” Oil Spill Intelligence
Report 30.32 (2008): 3-4, 2p. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Lib. 16 Nov 2008 http://libapps.uaf.edu

“International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as Modified by the Protocol of 1978 Relating Thereto (MARPOL) http://imo.org/conventions/contents.asp?doc_id=678&topic_id=258

“Marine Bioinvasions Fact Sheet: Ballast Water.” International Maritime Organization, MIT Sea Grant Center For Coastal Resources,

“New Ballast Tank Legislation.” Pollution Engineering 40.7 (2008): 38-41. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University of Alaska Fairbanks lib. 16 Nov 2008 http://libapps.uaf.edu

“Protect Our Oceans: Stop Cruise Ship Pollution.” Oceana

Schmidt, Kira “Cruising for Trouble: Stemming the Tide of Cruise Ship Pollution.” Bluewater Network, March 2000: 1-10 http://bluewaternetwork.org/reports/rep_ss_cruise_trouble

“Two Plead Guilty to Falsifying Records.” Oil Spill Intelligence Report
31.32 (2008): 4-4,2/3. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University
Of Alaska Fairbanks Lib. 16 Nov 2008

US Environmental Protection Agency. Ocean Regulatory Programs. 29 Nov 2007 http://www.epa .gov/owow/oceans/regulatory/vessel.disch.html

Essay #3-Cause and Effect Rough Draft

Anorexia-A disease perpetuated by the unrealistic images portrayed in the media.

Women in our society are bombarded daily with visions of what is acceptable as the “perfect body” on television, in magazines, and by the young stars today who wear a size 0. Although anorexia is not a new problem, depiction of the "perfect body" in the media causes an increase in anorexia in women and especially young girls because it portrays skinny women as healthy, it pressures someone with an already low self esteem and image to get thinner and thinner, and it feeds on the irrational fear that anything but a size 0 will make them unpopular and ugly.

Women’s and teen magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Seventeen, Health and Fitness, and the tabloid People Magazine, constantly advertise images and products that promote thinness through dieting and exercise. The front covers of these magazines usually have photos of actresses or athletes with perfect body images. It is safe to say that most people understand that in many of the photos airbrushing has been done to make the person look enhanced. Airbrushing can make their teeth whiter, their waist’s slimmer, thighs skinnier, and abs tighter. This is accepted by society and for most people it does not affect their self-image. But, for someone, especially a young girl who does not understand this, the fake images can lead to trouble.

Media targeting teenage girls are emphasizing the ideal of thinness as beauty. The average height and weight for a model is 5'10" and 110 lbs, and the height and weight for the average woman is 5'4" and 145 lbs. It is easy to see why this can create a huge health risk for young girls. According to an article in the National Institute on Media and the Family, and as reported in USA Today “ In a survey of girls 9 and 10 years old, 40% have tried to lose weight, according to an ongoing study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute” (USA Today). In another study on fifth graders, 10-year-old girls and boys told researchers they were dissatisfied with their own bodies after watching a music video by Britney Spears or a clip from the TV show "Friends" (Mundell). One author reports that at age thirteen, 53% of American girls are "unhappy with their bodies." This grows to 78% by the time girls’ reach seventeen (Brumberg).

What starts out as wanting to lose a few pounds to look like the stars, turns into an obsession with thinness, and it doesn’t matter to the young girls how they get there. They do not understand the consequences of dieting too much, what it does to their bodies and the effects on their vital organs. There have been many public figures who have confessed to being anorexic and some that have succumbed to the damage caused by this disorder. The pop singer from the 1970’s, Karen Carpenter, died from a heart attack after she had been on the road to recovery from anorexia. The actress Tracy Gould suffered from anorexia and to this day struggles with her self image. Mary-Kate Olson of the famous Olson twins has not come out and admitted to being anorexic, but the photos and images portrayed in the media painted the true representation. Even the late Princess Diana confessed to having an eating disorder.

The dieting industry makes billions of dollars each year by consumers continually buying products in an effort to be the ideal weight. Hollywood displays an unrealistic standard of beauty that makes the public feel incredibly inadequate and dissatisfied and forces people to strive for an unattainable appearance. This takes an enormous toll on one's self-esteem and ultimately can lead to an eating disorder.

Advertisers are starting to realize the impact they have on young people, especially women. Dove launched a campaign in response to what the media portrays as an “ideal” woman: "Campaign for Real Beauty." This campaign features women in their plain white underwear, proudly showing their not so perfect bodies, women whose bodies are curvy, and have realistic proportions like most women. Dove has also produced commercials that criticize the industry for distorting the perception of beauty. They are showing that it is ok to have a body that is not stick thin and that won’t fit into a size 0 jean. Some critics say that Dove has doomed itself to becoming the spokesperson and brand for “fat” women.

One of the biggest breakthroughs to come through was in 2006 when the Madrid Fashion show, Pasarela Cibeles, chose to ban models with a dangerously low Body Mass index (BMI). Photos that appeared in the media, which showed models whose ribs, could be seen and counted, and whose collarbones stood out sharply, brought this on. Typically these shows have at least 300 models apply. Only 68 applied for the Pasarela Cibeles show, and out of the 68 models that applied, five were deemed to have a BMI too low. It was a broad step and one that will take years to convince the fashion industry that natural curves should be the norm.

While the media cannot be blamed totally for the increase in anorexia, it is perpetuating the problem by portraying unrealistic models, causing a negative effect on women and girls, which can lead to self-esteem problems and eating disorders. One has to ask why does the media have these super-thin, gorgeous models in magazine ads and covers, commercials and billboards? Why do the film industry and the arts communities continually push these size 0 actresses? Why doesn’t the media show people as they really are and at weights and sizes that are attainable? Maybe this would help negate the negative feelings that so many impressionable young people have about their bodies. If magazines and the television showed models that were of a variety of weights and sizes, people might not have that insecurity and feel they need to be that ultra-thin size "0" to fit in. People, especially young girls need to know that it is ok not to be a size 2, 4, or a size 6. The media is a powerful tool with a huge place in today's society, and it should act responsibly.


Works Cited

Brumberg, J. J. “The Body project: An intimate history of American girls.”NY: Random House. 1997

Mundell, EJ. “Videos Make Even Fifth-Graders Feel Fat.” Reuters Health 2002:

©National Institute on Media and the Family. http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_mediaeffect.shtml

Tiggemann, M., and Pickering, A. S. (1996). “Role of television in adolescent women's body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness.” International Journal of Eating Disorders, 1996: 20, 199-203.

USA Today, 1996: P 01D http://www.usatoday.org/

FINAL DRAFT-ESSAY #2-REPOST 12/6/08

Teenage Drivers-Whose responsibility is it to teach them safe driving?

One of the most anticipated rights of passage for a teenager is getting a learner’s permit, followed by their driver’s license. It is a sense of pride for the teenager and parents and is often considered the next step to adulthood. It’s also the No. 1 killer of teenagers in this country. Although the State of Alaska has one of the toughest set of laws for teen drivers in the country, it should fund mandatory driver's education classes in high schools because car crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens, teenagers do not understand the dangers of driving with friends, using cell-phones or the importance of wearing their seat belts at all times, and parents may not be able to afford driver's education classes available through private businesses.

Having a license means freedom for the teenager: freedom to drive to school, to the mall, movies, sporting events, after school activities, dances and work. It gives them the freedom to hang out with their friends, their boyfriends or girlfriends. It’s also the freedom to look and be cool. Parents are free from driving their teenager to school and all of their activities, and if the need something picked up from the store, they have the freedom to send their teen driver. However, with this freedom come the responsibilities associated with driving a three to four thousand pound mass of moving steel. Is a teen ready for that responsibility?


The laws for teenage drivers in the State of Alaska are some of the toughest in the country. Under Alaska Statutes AS 28.15.055 (1/1/99) and AS 28.15.057 (1/1/05) the following applies to anyone under the age of 18, “Anyone 14 years and older can apply for a learner’s permit. Anyone 16 and older not buckled up can be sited and fined” (State). A written test must be passed and they are not allowed to drive by themselves. They must have someone 21 years and over with a valid drivers’ license with them at all times. A teen 16 and older, with a learner’s permit, may apply for a provisional license, if they have had no infractions. They must attend a nationally certified defensive driving course, if they have had traffic citations worth 6 or more points within a year, or 9 or more points within 2 years. Their license may be suspended by the DMV if they do not attend the program. A legal guardian or parent must provide proof that the teen has had at least forty hours of driving, including at least ten hours in inclement weather (rain an snow), and nighttime driving. Anyone up to the age of 18 who has a provisional license may not drive between the hours of 1:00 am and 5:00 am. Other than siblings, the provisional licensee may not carry any passengers under the age of 21. Another law that impacts the teen driver was just passed by the State of Alaska, against texting on cell phones while driving. If a provisional licensee is charged with any of these infractions, they may be ticketed, fined and will have their provisional license in effect for another six months.

Once a teenager has passed the provisional licensing period, they may apply for a regular license. Are teenagers ready intellectually and emotionally to face the responsibilities? Questions arise as to how much time should a teenager have behind the wheel before they become a licensed driver, and at what age should states allow them to be licensed? Should they have to wait until they are of voting or legal drinking age? Or is a teenager sixteen or seventeen old enough? Whose responsibility is it to ensure that we have safe teen drivers? With the State of Alaska pulling the funding for Driver’s Education, the onus has fallen on the parents and the teens themselves.

These questions are raised with good reason. According to the insurance industry the numbers are staggering. Vehicle accidents are the number one killer of teenagers in this country. As stated in a comprehensive report in the August 2008 Readers’ Digest Magazine, “Each year over 5,000 teenagers die on America’s highways each year” (Special). Why? Because “anytime you have immaturity combined with inexperience, you have the potential for disaster, “ says Nicole Nason, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration”(Special).

Distractions are a major cause of teen accidents. Major distractions include fiddling with the radio, listening to loud music, talking or texting on their cell phones, and having other passengers in the vehicle. Excessive speeding, underage drinking and driving, falling asleep at the wheel, are dangers for teenage drivers. These distractions increase the risk of an accident happening. It takes only one second to look away, one second of lost concentration for an accident to happen. It is not a surprise that a majority of teens do not see these as being dangerous distractions. There is a strong sense of “it won’t happen to me” amongst teens. They are not experienced enough to know how to react, or more importantly, how not react to a situation while driving. Distractions cause most of the accidents recorded on teenage drivers, but the biggest killer of teenage drivers is from not wearing their seatbelts. Even though Alaska has a no-nonsense approach towards the wearing of seatbelts, it is up to the parents to teach their children to wear them at all times. This is a good start towards safer drivers, but we need to do more to ensure that our teenagers are ready for the road.

Schools in Alaska used to have a mandatory driver’s education class for all high school students. Students were taught in a classroom with simulators, and then practiced driving with a certified instructor. They were taught how to drive in inclement weather, how to handle a spin, how to change a tire and even taught the parts of the engine and how to troubleshoot problems. In the early 1980’s driver’s education was dropped from schools’ curriculum. Up until 1984-1986 the State of Alaska Department of Education had a line item in the budget for funding driver’s education classes. With funding pulled, it was up to the school districts to fund their programs. When the “No Child Left Behind” act came about, there was grant money to help with the fees in after schools programs, but schools were mandated to help those who were having problems with passing school, not to help those who were becoming teenage drivers.

The only choice parents have now is to put their teen through privately owned driving schools. With the economic troubles the country is facing, and fees that range from $395-$500, it can be too much for parents to afford. These schools offer in class sessions that cover safety, rules of the road, safety maneuvers, and technical aspects of driving a vehicle. They also have eight hours of driving time with a trained instructor. After a student has taken the course, they can then take the drivers test for $50. Those fortunate enough to be able to afford these schools can be somewhat comforted knowing that their teen driver will be a safer driver. An added benefit is that some insurance companies will offer a lower rate because of the training.

There are those who will argue that taxpayers should not have to pay for something that affects a small portion of the population, or that the cost to bring back the programs will be more than the cost to respond to an accident. They should be reminded that as a taxpayer, they ultimately pay for: the response by the Troopers, the Fire Department or Ambulance, their salaries and vehicle expenses, and their training. Taxpayers ultimately pay for higher insurance rates set by the industry because of accidents and rising repair costs. But the most important thing they should remember, is, that by asking for funding of the Driver’s Education program in ours schools, they ultimately will be saving a life.

Given the fact that the State of Alaska has a huge budget, we need to write our legislatures, our governor, and our schools to ask that the funding be reinstated for driver’s education classes. We need to have that line item put back into the budget. We need to have safe drivers on our highways. What can be more important than saving children’s lives? Having mandatory classes will help train teenagers for the responsibilities that go with driving a motorized vehicle.


Work cited:
http://www.state.ak.us.local/akpages/ADMIN/dmv/ako/teenlaw.html
Vetter, Joseph K., with Fran Lostys, “Special Report: The Dangers of Teen Driving” Reader’s Digest, August 2008

Final Draft-Essay #1: Credit cards-Necessary Evil? REPOST 12/6/08

All one has to do is watch and listen to the news to understand that our country is in a financial mess and crisis. The Federal Government is bailing out some of the biggest financial companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two solid rocks of the financial world had to be rescued, and banks large and small are folding. Congress debated and did not pass a possible $700 billion dollar bailout plan. The stock market has gone up and down plummeting the most in it’s history by over 700 points, home foreclosures are happening at an alarming rate, unemployment is high, and oil prices are skyrocketing again. Amidst all of this, is the average consumer trying to figure out how to survive. Worrying how will they pay for groceries, for gas in their cars, hold onto their homes, whether they will have a job, and wondering how they can keep their kids in college. They want to have a good quality of life for their family. Becoming harder and harder to survive on their expendable income, credit cards come to the rescue, or do they? Although credit cards have become a staple in most people’s lives, credit cards are not good because a credit card makes it too easy to buy something the holder can’t afford, higher spending limits are too easy to obtain, and late payments can ruin a card holder’s credit rating.

Credit card companies are trying harder to get consumer business. It’s not uncommon to receive 4 or more credit card applications in the mail each day. Each one is promising something better: a better interest rate, 0% on balance transfers, no yearly fees, airline miles, no payments for a year, and the list goes on. Discover Card applications can be found in the local Sunday paper. Credit card companies are also targeting a younger audience, college and high school students, who are new to the responsibilities that come with having a credit card.
Credit card companies are making it easier and more attractive for people to sign up for their services. The average cardholder in the United States has seven credit cards and two debit cards. Given that scenario it is easy to see how people get tempted and spend beyond their means. Add the option to “Buy now, pay later”, or “No interest for one year”, and the spending increases. Watch in the checkout line next time and see how many people pay for their items with a credit card. One of the biggest, and scariest problems, is that people forget that a credit card is not supplemental income. They are going to have to pay for their purchases in one way or another. The more cards a person carries the more opportunities to spend and rack up debt. Thus the cycle begins.

Many people charge a credit card to its limit, and then apply and get approval for another card so that they can use that cards limit, and so on. Keeping up with payments is difficult, and many cardholders make only the minimum payment to keep their card open. Credit card companies often entice a cardholder by offering 0% interest on balance transfers. The cardholder will have an opportunity to transfer debt from their higher interest card, to one with 0% interest. Or they can call and request a higher limit. Credit card companies are more than happy to increase the limit, especially if the cardholder has made payments on time. Consider someone who wants to increase the limit on their card by $500-$1000, multiply that by multiple cards, and the spending limit is endless. Think of high school or college students just starting out in life having access to this “money”. It is easy to see how a person can get sucked into this cycle. On factor may be that many consumers believe the more cards they have, the better their credit rating will be, which is not necessarily true.

While it is true that having a credit card or multiple cards will reflect a person’s credit worthiness, lenders look at other factors as well. Job history (stability), on-time payment ratio, how low their debt ratio is, and how many cards and at what rate they have been closed. Big factors are if a person pays on time, whether they pay the minimum or more, and if they are current on all their cards. If a person makes a late payment, the credit card company typically increases the interest rate, charging a fee that can often make the cardholder over their limit, plus add another fee for going over their limit. Once someone has a history of late payments, their credit rating will drop, and their normal lenders may not be willing to issue credit or loans to them. If they are willing to pay exorbitant interest rates and fees, there is always someone willing to issue credit or a loan. The cycle continues. Why is there a housing crisis, and why mortgage companies going under? Because they leant money to people whom either did not have a credit rating, or had a questionable rating. It is hard to break the cycle and it will take years for someone to pay back their loans, and credit cards, and bring their credit rating back up. Some may not be able to pay and will default.

It’s a catch-22. Cash is out and credit cards are in. To have a credit rating the consumer must have a credit card. A young couple who paid cash for everything found this out after trying to rent a car and hotel room. Told they had to have a credit card, they applied and were approved for an American Express card. They proudly used the card and religiously paid it off every month. If they couldn’t afford something, they didn’t buy it. Later they wanted to buy furniture from a department store that did not accept American Express. They applied for the stores’ card but were turned down; American Express was not considered a “credit card” because they paid it off every month, which meant it was not reflected on their credit rating. Thus the cycle begins.

It is unfortunate that credit cards have become a necessary evil. A good portion of our countries current financial crisis can be associated with credit being issued to those considered high risk. Add the fact that more and more young adults, who don’t fully understand the risks of the credit game, are becoming a part of the cycle. Without a credit card, hotels and car rentals cannot be booked, airline tickets cannot be reserved, and most importantly a credit rating cannot be established. It is true that if used carefully and paid properly credit cards can make it easier when times are tough. What needs to be emphatically pointed out and remembered by a cardholder is this: Credit cards are NOT supplemental income, and must be paid somehow, so use them judiciously.

Step #3-Research Draft #1-Really Rough Draft

Cruise Ships: Paradise, Profit and Pollution

The oceans are often called the highways of life and millions of people depend on them for their survival. The oceans are vital to the wellbeing of commercial fishermen who depend on the oceans to make a living, men who must fish to feed their families, countries who survive by exporting and importing goods, and to the marine life; the whales and sharks, the sea turtles, the corals and all of the other life supported by the oceans. There are many different types of vessels which use the oceans; oil tankers, tug boats, container ships, barges, and passenger ships. While a fairly small percentage of the total industry worldwide, the cruise industry provides more than $25 billion in benefits annually and generates over 295,000 jobs in the U.S. alone. Although there are many laws and regulations internationally, domestically and locally against the dumping of graywater, blackwater, bilge, ballast and garbage into the oceans, cruise lines are still violating the rules and need to be stopped because it is harmful to the marine life, the ecosystem of the oceans and to humans who use the oceans for swimming, fishing and survival.

Considering the nature of marine pollution and the fact that once it enters the waterways and knows no boundaries, many regional treaties and conventions local and international, have evolved over the years. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships or Marpol (short for marine pollution) Convention was signed on February 17, 1973. However, it did not come into force until October 2, 1983. This was due to the fact that the convention required ratification by 15 states, but by 1976 there were only 3 states, which had ratified it. In response to a rash of tanker accidents a conference was held in 1978 on Tanker Safety and Pollution. The measures adopted at this conference were incorporated into the 1973 Marpol Convention. Now called Marpol 73/78 it includes six technical annexes and is considered to be extremely important to the cause of protecting the oceans and the ecosystem of the marine environment. It was designed to minimize pollution of the seas, including dumping, oil and exhaust pollution. “Its stated objective is: to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances:” (imo.gov). One hundred thirty six countries had signed on to the Convention as of December 31, 2005. If a ship is flagged under a country which has signed on to the Marpol Convention, it is liable to Marpols’ strict requirements no matter where they sail, and the member nation is responsible for any ship registered under them.

In the early 1970’s the United States enacted the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries’ Act (MPRSA) that uses a “comprehensive and uniform waste management system to regulate disposal or dumping of all materials into ocean waters” (Copeland 2). In 1988 the House and Senate passed the Ocean Dumping Ban Act (S. 2030), which made it “unlawful for any person to dump, or transport for the purpose of dumping, sewage sludge or industrial waste into the ocean waters after December 31, 1991” (epa.gov). Under the Ocean Dumping act the following four federal agencies have responsibilities to uphold the regulations: The Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Coast Guard.

Cruise ships can carry over 3,000 passengers and crewmembers, with larger ships being built to carry over 5,000 people not far behind. Cruise ships are known as “floating cities.” They offer every amenity that one can imagine. The types of waste generated and the harm caused to the oceans by these floating cities is measurable.

Graywater is the wastewater from sinks, showers, galleys, laundry and dry cleaning facilities. Phosphates from soaps, shampoos and detergents, fluoride in toothpaste, bacteria from personal hygiene, medical waste, oil and grease from the galleys and dry cleaning fluid are all in the graywater that is dumped into the oceans. The toxicity of these components and oxygen that is taken away from the creatures that live in the oceans are huge. As noted in a report by Kira Schmidt of the Bluewater Network, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean states “that a typical cruise ship can generate up to 1,000,000 gallons of graywater on a one week voyage” (Schmidt 4). Graywater is exempt from U.S. regulations, except in Alaska, and there are no international treaties in force.

Blackwater is the sewage generated on ships. Sewage is more concentrated on a ship vs. what is generated domestically because there is less water used to diffuse the material. The discharge of raw sewage into the oceans is allowed once the ship is 3 nautical miles from shore except in Alaska. Ships are required by the U.S. Clean Water Act to install marine sanitation devices (MSD) to treat or hold raw sewage. They are to either treat the sewage with chemicals or by using bacteria but this also causes problems because this foreign material is introduced to the oceans when discharged. Sewage is harmful to corals and coastlines. Another problem that can surface is, if the waste is discharged near shrimp beds or shellfish beds this would make them unsafe for human consumption. The fact that raw sewage is dumped in the oceans is also repulsive and would definitely affect swimmers, boaters, scuba divers and surfers. The discharge of blackwater is supposed to be monitored, although most articles and reports state that little monitoring is being done.

Bilge is the oily water that collects at the bottom of the vessel called the hull. Typically, it is full of residual fuel oil, wastewater from the engines and other machinery. It may also contain such materials as paint, cleaning agents, and oily rags. This bilge must be flushed out and pumped dry to help maintain the stability of the vessel. “Vessels are required to have a separator on board that will extract the oil from the waste to be re-used, incinerated or stored until it can be legally off-loaded at port” (Copeland 12). The Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act have regulations that limits the concentrations of bilge water that can be discharged. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 was created to impose serious penalties for the illegal dumping of oil, wastewater, sewage, and other toxic and hazardous substances. Despite the penalties for illegal dumping or discharge, vessels have been found guilty of falsifying records. The cruise ship, The Norway, owned by Norwegian Cruise Line,” cost the new owner, Colin Veitch, approximately $1 million in fines for illegally dumping oily waste into the ocean. Veitch found out about the falsified records by the crew of the Norway, which mislead the Coast Guard into thinking pollution was occurring at a legal level and agreed to plead guilty to the Justice Department” (www.usatoday).

Another case was reported in the July 31, 2008 Oil Spill Intelligence Report, regarding charges brought against the operator for GmbH & Co KG (RKS), a ship management company, and the chief engineer aboard the MV MSC Uruguay, operated by RKS, who pled guilty to falsifying the vessel’s Oil Record Book (4). When the MV MSC Uruguay docked in the Port of Philadelphia it was subject to an inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard. The U.S. Coast Guard found out with help from the crew that the ship had illegally discharged bilge waste “directly overboard” in December 2007 and again in January 2008. The crew had hooked a hose up to bypass the separator, and then doctored their books showing they had properly processed the waste. RKS had to pay $1,000,000 in fines and $200,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife foundation, was put on three years’ probation, and must follow strict environmental laws.

Ships must take in millions of gallons of ballast water to stabilize the vessel to ensure safe operating conditions. The water is taken on board at the port where the voyage begins. Many local organisms are sucked in with the water. Some may die during the voyage due to heat, or lack of air or food, but others survive and when the vessel discharges its ballast at the next port of call, these organisms are flushed into the foreign water. Many non-native organisms take over and kill the native population causing disruptions in the natural ecosystem, economic troubles, and even carry human diseases. According to a report by the MIT Sea Grant Center for Coastal Resources “These introduced species, or bioinvaders…populations may grow quickly in the absence of natural predators. In turn, bioinvaders may displace native organisms by preying on them or outcompeting native species for food and habitat space. Economic damage may occur when a bioinvader displaces species that are harvested for food or other goods…” (massbay 1).
Case in point is the anchovy fisheries in Russia and Turkey, which have all but disappeared due to the introduction of the “mnemiopsis leidyl, a comb jelly (similar to a jelly fish)” that was likely introduced via ballast water from New England (USA) into the Black Sea “(massbay2). The Clean Water Act regulations currently exempt ballast water discharges incidental to the normal operations of cruise ships.

As reported in the August 28, 2008 Oil Spill Intelligence Report, the shipping company B.Navi Ship Management Services was sentenced to pay a $1.2 million fine and pay the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation $300,000, must serve three years probation, and implement and follow as stringent environmental program which includes a court-appointed monitor and auditing of their ships for compliance with environmental laws because it was guilty of illegally dumping oily sludge, bilge waters and oil-contaminated ballast water and falsifying records to the US Coast Guard (4).


According to a report by Oceana a typical cruise ship with 3,000 passengers can generate up to 7 tons of garbage and solid waste a day. This trash includes bottles, cans, plastic, cardboard and food wastes. Approximately 75 to 80 percent is incinerated at sea and then the ash is dumped into the ocean (Oceana 2). Many cruise ships do recycle or dispose of some waste on land as required by law. Laws in the U.S. prohibit any dumping of plastics and allow garbage to be dumped within three miles in U.S waters; international laws put the limit from three to 25 miles out. Despite these laws, there have been many instances of cruise ships dumping their garbage illegally.

The effect on marine life is visible and astounding. Millions of animals become trapped or poisoned by marine refuse. Sea turtles often die from eating plastic bags that they mistake for jellyfish; Sea lions, birds and other marine life get tangled in plastic six-pack holders, nets and other trash. Often the oceans currents will deposit this dumped garbage on our beaches, making them ugly, unsanitary and unsafe.

The Ocean offers life to millions of sea creatures and to mankind. The oceans’ fragile ecosystem must be protected from unlawful dumping in order for our oceans to survive. The conventions and treaties signed by countries are there to protect the Oceans, but more needs to be done. Cruise ships that depend on the oceans for survival should not damage the oceans’ pristine shorelines and clean water. They need to be held accountable for their actions. The laws and regulations must be enforced and, in some cases, made tougher. Mankind should be able to enjoy the beauty and mysteries that the oceans offer whether snorkeling, surfing, swimming or taking a dream cruise. The commercial fisherman and the man finding food to feed his family should not be endangered.


Works Cited


Adams, Marylin “US Keeps Wary Eye on Cruise Ships for More Pollution.” USAToday, Updated 8 November 2002: 1-4

Copeland, Claudia “Cruise Ship Pollution: Background, Laws and
Regulations, and Key Issues.” CRS Report for Congress, The Library of
Congress, Updated 18 Feb 2005: 1-22

Copeland, Claudia “Ocean Dumping Act: A Summary of the Law.” CRS Report for Congress, The Library of Congress, Updated 25 August 2008: 1-6

“Firm Nabbed for Oil Record Book Violations.” Oil Spill Intelligence
Report 30.32 (2008): 3-4, 2p. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Lib. 16 Nov 2008 http://libapps.uaf.edu

International Maritime Organization,
“Marine Bioinvasions Fact Sheet: Ballast Water.” MIT Sea Grant Center For Coastal Resources

“Protect Our Oceans: Stop Cruise Ship Pollution.” Oceana


Schmidt, Kira “Cruising for Trouble: Stemming the Tide of Cruise Ship Pollution.” Bluewater Network, March 2000: 1-10
http://bluewaternetwork.org/reports/rep_ss_cruise_trouble

“Two Plead Guilty to Falsifying Records.” Oil Spill Intelligence Report
31.32 (2008): 4-4,2/3. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. University
Of Alaska Fairbanks Lib. 16 Nov 2008