This featured video by National Geographic, See How It Feels to Be an Ocean Animal Stuck in a Plastic Bag, allows you imagine how it feels to be stuck inside a large plastic bag.

Did you know that every year, more than a million marine species and other birds and animals die from plastic trash? Or that there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean?

In the video, shot by National Geographic at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., you see a plastic bag large enough to bring this issue to life at a human scale. The National Geographic video staff dramatically simulates the experience marine animals may feel when they are trapped in plastic and have no way to escape.

The plastic bag, which was created by art collective Red Dirt Studio, will be recycled through D.C.’s Office of Recycling.

As scuba divers, we are ambassadors to the world’s oceans and have the ability to make change. Let’s team up and help make a difference in eliminating this marine debris issue.

Learn some ways to find better places for plastic than the ocean. Also, check out Project AWARE for more information on ways that you can contribute to ocean conservation.

National Geographic - plastic - turtle

National Geographic Plastic Quote

National Geographic Turtle in Plastic Trash