“All drains lead to the ocean.” In the movie Finding Nemo, that phrase meant the little clownfish could be reunited with his dad. Everywhere else, that phrase means anything you put in your sink or, in fact, anywhere at all will eventually find its way to the ocean.

First, we’ll examine the proverb, “All drains end up in the ocean.” For hydrologists, this means that all water eventually reaches the ocean. If you were a snowflake in Iowa and you melted, your water would run downhill through various streams and rivers until it reached the Mississippi River and then the Gulf of Mexico. Hail in the Rockies, rain in Maine, and all the rest of the country’s precipitation follow a similar course down rivers and watersheds.

What this means for plastics and pollution is that anything from a bottle blown from a garbage truck to a bag tossed into a river will make its way to the coast. There, the action of waves and sunlight causes the plastic to break down into even smaller pieces called microplastics.

However, in some places like Northern Nevada, the drains end up in the desert. The scientific community uses the term “endorheic basin” to describe areas like the Truckee Meadows, where water does not flow to the ocean. Great Basin is the name of both the Great Basin Desert and the endorheic (en-duh-ree-ick) basin in which most of Nevada is located. Salty lakes like Pyramid Lake and Walker Lake and dry salt flats or playas like the Carson Sink are the result of water being trapped by the Sierra Nevada and other mountains.

In all likelihood, you are already aware of this. You might also be familiar with the pathways by which plastics reach the sea. But have you given any thought to the implications of plastics being trapped somewhere they can’t move?

Sure, it’s a problem when trash ends up in the sea. That’s really bad. Because of the harm it causes to wildlife, we humans also suffer. However, ocean cleanup is difficult; to call it a challenge is an understatement. Since the ocean affects so many nations and is affected by so many, it is essential that these nations work together, but this is easier said than done. But things aren’t the same up in Northern Nevada.

The Great Basin is in dire need of our help in stopping the spread of plastic pollution throughout the region. Our own endorheic basin makes plastic pollution a regional problem in this age of worldwide environmental concerns and initiatives.

#1 Refuse

You can help by beginning your own plastic-free journey by rejecting single-use plastics. Covers from coffee cups, grocery bags, and forks from takeout all fall into this category.

#2 Reduce

Your plastic trash will make its way to the desert no matter how much you throw away. By reducing your plastic consumption, you’ll be helping to eliminate the problem from the get-go.

#3 Reuse/Repurpose

Don’t think you can cut down on plastic use any more than you already have? Then you should begin recycling the containers you already have. Both the plastic bottle and the takeout container would work wonderfully as tupperware or plant containers, respectively.

#4 Recycle

Recycling is the last resort after refusing, reducing, and reusing. Although recycling has its flaws, it’s still preferable to doing nothing. Check to see that the plastics you intend to recycle are actually recyclable in your area.

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