Media Saves the Beach: Ideas

For the Media Saves the Beach project, I am most interested in what the effect of pollution is on the wildlife, and what steps we can take to reduce that (other than the obvious). I am curious what exactly happens to the animals. Do they get diseases? Or get physically hurt by the trash? Or do the plants they eat die? What happens exactly that harms them...? How does that affect us? What current controversies are there about it?

A project that I might create, well, it would most likely involve photography or art in some way. And not have too much to do with computers, because I can never seem to make nice things on a computer. Perhaps a photo essay, like a picture of rubbish in the ocean? No, that isn't a good idea, it needs something special about it still.... Or some sort of painting? That would be fun...

I don't have any solid ideas for projects, but I'm sure once we start learning more about the projects I will have some...