According to a new study, half of the sea turtles on the planet have ingested some form of plastic. The new study, led by Qamar Schuyler of the University of Queensland in Australia and published in Global Change Biology, estimates that 52 percent of sea turtles worldwide have eaten plastic debris, about 13 million tons of which is dumped into the ocean every year. [...] Schuyler said his team made a model of marine plastic distribution based on found debris. The species is considered “threatened” in most parts of the world, but is actually already endangered off the coast of Mexico because of poaching. According to Schuyler’s research, we need to protect these creatures from more than just poachers — we need to protect them from our trash. To make a difference, he said, consumers should just say no to single-use plastics, like grocery bags and disposable water bottles.