Something to think about.... 'Plastic Ocean'

[PacHerp]

I have heard about this on and off for a few years now... and recently found this article very informative. It is about the 'Eastern Garbage Patch' out in the Pacific Ocean.


If you have the time, please read through this 5 page article and post your comments.


A few highlights from the Article:

"A vast swath of the Pacific, twice the size of Texas, is full of a plastic stew that is entering the food chain. Scientists say these toxins are causing obesity, infertility...and worse."

"Dragging a fine-meshed net known as a manta trawl, he discovered minuscule pieces of plastic, some barely visible to the eye, swirling like fish food throughout the water. "

That polystyrene cup you saw floating in the creek, if it doesn’t get picked up and specifically taken to a landfill, will eventually be washed out to sea. Once there, it will have plenty of places to go: The North Pacific gyre is only one of five such high-pressure zones in the oceans. There are similar areas in the South Pacific, the North and South Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean. Each of these gyres has its own version of the Garbage Patch, as plastic gathers in the currents. Together, these areas cover 40 percent of the sea. “That corresponds to a quarter of the earth’s surface,” Moore says. “So 25 percent of our planet is a toilet that never flushes.”

"Except for the small amount that's been incinerated - and it's a very small amount - every bit of plastic ever made still exists"


Yes, call me an environmentalist, yes, call me crazy... but you must admit... this is scary.... :shocked: :no:


Anyway, here is the article for you to read:
PLASTIC OCEAN
Enjoy.

 

[dprince]

Scary. :uneasy:

 

[malt_geckos]

yeah, that is scary, but some of the highlights I do think aren't right...like th obesity statement. People LOVE to find excuses for why our country is so everweight.

And the one statement saying "Except for the small amount that's been incinerated - and it's a very small amount - every bit of plastic ever made still exists"

That is wrong, since matter can never be destroyed, the plastic that was incinerated excists as gas and ash... yucky.

 

[PacHerp]

not that I agree with every statement in the article...

the fact that there is swarm of plastic swirling around in the Pacific is concerning...

Lets all just try and do our part.

 

[malt_geckos]

true that, I was just thinking about the credibility of the author and things...the entire world is pretty unhealthy, so like Britt said, we should all do our part and recycle, and try and use products that are better for the environment.

 

[eyelids]

I just saw this on something or was it a dream???

 

[PacHerp]

hmmmm.... I couldn't tell ya. I think they had something about it on CNN a few weeks ago.

 

[dprince]

yeah, that is scary, but some of the highlights I do think aren't right...like th obesity statement. People LOVE to find excuses for why our country is so everweight.

And the one statement saying "Except for the small amount that's been incinerated - and it's a very small amount - every bit of plastic ever made still exists"

That is wrong, since matter can never be destroyed, the plastic that was incinerated excists as gas and ash... yucky.

I agree with you, Mallory. Often times real concerns are padded by alarmist statements, like the obesity one. :main_rolleyes: In my opinion, it's an attempt to get apathetic people to take a look at things that are actually important, like preserving our environment. A lot of what the article had to say was interesting; certainly, we can all do our part in helping our environment.

 

[moosassah]

If you took a serious look at 1 bag of garbarge you create in your home to put out on the curb, you'd be surprised how much of it doesn't need to head straight for the landfill. Get the paper & plastic out & into the recycling bin. Toss the green waste into the compost pile. Freecycle items that you don't need anymore. All these things are really small steps that will make a big difference if enough people are willing to try.

Thanks for the link to the article.