Continents of Floating Garbage

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

via Mutant Frog Travelogue (http://www.mutantfrog.com/)

Plastic bags of doom (http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/01/09/plastic-bags-of-doom/)

By Roy Berman
It looks like fresh attention is being paid to the fact that plastic bags are among the most troublesome and pernicious forms of waste. How bad? Well, “continents of floating garbage (http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2007/12/are-there-reall.html)” for a start. Think that’s an exaggeration? Well, “One plastic patch is estimated to weigh over 3 million tons and covers an area twice the size of Texas.” And how much ecological damage does it do?The United Nations Environment Program says plastic is accountable for the deaths of more than a million seabirds and more than 100,000 marine mammals such as whales, dolphins and seals every year.http://www.dailygalaxy.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/12/30/trashpattern_2.gifThat almost certainly dwarfs any damage to cetacean populations that could be caused by, to take a far more famous issue, Japan’s “scientific” whaling program. Not to mention the yet-unknown effects that all of this plastic is likely having on fish, algae, plankton, etc. Could the collapsing fishing stocks be attributable not just to the direct action of over-fishing, but also to poisoning and choking by gargantuan amounts of plastic?

Since the plastic tends to gather in isolated and rarely trafficked patches of sea, so deep into international waters that no country even crosses path with it, much less has responsibility for it. As yet, there is no world body with either the political motivation, technology, or infrastructure necessary for embarking on what would easily be the largest cleanup project in history, and it is difficult to imagine any realistic way that such a huge mass could be removed.

Still, as hopeless as the cleanup is, at least the world is beginning to work to phase out the manufacture and use of such plastic bag, which will at least slow down the rate at which the problem worsens. An announcement earlier today (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7178287.stm) that China-the world’s largest and most polluting nation-will be drastically cutting plastic bag usage is an important step.

As in most countries that have attempted to tackle the problems causes by plastic bag waste, China will primarily be relying not on a total ban on their use, but a requirement that stores no longer give them out free with purchases, but charge extra for them. It is hoped that imposing a surcharge on the bags will encourage customers to bring their own environmentally friendly reusable bags when they go shopping, as has been the case in other countries.

While, as far as I know, Bangladesh is the only country which has as yet completely banned the distribution of plastic bags, a number of countries have imposed bag surcharges similar to the one proposed for China. Taiwan introduced a charge equivalent to something like 5-7 US cents per bag, Singapore has a similar system, and Ireland-an island about twice the size of Taiwan, and formerly a consumer of over 1.2 BILLION plastic bags per year-has imposed a 15 cents/bag fee that is credited with reducing their use by 90% (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2205419.stm). Other countries in Europe, most likely starting with Ireland’s next-door neighbor of Britain, will likely follow.

Some other countries, such as Japan, have been relying on voluntary conservation to combat plastic bag proliferation. Although some Japanese supermarkets have taken the bold step of simply not having bags at all, they are still given away for free in most businesses. However, convenience stores recently began offering a discount of several yen to customers who refuse a plastic bag. Although the clerk is officially supposed to ask customers if they need a bag, in my experience they almost never do, and simply give them out habitually.

Although I have yet to hear a serious proposal to either ban or charge for plastic bags in the heavy consuming United States, I have recently noticed two well-meant but minor initiatives. The first was at the New York University campus bookstore and computer stores, where if you refuse a plastic bag they give you a token you throw into one of four or five bins near the exit, each one representing a charity. Each token pledges a 5 cents donation to that charity. The other was a sign at my local A&P Supermarket, promising a discount of a few cents for customers who bring their own bags. Unfortunately, this will certainly prove as ineffectual as the convenience store initiative in Japan, particularly since I only saw the sign by the exit, in an area not even visible from the cash register/bagging area.

Will these various measures have a major effect on the plastic bag problem? The answer to that thankfully seems to be a yes-but a qualified yes. It is still to early to know how much ecological damage the vast amounts of plastic already in the ocean have caused, or will cause in the future. And despite movement towards curbing the future growth of the “continents of floating garbage,” we may never be able to get rid of them.

For more information on the oceanic plastics quandary, have a look at this short documentary, filmed on location in the Pacific Ocean.

[DoctorP]

Nice write up Eel...did you do all of that yourself?? I have studied the "trash vortex" many times in different classes. I will try to find time today to sit down and type out a reply.

[The_Zach2681]

First it was a "mine shaft gap" with the USSR, now a "Plastic bag proliferation gap" with China is looming...

[TheNoNamedOne]

Quote from story in OP:
Not to mention the yet-unknown effects that all of this plastic is likely having on fish, algae, plankton, etc. Could the collapsing fishing stocks be attributable not just to the direct action of over-fishing, but also to poisoning and choking by gargantuan amounts of plastic?

It boggles my mind to think of the death these garbage flows are causing in the oceans. Thinking more of how wasteful consumption adds to this, I find myself beginning to believe one measure in lessening over production by dampening consumption is to raise consumption/sale taxes.

Perhaps it is time our high producing economies should be reigned in and a new look at problem solving using a different model to guide us should be adopted.

I am surprised that this thread hasn't gotten more comment since it is an important issue facing our planet. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that these floating garbage continents are out of sight and therefore out of mind. However, if a ton of garbage washed up in plain view every morning just on Sunset beach alone, forcing us to view it, I am sure it would be talked about and targeted for action.

btw, it wasn't too long ago that U.S. navy ships used to dump their garbage in blastic bags far out into sea before making port. Stick holes in the bags and let 'em drop.

[DoctorP]

It boggles my mind to think of the death these garbage flows are causing in the oceans. Thinking more of how wasteful consumption adds to this, I find myself beginning to believe one measure in lessening over production by dampening consumption is to raise consumption/sale taxes.

Perhaps it is time our high producing economies should be reigned in and a new look at problem solving using a different model to guide us should be adopted.

I am surprised that this thread hasn't gotten more comment since it is an important issue facing our planet. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that these floating garbage continents are out of sight and therefore out of mind. However, if a ton of garbage washed up in plain view every morning just on Sunset beach alone, forcing us to view it, I am sure it would be talked about and targeted for action.

btw, it wasn't too long ago that U.S. navy ships used to dump their garbage in blastic bags far out into sea before making port. Stick holes in the bags and let 'em drop.


Many commercial liners do exactly the same thing with their trash...it is quite sad!

I wrote a paper a few years back on this subject...but I focused mainly on Okinawa. I did a study for 6 weeks and found that most of the trash that washed up in my area appeared to be of Chinese origin...though I couldn't state that positively.

The beaches on the Pacific side of the island get quite a bit of trash daily that has to be removed.

I feel the easiest way to slow this process is not the tax on plastic bags, but perhaps doing away with them all together. I mean would the world stop if we could no longer use plastic bags or the six pack rings to hold our beer together?

I believe that more action should be taken by each nation. Nations that lay claim to waters surrounding their coastlines should take more steps to ensure that those waters are indeed clean. And perhaps they should extend their coverage say 100 miles into "International" waters.

In the US I would think that the Federal Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 may need some amendment. It was put into place mainly for toxic pollution, but seeing the dangers caused by plastics, I would think that our leaders and the EPA could see fit to amend this act for this purpose. But then it would probably end up being a token act...something for the people to see, but little actual action to change the situation. A lot of people talk, but few take action, and at times it seems the US is really good at talking!

I actually thought that I had a book that discussed this very issue, but I have not had any luck finding it...I will keep looking though.

[TheNoNamedOne]

Images like this of the affects of ocean garbage bothers me deeply. A slow death from strangulation by plastics must be more abundant than just the rare cases cameras have been by chance able to zoom in on to capture.

http://www.gigo-design.com/karin/seal.jpg

I'll post more images as I find them.

[okisteve]

Many commercial liners do exactly the same thing with their trash...it is quite sad!

I wrote a paper a few years back on this subject...but I focused mainly on Okinawa. I did a study for 6 weeks and found that most of the trash that washed up in my area appeared to be of Chinese origin...though I couldn't state that positively.

The beaches on the Pacific side of the island get quite a bit of trash daily that has to be removed.

I feel the easiest way to slow this process is not the tax on plastic bags, but perhaps doing away with them all together. I mean would the world stop if we could no longer use plastic bags or the six pack rings to hold our beer together?

I believe that more action should be taken by each nation. Nations that lay claim to waters surrounding their coastlines should take more steps to ensure that those waters are indeed clean. And perhaps they should extend their coverage say 100 miles into "International" waters.

In the US I would think that the Federal Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 may need some amendment. It was put into place mainly for toxic pollution, but seeing the dangers caused by plastics, I would think that our leaders and the EPA could see fit to amend this act for this purpose. But then it would probably end up being a token act...something for the people to see, but little actual action to change the situation. A lot of people talk, but few take action, and at times it seems the US is really good at talking!

I actually thought that I had a book that discussed this very issue, but I have not had any luck finding it...I will keep looking though.

While we were talking about the Japanese supermarkets and plastic bags a few weeks ago, the Chinese sneaked in under the radar with a complete ban on plastic bags for shopping! That could have enormous effects bith for trash and for petrochemical consumption.

Speaking of commercial ships, I was aboard a Japanese liner in 2004 that had a big social awareness program (Peace Boat), and wasn't everyone embarrassed when they had to admit that they were dumping trash at sea!

[Oxmix]

Why not use the bio-degradeable bags?

Much of the trash that is picked up goes to stations where the paper, plastics, glass, metal etc is separated out and recycled.

In our community we have a recycling program where we separate out paper, bottles cans and those items are picked up every other week. Yard waste is picked up and composted.

What do they do with the trash that is picked up on Okinawa? Do they recycle any part of it or do they just load it on a barge and tow it out and dump it in the ocean?

Regards

Ox

[okisteve]

As in the rest of Japan, there is an awesome recycling program here now Ox. And a lot of ojisans make spare change by scavenging metal and paper, outside the system.

I don't know about the recyclable bags. As far as I knew, all plastic bags did not decompose. Maybe there is a new sort of product now.

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

There is a persistent rumor that the recyclable plastics in Japan are incinerated along with the burnable garbage. Naha recently expanded the scope of what's considered burnable and doesn't need to be separated out, including a lot of plastics.

[DoctorP]

San Francisco made a big push earlier this year to use the biodegradable plastic bags, but it will take time for the rest of the US to follow suit. The bio bags are more expensive...but if you are talking about adding a tax for the use of the plastic bags, then the expense will even itself out.

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

A "plastic soup" of waste floating in the Pacific Ocean is growing at an alarming rate and now covers an area twice the size of the continental United States, scientists have said.


The vast expanse of debris – in effect the world's largest rubbish dump – is held in place by swirling underwater currents. This drifting "soup" stretches from about 500 nautical miles off the Californian coast, across the northern Pacific, past Hawaii and almost as far as Japan.


Charles Moore, an American oceanographer who discovered the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" or "trash vortex", believes that about 100 million tons of flotsam are circulating in the region. Marcus Eriksen, a research director of the US-based Algalita Marine Research Foundation, which Mr Moore founded, said yesterday: "The original idea that people had was that it was an island of plastic garbage that you could almost walk on. It is not quite like that. It is almost like a plastic soup. It is endless for an area that is maybe twice the size as continental United States."


Curtis Ebbesmeyer, an oceanographer and leading authority on flotsam, has tracked the build-up of plastics in the seas for more than 15 years and compares the trash vortex to a living entity: "It moves around like a big animal without a leash." When that animal comes close to land, as it does at the Hawaiian archipelago, the results are dramatic. "The garbage patch barfs, and you get a beach covered with this confetti of plastic," he added.


The "soup" is actually two linked areas, either side of the islands of Hawaii, known as the Western and Eastern Pacific Garbage Patches. About one-fifth of the junk – which includes everything from footballs and kayaks to Lego blocks and carrier bags – is thrown off ships or oil platforms. The rest comes from land.


http://goalgreen.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/gyre.jpg
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/the-worlds-rubbish-dump-a-garbage-tip-that-stretches-from-hawaii-to-japan-778016.html

[Asshat]

Having spent almost all of my 30 years here on the ocean, I can attest that the problem is huge. I have never seen the "floating island" but I have seen ten-mile long trash lines of about 100 meters in width a few miles off of Okinawa's Western shore.

However, when sailing across the Pacific- the Hawaii to Okinawa part- I never saw a single piece of trash. Not one, and we were just North of the ITCZ using the currents and winds to come across. (Currents drive the trash more than the wind does)

One can not leave a trolling lure in the water for longer than an hour without hooking a "bag fish." Most of the trash I have seen around here seems to come from Japanese/Chinese refuse.

The weird thing is that you can find very large blocks of foam rubber sheeting in pretty multi-colored layers with the die imprints where dozens of zorri (flip-flops) were cut out from. I believe those come from Taiwan and ride North on the Kuroshio.

That's enough original thought I suppose. I am glad someone posted this, since having seen this shit, I am anti-bag, anti-foam rubber, anti dumping in the sea.

[TheNoNamedOne]

Charles Moore, an American oceanographer who discovered the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" or "trash vortex", believes that about 100 million tons of flotsam are circulating in the region.

Wow. That just boggles the mind. And then that pic above with that swirling off-color blue-green seems surreal. Rather than governments or enviro orgs just trying to stop more plastics and garbage getting into the oceans, the government needs to take a proactive step in going out and scooping that crap up and out.

[thistle]

I just have a little question here - if we ban plastic bags altogether, what will i use for my dog poop?

[thistle]

What no responses - everyone sleeping today?:D:rolleyes:

[okisteve]

Well, even if they totally do away with plastic carrier bags there will still be the other plastic packaging like for frozen vegetables you can use. It's too soon to lose any sleep over it. (you could practice with them now, just remember not to stick it in the freezer when you get home ;)

By the way, I've heard that Ireland has almost totally eliminated the plastic shopping bags after instituting a ban 5 years ago.

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

There was a good article in some NYC rag about that, okisteve...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/world/europe/02bags.html?pagewanted=2&hp

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

Korea Dumped Waste in Japanese Waters

Some part of waste dump areas in the East Sea designated by the South Korean government overlaps with the continental shelf area and thus the exclusive economic zone of Japan. Unaware of this, South Korea has dumped waste in these areas for the past 15 years...



http://english.chosun.com/media/photo/news/200802/200802110008_01.jpg

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200802/200802110008.html

[Isaak Brodsky]

WTF is going on here??

http://pixdaus.com/pics/1206772130EP8ne84.jpg

[Jrocka83]

I've been in those watters and have come across large currents of waste, its preaty sad, and the best part is its pollutin the waters of our tropical paradise:thumbdown:; Hawaii:(.

[Isaak Brodsky]

You've actually laid eyes on this monstrosity of waste????

[Jrocka83]

You've actually laid eyes on this monstrosity of waste????

I have, but it doesnt look that bad. I will probly get worse over the years as long as ships and other countrys dump wasted in the ocean.

There is really no one to stop it either, once you are international waters, there is no law, if you got guns you got power in the sea, thats the only law in the sea.

[Isaak Brodsky]

Interesting that a mass of refuse as large in area as a country doesn't look that bad. Maybe most of what you saw was just the tip of the iceberg and majority of it is submerged just below the surface. In any case, what a travesty. Can you imagine what it is doing to marine life??

[Jrocka83]

Interesting that a mass of refuse as large in area as a country doesn't look that bad. Maybe most of what you saw was just the tip of the iceberg and majority of it is submerged just below the surface. In any case, what a travesty. Can you imagine what it is doing to marine life??

You could be right.. I'm no scientist. Just telling you what I saw.:)

[DoctorP]

merged threads

[laughingman]

The United Nations Environment Program says plastic is accountable for the deaths of more than a million seabirds and more than 100,000 marine mammals such as whales, dolphins and seals every year.

Jeez, I hate to be "that" guy and rain on everybody's parade but...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3508263.ece

I'm not saying there aren't serious environmental issues, or that the ocean isn't turning into a floating waste basket, but one must check facts. The moral of the story is never just accept what somebody told you. Question everything! Appeals to authority are always a sign of desparation.

The guts of the piece:

The central claim of campaigners is that the bags kill more than 100,000 marine mammals and one million seabirds every year. However, this figure is based on a misinterpretation of a 1987 Canadian study in Newfoundland, which found that, between 1981 and 1984, more than 100,000 marine mammals, including birds, were killed by discarded nets. The Canadian study did not mention plastic bags.

Fifteen years later in 2002, when the Australian Government commissioned a report into the effects of plastic bags, its authors misquoted the Newfoundland study, mistakenly attributing the deaths to “plastic bags”.

The figure was latched on to by conservationists as proof that the bags were killers. For four years the “typo” remained uncorrected. It was only in 2006 that the authors altered the report, replacing “plastic bags” with “plastic debris”. But they admitted: “The actual numbers of animals killed annually by plastic bag litter is nearly impossible to determine.”

In a postscript to the correction they admitted that the original Canadian study had referred to fishing tackle, not plastic debris, as the threat to the marine environment.

Regardless, the erroneous claim has become the keystone of a widening campaign to demonise plastic bags.

David Santillo, a marine biologist at Greenpeace, told The Times that bad science was undermining the Government’s case for banning the bags. “It’s very unlikely that many animals are killed by plastic bags,” he said. “The evidence shows just the opposite. We are not going to solve the problem of waste by focusing on plastic bags.

[Daniela]

This sounds too much like the people that claim global warming does not exist. Please, it takes 1000 years for a plastic bag to "decompose". If you don't see them where the heck are they?
Let's not continue to make ourselves feel better by these "it's really not all that bad" stories. Does it really matter how many animals died? One is enough for me.
And yes, I am vegetarian.
Again, we are just here on borrowed time. I really don't think we can rely on the politicians to come up with a solution. It has to start with ourselves. From now on I will avoid all plastic packaging if at all possible.

[Asshat]

This sounds too much like the people that claim global warming does not exist. Please, it takes 1000 years for a plastic bag to "decompose". If you don't see them where the heck are they?
Let's not continue to make ourselves feel better by these "it's really not all that bad" stories. Does it really matter how many animals died? One is enough for me.
And yes, I am vegetarian.
Again, we are just here on borrowed time. I really don't think we can rely on the politicians to come up with a solution. It has to start with ourselves. From now on I will avoid all plastic packaging if at all possible.

I don't know what being a vegetarian has to do with this, but is is a stretch to say that plastics bags take a thousand years to decompose when you are refering to the waste floating on the ocean's surface.

It takes a thousand years for plastic to disolve on a molecular level maybe. However, they disolve into microscopic bits on the ocean much quicker.

I also have not seen the floating "continents" nor have the ship captains I know. There are however obvious lines of trash which include natural flotsum that are miles long and miles deep. Definitely not thousands of miles.

[Daniela]

To me the glass is just always half empty.

[Asshat]

To me the glass is just always half empty.

lol...okay, but here is the sad part of "bad science" or "sky is falling" reporting:

It takes away from the import of the argument. Having spent years on thousands of miles of ocean, I have seen the floating heaps first hand. It is amazing, for lack of a better word. It is a problem, and not just with plastic bags, but with everything from the offal of a forestry project, to the factory cuttings of a flip flop factory in Taiwan.

It is a HUGE problem. BUT, it is not the size of a continent...at least not that I, nor anyone I know can attest to.

So when we read or hear things that ring false, the import of the message gets lost and disbelieved because it was blown out of proportion.

I hope you get my meaning here.

[laughingman]

This sounds too much like the people that claim global warming does not exist. Please, it takes 1000 years for a plastic bag to "decompose". If you don't see them where the heck are they?
Let's not continue to make ourselves feel better by these "it's really not all that bad" stories. Does it really matter how many animals died? One is enough for me.
And yes, I am vegetarian.
Again, we are just here on borrowed time. I really don't think we can rely on the politicians to come up with a solution. It has to start with ourselves. From now on I will avoid all plastic packaging if at all possible.

Daniela, I anticipated this response which is why I included the second half of that quote:
David Santillo, a marine biologist at Greenpeace, told The Times that bad science was undermining the Government’s case for banning the bags. “It’s very unlikely that many animals are killed by plastic bags,” he said. “The evidence shows just the opposite. We are not going to solve the problem of waste by focusing on plastic bags.

Yes, truth can be a tricky thing to ferret out to be sure, but your comments strike me more as a religious faith than a grounded concern. When you toss out all views that don't jive with your preconceived notions as to what is true, you stop being a voice or reason and become a voice of dogma. Think, challenge your views and beliefs. If they are correct they will withstand the fires of scrutiny. If however your wrong, modify or scrap them altogether.

[Daniela]

Funny you mention this.
Do you ever challenge you own views?

Quote whatever you want....I quote right back...


The fact is...garbage is out there...

What are you going to do about it?

We can go back and forth and I really don't care to...

The garbage will keep piling up and people like you will keep saying that it's not happening.


:thumbup1: to you

[laughingman]

Funny you mention this. Do you ever challenge you own views? ... The garbage will keep piling up and people like you will keep saying that it's not happening.

I'm sorry Daniela, do you know me? Do you know my history? Do you know my life story? No you don't. So I'll let you in on a little bit of my story: Yes, I challenge my views daily.

The person I am today is almost unrecognizable from the person I was four years ago. That's when I stopped towing lines and started asking questions. Four years ago I was a poster child Republican. Now, I am an anarchist, so yeah, you might say that I'm capable of changing my views in accordance with new information.

Four years ago I would have written your beliefs off just as quickly as you wrote my comments off just now. Four years ago I would have knee jerked that there was no environmental problems. Today, I very much recognize the existence of these problems and work to solve them as best I can. You can check out some of my previous posts within this very section if you need an example.

I am a level headed person and I do engage in civil debate with people of all different view points. Again, for proof of this see my resent discussions with TP.

I did not attack you Daniela, I wonder why it is that you felt the need to defend yourself?

I never once claimed that the "garbage wasn't out there", just the opposite in fact. I'm not trying to get into a quoting battle, I'm trying to get to a better understanding of the truth, aren't you?

Do not presume to know what I have or have not done for the environment. Have you plastered your environmental accolades on your profile for all the world to see? No? Neither have I.

This was never meant to be a "back and forth" in an adversarial sense. This was supposed to be an exchange of thoughts, ideas and facts in the hope that we can better ourselves and the world in which we live.

Finally I wish to say that I believe your response above only serves to further demonstrate the mentality I warned you of above. I do not appreciate your dismissive remarks or attitude when I only sought to clarify some points and caution you from taking a road that I have been down before. I suggest you go back and reread my comments and maybe actually read the article I linked to and then tell me if you think I'm attacking you or conservationist in general.

Best regards,

Jon

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

Part 1 of a 12-part video series on the Pacific Ocean's mythical floating trash heap...

http://www.vbs.tv/video.php?id=1485308505

Before this trip, I was never all that crazy about the ocean. I’ve always appreciated the fact that it generates the majority of the world’s oxygen and keeps us nice and far from places like Britain, but in terms of any sort of awe or “respect” it just never happened. I would say I looked at it less as the primeval womb of all terrestrial life than as an excessive amount of water you sometimes have to fly over.

Part and parcel with this was my attitude toward the Pacific Garbage Patch, or as we willfully misidentified it for the duration of our journey, the elusive Garbage Island. All the journalism I’d read about the patch had carefully danced around physical descriptions of the trash, leading myself and the rest of the shooting crew to fanciful visions of a solid, Texas-size barge of discarded Coke bottles and sporting goods. The idea that people had managed to **** up a part of the world that nobody even visits, much less inhabits, and on such a monumental scale struck me as interesting and, to be honest, slightly awesome-sounding, but at the end of the day the impact of the mess on the rest of the world failed to register. I mean, sure, sea birds choking to death on deflated balloons and sea turtles whose shells have been completely deformed by soda can rings (click here for a picture of this if you want to completely ruin your day)—all this definitely sucks, but so do a lot of things, you know?

Needless to say this whole journey ended up overturning my expectations about the Garbage Patch, as well as just about every misconception I’ve ever held about the sea, environmentalism, consumption, barfing, knots, pollution, humanity, and myself. After absorbing the myriad dangers of our plastic-heavy lifestyles for three weeks, I’m now a proud, carbon-conscious “Earth Warrior” who yells at grocery clerks for double-bagging my produce and carries around one of those 70s gunnysacks to drink out of. Just kidding, although the trip did lead me to ferret out a group of non-hippie environmentalists who you can read about here. I also finally got into Earth Crisis. Pretty decent.

VBS CORRESPONDENT THOMAS MORTON

[TheNoNamedOne]

Good vid, Eel. Btw, I watched only the first of 12 parts. Have you watched all 12 parts? If so, which part would you say is the best? I'd rather watch just that best one.

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

Just did the first one myself. Now that I've shacked up with a chick that has the Internets, I'm catching up on all the missed Daily Show, Colbert Report, and documentary films that I can.

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KYJ0dsd-x0&eurl=http://www.garbagewarrior.com/trailer.html

What do beer cans, car tires and water bottles have in common? Not much unless you're renegade architect Michael Reynolds, in which case they are tools of choice for producing thermal mass and energy-independent housing. For 30 years New Mexico-based Reynolds and his green disciples have devoted their time to advancing the art of "Earthship Biotecture" by building self-sufficient, off-the-grid communities where design and function converge in eco-harmony. However, these experimental structures that defy state standards create conflict between Reynolds and the authorities, who are backed by big business. Frustrated by antiquated legislation, Reynolds lobbies for the right to create a sustainable living test site. While politicians hum and ha, Mother Nature strikes, leaving communities devastated by tsunamis and hurricanes. Reynolds and his crew seize the opportunity to lend their pioneering skills to those who need it most. Shot over three years and in four countries, Garbage Warrior is a timely portrait of a determined visionary, a hero of the 21st century.

http://www.garbagewarrior.com/

[TheNoNamedOne]

Here is the woman who kick started the big drive against the use of plastic bags in Europe in an excellent story from The Washington Post:

A Woman, a Village and a War on Plastic Bags (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/05/AR2008050502223_pf.html)

MODBURY, England -- Rebecca Hosking's moment, when a happy English farm girl cried tears that changed her life, came on a speck of sugar-white beach in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

"All you could smell was death," Hosking recalled, sitting snugly in a 600-year-old pub in her rainy home town, which has been transformed by her epiphany two years ago on Midway Atoll.

The beach on Midway, 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu, was covered with thousands of dead albatrosses rotting in the tropical sun. In their split-open bellies, the BBC wildlife film producer said, she saw the plastic that had killed them: cigarette lighters, pens, toys, pill bottles, knives and forks, golf balls and toothbrushes. ...

The waves were a thick stew of dead birds that had eaten bright-colored plastic pollution they thought was food. Hosking put down her camera and waded into the waves to try to help the birds still alive. She scooped up a young one, which found the strength to bite her before dying in her arms.

"I just broke down crying because I thought she was going to make it," said Hosking, 34, rubbing the small scar on her hand. "That day has never left me." ...

and later after a little research and action on her part...

Overnight, carrying plastic bags became as socially acceptable as swearing in church. The florist tied bouquets, the baker wrapped bread and the grocery stores sold everything from olives to ice cream in bags and other small containers, all made of cornstarch or paper.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. -- Margaret Mead

[TheNoNamedOne]

Interesting news on the front of plastic bags:

Scientific breakthrough decomposes plastic bags in 3 months! (http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/05/28/breakthrough-decomposes-plastic-bags-in-three-months/)
May 28, 2008

This month heralds a world-changing scientific breakthrough as a teenage prodigy has developed a new way to decompose plastic bags in just three months! A 16 year old named Daniel Burd conducted his experiment as a science fair project, and ended up with a revolutionary solution to the plastic plague that has laid waste to ecosystems around the world. By isolating the microorganisms that break down plastic, Burd’s research has yielded an industrially scalable way to cinch closed the material’s millennium-spanning life-cycle. ...

The discovery hinges upon Burd’s isolation off two strains of bacteria (Sphingomonas and Pseudomonas) that work together to consume polyethelene plastic at record rates. His experiment yielded a culture that rendered plastic bags 43% decomposed after six weeks, with the only outputs being water and an infinitesimal amount of carbon dioxide. Burd has said that the system is cheap, energy efficient, and easily scalable for industrial applications. “All you need is a fermenter . . . your growth medium, your microbes and your plastic bags,” stated the young innovator.

Thanks to Daniel’s research, we have a solution to the plastic plague. All we need now is the infrastructure in which to apply it.

[TheNoNamedOne]

Not specifically related to the oceans, but since a lot of plastic finds its way to the ocean, this news with China becoming the latest country to join the war against plastic bags is a good thing to see:

China kicks off drive to kick plastic bag habit (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080601/ts_nm/china_plasticbags_dc)

BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Sunday became the latest country to declare war on plastic bags in a drive to save energy and protect the environment. ...

"Sorry, I can't give you a plastic bag. It's illegal from today," said one young woman, Zhang Lihua, who was selling cosmetics in a department store in the capital.

China, which consumes 37 million barrels of crude oil each year to manufacture more than one trillion plastic bags, is following in the footsteps of countries such as Ireland, Rwanda and Bangladesh. Italy is due to introduce a ban by 2010.

"To protect the environment, they shouldn't provide plastic bags," said one Internet posting on sina.com. "As time goes on, people will get into the habit of carrying their own bags when they go shopping."

[Zorro]

I cant tell you how many times I have had to tell a clerk here to NOT give me a plastic bag for one lousy item. Even then, they waste more plastic by putting a sticker on it. GD. I got a receipt already! (wasted paper) If they suspect me of stealing, I will show the receipt!

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

http://junkraft.blogspot.com/


For over 10 years, the Algalita Marine Research Foundation has studied plastic marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean. What we have found – exponential increases in the quantity of plastic debris – have a range of ecological impacts we are only beginning to understand.

To put a cap on it, we’re sounding the alarm, by sailing across the Pacific on 15,000 plastic bottles. Along the way, we’ll report our findings, collect ocean surface samples, and answer your questions through our blog.

Out of sight, out of mind no longer, We need for people to begin paying attention, before our oceans turn to plastic soup.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2014/2543451143_cbd7e5b325.jpg?v=1212382024

So its no great surprise that plastic is now the "Soup of the day" for marine wildlife. Hundreds of marine species - from seabirds, to turtles, to cetaceans, to fish, have been found to ingest plastic.
http://bp1.blogger.com/_1bKnHq3a-W8/SHvH0stG9TI/AAAAAAAABCE/5yfI9dTXnz0/s1600/Picture%2B2.png

[DougP]

Hope none of that breaks off or the raft falls apart while on its awareness campaign.:) Sure would be a shame if it were to add a few more ingredients to that soupe du jour

[TheLastDon]

Hey I want to make my own boat, that would be cool.:thumbup1:

[Old Timer]

I ‘m rarely serious and look at most of our human complexities as a joke. This situation is clearly a lack of our responsibility as a human race. I recycle everything…everything….It is personal responsibility.

[zenzelle]

I too have gotten weird looks here on Okinawa when I ask not to have my items put in a plastic bag – I find it very surprising. I guess I was expecting things to be more enviro friendly here.

We PCSd here from Germany about 6 months ago (I was amazed and excited by how much more enviro conscious much of Europe seems to be). You can’t get a plastic bag from stores in Deutschland unless you pay for it. I jumped on the bandwagon and started to carry my own cloth reusable shopping bags and baskets. I am excited to see that they are selling reusable bags in the commissary and BX on base – at least it is a step in the right direction.
I think a lot more Americans would start carrying their own bags if this were to happen in the US - but I am not very optimistic. It boggles the mind when you think of the number of plastic bags that are used daily in US stores.

And while we are talking about it – wasteful packaging on products irritates the @#$ out of me. Case in point – my birth control pills. When I bought them locally in Germany came in a teeny tiny little box for a 3 month supply and one little pamphlet. The exact same brand in the US comes in a box 3 times as big, with more individual boxes on the inside (really did I need each months pack of pills additionally individually packed !@!!!). I can’t understand the need for extra packaging.

Not to mention the miles of pamphlets in the US version with instructions, warnings, etc. I suspect (but don’t know for sure) it is a symptom of the fact that Europe is not a law suit happy society – they don’t have to waste reams of paper to warn their people that not taking the pill could lead to pregnancy (or that using a hair dryer in the tub could lead to electrocution). Yet another consequence of too many law suits – less trees. But then that is a whole other discussion…..

[Asshat]

Ban Birth Control pills! Save the environment!

[zenzelle]

Ban Birth Control pills! Save the environment!


lol - very clever!!! ....... But then that would lead to more people on the planet - clearly a problem already.

[DougP]

Ban Birth Control pills! Save the environment!

Recycle condoms save the environment:grin1:

[P_chan]

Move to europe.....problem solved.

[okisteve]

Recycle condoms save the environment:grin1:

Eat more bratwursts?

[Jazz]

I think some places in Okinawa do charge you for plastic bags now, right? They just don't mention it and just tack the extra charge on at the register.

[zenzelle]

I think some places in Okinawa do charge you for plastic bags now, right? They just don't mention it and just tack the extra charge on at the register.

Thanks for the heads up - I wasn't aware of that - I will start paying more attention. Either way I am much happier with my own reusable bags :).

[commando]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1glVFMej_3g

[Saint Borlaug]

Thanks for the heads up - I wasn't aware of that - I will start paying more attention. Either way I am much happier with my own reusable bags :).
Quick two cents: It takes several hundred times more energy and materials to make a "reusable bag" than it does to make a disposable plastic bag.

Meaning you will need to use it several hundred times before you get an "ecological profit" out of it. Hopefully you pick one that will last that long.

Plastic bags don't go to waste at my house, they are trash liners.

[commando]

http://oceans.greenpeace.org/en/the-expedition/news/trashing-our-oceans/ocean_pollution_animation