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Loading...‘Plastic soup’ in Pacific Ocean bigger than the United States
- Annie B. Bond
- December 5, 2007
- 1:47 pm
- 12 comments
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FEBRUARY 4, 2008—Ever wonder where all the garbage goes? Well, there’s a United States-sized pile of plastic trash swirling around in the Pacific Ocean. |
Discovered by American sailor Charles Moore in 1997, this massive “plastic soup” is alarming scientists all over the world.
The debris is two huge, linked areas of trash, Dr. Marcus Eriksen, research director of the U.S.-based Algalita Marine Research Foundation, told the Sydney Daily Telegraph.
While the boundaries shift with the tides, the floating debris spans about 500 nautical miles in the Pacific, from Japan to California. Smack dab in the middle, the Hawaiian islands’ regularly clean up piles of this flotsam from its beaches.
“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,” Eriksen told the Sydney Daily Telegraph. “It is endless for an area that is maybe twice the size as continental United States.”
Underwater currents pull floating trash into the mass where it is trapped. The trashy, wet mess is composed largely of plastic as it does not biodegrade.
Read more: News & Issues, , debris, Pacific Ocean, plastic soup, trash
By Care2 editorial staff
Annie B. Bond
Annie is a renowned expert in non-toxic and green living. Named one of the top 20 environmental leaders by Body and Soul Magazine, Annie has authored four books, including "Home Enlightenment" (Rodale Press, 2005) and "Better Basics for the Home" (Three Rivers Press, 1999).
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
people are talking
thanks from a non denominational saint,Yogananda: "It is human weakness to get angry and scold…
Excellent thank you ;)
interesting. i thought baking soda wasn't very effective, so is lavendar the secret product?
Love his music and his message. Thanks, Zach, and thanks to your wonderful family and friends!
TY
12 comments
+ add your ownsad...sickening....embarrassing to humanity....
omg!
so much waste tsunami! the low marine animals that had to bother with it and die because of the waste.
Heartbreaking!
You may note that this article was written in 2008 well before the tsunami. But it may have added to its size. There is an abandoned Japanese fishing shipping vessel without a crew from that tsunami that is floating toward and within 200 miles of Alaska.
nasty. and this was posted several years ago.
Wow. Its bigger than I thought.
lot of it is from the recent tsunami.That just added to what was and is there to make the pile Bigger again.Love to see others are concerned may that continue to Grow too!
John - tried to sign your petition but it says its now closed!
Help is on the way The Environmental Cleanup Coalition is building the ship
VERY IMPORTANT
Sign My Petition to show your support
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ocean-clean-up-project
I am surprised n one has started a non profit to start a ship to start cleaning up the plastic which would get others to join. I was thinking of the same idea.
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