the plastic island


I wrote last week about what happens to plastic bags after we throw them away. Today I found another sobering article, about the plastic island floating in the Pacific Ocean that is now twice the size of Texas.
This is what happens when people are simply careless with trash. I’m sure the majority of this trash is even recyclable and could’ve saved us from using more resources. This is probably the most extreme form of littering, but it still comes down to not dumping that old fast food bag in the parking lot or leaving beer bottles all over the sidewalk after a night out.
It doesn’t a master’s degree to properly dispose of simple items, yet people still don’t care what happens with things when they are through with them. But what I feel is forgotten is that these items don’t just disappear once a person is through with them – they have to go somewhere. And the Pacific Ocean is the one suffering for it.
This has major implications for wildlife, besides just the environment. To the millions of marine animals in the ocean, their home is being taken over by our leftovers. And the trash is making its way into the food chain, killing animals and harming even us. The longer this goes on, the more we’ll end up eating plastic toxins.
When I was younger, I remember being taught to cut the six-pack rings because they can easily strangle animals like turtles and birds. I always threw them away, but made sure to cut them first. You just never know where they’ll end up.
It’s a long but incredibly riveting article. Please take the time to read it. It’s just further evidence in the argument of reducing the materials you use and throw away. The less we use, the less there’s a chance of it being discarded and polluting the earth.

1 comment

amy said...

i still to this day cut the 3 rings and i even pull them out of the trash if someone hasnt cut them! Glad im not the only one

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