THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH

WATCH THE VIDEO AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

1. How big is the Patch?
2. Since it's not biodegradable, what will happen to this plastic?
3. What happens to the plastic due to the effects of the sun, wind and waves?
4. How many marine mammals and seabirds are killed by plastic?
5. Where does the plastic come from?
6. What can be done to fix things?

SCRIPT

In late 1997 there was the discovery of a new continent that exists between the Hawaiian islands and the coast of California. This newly formed continent which is approximately two times the size of Texasis not one that is comprised of land. Disturbingly it’s the result of an estimated 3,5 million tones of floating plastic garbage that continuously circles in the northern Pacific Ocean. There was a particular section of the northern pacific known as the The Pacific Gyre that constantly spins in a vortex effectively trapping the plastic, and anything else that floats into it. Since  plastic is not biodegradable, it will continue to float for centuries before it’s broken down by any natural means. Due to the effects of the sun, wind and waves, the plastic disintegrates into small flakes that are being ingested by a variety of sea creatures. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that plastic debris kills more than 100,000 marine mammals and 1 million sea birds every year. You might be wondering where does all this plastic come from; studies have shown that approximately 80% from land and the other 20% from ships at sea. The bottom line is this massive plastic continent is an environmental catastrophe with impacts that are yet unknown. What can be done to change things? That’s a good question and one that I’m not even sure there’s an answer to. I guess the best thing to do is to try to limit the amount of plastic you purchase and whenever possible use the three “Rs” Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.