Pacific Trash Vortex! Wow! I had no idea it was this bad!

[skypierce]

I saw an exhibit about this at the Bishop Museum a while back. It was actually about one of the NW Hawaiian island atolls which has HUGE amounts of trash wash up from this gyre. Then the birds eat the plastic and essentially starve to death because their stomachs are full of undigestable plastic. You wouldn't believe what they found in some of the stomachs!

 

[skypierce]

Hey Shaka, maybe we can compile some video footage and do a live broadcast about it on Helloworld?

 

[SLB]

Unfortunately there isn't anywhere to take it. Can't burn it. Doesn't break down in the landfills. Recyclers would shudder to see it coming their way. Who invented plastic bottles anyway? At least some states (including Oregon!) are beginning to charge a deposit for beverage bottles. Not that it will make a major difference, since people are inherently lazy.

If you want a close-up view of the junk, just go out to South Point on Big Island. Or visit a beach anywhere - and while you're there, pick up the junk and put it in the garbage.

 

[shoredivr]

Also convincing the free market that there is no need for a plastic shopping bag or food packaging that lasts longer than the food does.
It will take MAJOR sacrifices by everyone to fix this issue.

That's really a huge part of it. I've stopped using plastic bags - I take my own cloth bags shopping. I put water in a stainless steel bottle for drinking on the go, no plastic bottles. And I've even taken my own dish into a take-out joint for them to fill.


This should be in a more visible place on SB, maybe a link from basic scuba or something?

 

[skypierce]

For anyone who hasn't seen it yet, this Week's Maui Time Weekly has an article on this. Grab a copy from the newsstand, or check it out online:
The great garbage swirl

Like Shoredivr, I too hardly ever use plastic bags, carry drinking containers with me, and bring my own containers to take out whenever possible.

 

[Nomadess 2012]

Whoa ... we have to spread the word around.

 

[scubadrewvideo]

I am in the beginning stages of setting up a way to document the next voyage. I am trying to get a web show put together for PacificNetworkTV and its millions of web viewers. The show is intended to be just a series of different underwater adventures.
Once the first episode is launched I can use that exposure to seek sponsership for the documentary of the month long voyage. My network of divers that I have stayed connected to over 7 years of diving, spans the globe in the hundreds, so its a good start to continue spreading the word and raising awareness.
I will know more in a few days, but I could use some ideas for seeking sponsership if it all pans out.
Mahalo,
Drew

 

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

They did a story on Good Morning America this week about the Garbage Patch and the fish contamination. After forgetting once, I finally remembered to buy my cloth bags at the grocery store this week. I'm thinking about ways that I can start recycling more after researching this. I hope we'll have something to see in 20 years.

 

[aascubagirl]

Thanks for all of the info guys...this was a pretty eye-opening thread. I will be posting some links from this thread on my facebook and trying to spread the word to my fellow instructors. Wow, some pretty sad stuff...again thank you for all of your individual efforts and for sharing your info so that others can get more involved.

 

[SDAnderson]

There ya go! Tax the plastic bags. But we might need them to clean up the mess created when the conservatives heads explode.

Words matter. The first step in getting someone to listen to you is to be careful what you say. People find it difficult to hear you when you are insulting them - humans are funny that way.

If we are going to fix this revolting mess, we need the "we" to be as big as possible. Turning it into an "us" versus "them" thing diminishes the size of the "we" and is counter-productive. If you want to reach out to those around you, don't start the conversation by disrespecting half of the audience.

If we are to succeed, we must learn to be inclusive, not divisive. We can get more done by looking inside ourselves to find ways of expanding our idea of who "we" are instead of getting angry that "they" don't always agree with "us." Many conservatives are, by nature, inclined to be conservationists. They get turned off by neo-pagan Mother Nature babble and they tend to recoil from statist "tragedy of the commons interventionism but they are willing to have an adult conversation about the costs (there are many) and benefits (there are more) of positive environmental stewardship. We will get more done if we keep the message on topic and devote as much energy to listening and learning as we do to speaking.

Passion is good, hysteria and anger aren't. If you want to reach out to those who don't agree with you remember that the first step to extending your hand is to unclench your fist.

Kumbaya, and all that.