• The Environment

    Why Trashing the Oceans is More Dangerous Than We Imagined

    By Posted on 4.1.2008 13 Comments

    Last fall we reported on the growing mess of garbage swirling in the North Pacific Gyre. Its a swath of ocean arguably the size of the continental U.S. where all the plastic refuse from Asia and the western coast of North America ends up when its washed out to sea. Turtles mistake bags for jellyfish and birds mistake floating chips for prey. Animals have been discovered starved to death because the entire contents of their stomachs were plastic fragments. Sail a boat out to the middle of the gyre and the problem is in plain sight. Unfortunately for us, the more severe problem is the one we cant see.

    4.1.2008 at 01:56pm - Comment by BluElephant

    I'm intrigued that you assume this is an American beach. If I were to guess I would say it is somewhere in Asia



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