You may have heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an extensive collection of plastic and debris floating in the Pacific Ocean. The patch is approximately 1.6 million square kilometers and comprises two garbage patches: the Western Garbage Patch near Japan and the Eastern Garbage Patch between Hawaii and California.  Despite this massive collection floating on the ocean surface, about 70% of the debris sinks to the ocean floor. 

These patches are linked by the North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone, where warm water from the South Pacific meets cool Arctic water. This convergence acts as a highway that keeps moving debris from one patch to another.

While visiting a friend in Corpus Christi, Texas, I witnessed the effects of currents moving debris through our ocean. A raft that originated from West Africa, designed to attract Tuna, washed up on the shore, all due to the Gulf Stream! 

There is so much pollution in our oceans, and scientists estimate that about 8 million tons of plastic entered the ocean in 2010. Unfortunately, marine life mistakes the plastic for food, which can lacerate their organs and cause them to become entangled in the garbage. These large swaths of garbage also accelerate climate change because heat can cause the plastics to burn off carbon emissions.  

No matter where we are on this planet, we can profoundly affect nature.  We are all interconnected, and our actions can positively or negatively impact the world. 

Things we can do:

·     If you live near an ocean, volunteer to help clean up coastlines through Ocean Conservancy or Oceana.

·     Download Ocean Conservancy’s CleanSwell App to log the garbage you pick up on a beach or around your neighborhood.  The data helps scientists find solutions to our plastic pollution crisis.

·     Support organizations like Ocean Conservancy, 4Ocean, Oceana, or The Ocean Cleanup.

·     Ditch single-use plastic water bottles and bags for reusable water bottles and bags. 

·     Spread the word about the plastic pollution crisis. 

References:

1. Teague, Katie. 2024, April 22nd. “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch: The Floating Islands of Trash Three Times the Size of France.” www.cnet.com.

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-is-getting-worse-heres-whats-happening/

2. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “A Guide to Plastic in the Ocean.”  www.noaa.com.  https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/marinedebris/plastics-in-the-ocean.html

**Graph courtesy of www.alamy.com