I think I should start a band with that name! It would be sort of tragic though, full of angst... and would have to entail a lot of thrashing about in faded plastic outfits. It would probably be all the rage amongst the ever growing hipster population - I could make a killing!
Then again, you could get a free show of the real deal without the $80 charge I'd insist upon at my concerts. All you need is a trusty boat, access to the north Pacific, and time to watch the ocean.
In his book "The World Without Us", Alan Weisman speaks with experts in all fields (from engineers to biologists) to paint a reasonable picture of what would happen to the world if we were to disappear. No nuclear holocaust, no mass starvation, we just simply disappear.
Unfortunately, the only infinite legacy that we can foresee leaving behind? Plastic. I understand that plastic is useful and has actually done a lot for this world. But plastic hasn't been around long enough to accurately determine the affect it's really having on ourselves or our ecosystems.
Having said that, and keeping in mind the North Pacific Gyre, I want to get down to the nitty gritty.
The problem with lightweight plastic and plastic that floats (which is all of it) is that a lot of it that isn't recycled ends up in the oceans of the world: it blows off trucks, out of landfills, drops out of your hand/purse/bag, carried by storm drains, ETC.
Then those plastics break down into smaller and smaller pieces. It is working its way up the food chain in the bellies of tiny microorganisms, fish, jellyfish, and in turn, bigger fish, that cannot pass the debris. If it's small enough, the plastic can go right through, but fish have big mouths! And then our feathered friends become victims.
Some facts, as gathered and studied by Algalita Marine Research Foundation:
- Merchant vessels toss about 639 000 pounds of plastic overboard every day.
- Around 80% of all mid-ocean, floating plastic, was originally discarded on land.
- At 1000 miles across, there is 3 million tons of plastic in the North Pacific Gyre alone (a number that was recently corroborated by the US navy) - and that's only *visible plastic on the surface*!
- There is six times the amount of plastic on the ocean's surface than plankton.
- 5.5 quadrillion (250 billion pounds) of raw plastic pellets, called 'nurdles', which are turned into water bottles, tables, combs, are manufactured annually... and are also found on beaches and in the ocean.
What is to be done?
Well first of all, find out what is recyclable in your municipality/region. I am certain that most of you will have a few plastics that your municipality isn't interested in (because for some reason, it won't make them money to pick up... disgusting!). If they don't take #5 plastic, don't buy ANYTHING in #5 plastic containers. If they don't take plastic bags, don't use ANY plastic bags.
Next step, write your Member of Parliament, and ask why your area isn't recycling certain plastics. Explain your concern. Even write your mayor.
I've been really trying to watch packaging too. Excess isn't necessary, and if something arrives in the mail in excess packaging, I let the company I ordered from know it!
These issues take some effort and obviously aren't super fun to think about, but it's necessary. Choices we're making as consumers are becoming less about being smart and more about moral imperatives - I truly believe that.
Everything finds its way to the water, and in turn, finds its way to us. Keep it in mind, folks!
You know what else is terrible? The plastic industry keeps the oil industry alive and well, thus completing the demonic loop of enviro-terrorism.
ReplyDeleteJust here's a question for you Shanner, who has time for all these letters? Especially when you don't get a response. Is the government really listening? Can one person make change?
-A
Everyone has time, it's the matter of priorities. And usually you need to be really patient for a response - most of the time, you do get one. Trust me! But I see your point.
ReplyDeleteAwareness is the first step to making changes. That's why I suggested changes you can control yourself. What you buy, what you support, what you throw away. It may seem small, but it all has an impact. And at the very least, you feel much less helpless about it all.
OH! An easier solution too, is to tell your friends. If people knew about this stuff, I hope they'd care. It's just not in their faces like everything else.
Who has time for all these letters? What?!
ReplyDeleteWell I guess you're right. When there's American Idol on, that new store to go shop at - the Jay's getting whomped again by the Yankees, the gang's going bowling or you just *have* to hit that blockbuster movie before it's gone... You're damned right - there's just no time to worry about plastic in the ocean when there's so much damned plastic in our lives keeping us distracted.
Ten minutes. Take ten minutes a day to craft a decent letter about an issue and send it out - via email or post. Ten minutes. If you don't have time to do that, you'd best re-evaluate the other things you're spending your time on; I guarantee at least one of them can comfortably go, and you'll be doing one to reduce personal cultural pollution as well as that found so plentifully in our dear ol' seas.