Great Pacific Garbage Patch (And 5 Other Floating Rubbish Dumps In Our Oceans)

[wildwood]

There are heaps of people who are not aware that there are 5 floating rubbish dumps in our oceans, the biggest being larger than the size Texas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTurihxSTnI

[Prudie]

That's heartbreaking wildwood, is anyone/can we do something about it?

[beso]

It isn't just the big pieces that are a worry. The oceans have vast quantities of fine broken down plastic particles whose ultimate effect on the ecosystem is not well understood.

[bibblebub]

the plastic ducks have been useful http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/what-can-28000-rubber-duckies-lost-at-sea-teach-us-about-

[naomi24]

Wildwood, well done for posting this. It's a subject close to my heart.

[heathfield]

Over time, however long, plastics will break down into their individual molecules. They then break down no further. Every such synthetic molecule ever produced is still around.

[ladybirder]

Breaks my heart and makes me so bl00dy angry at the same time.

[AB Editor]

Morning,

I've edited the title and content of the question because I'm not sure why it was addressed to me.

I was aware of these nasty plastic islands - they're one of the many interesting effects we've had on the planet which most resemble changing the actual geography of the place. So often all we think we leave are footprints... collectively it's more like a swift kick to mother nature's supine form :)

http://sprinterlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/311421_2258664379972_1049268584_4361693_87721722_n.jpg

[heathfield]

I remember reports from trans-Atlantic yachtsmen back in the 1960s that they had observed soot particles on the water surface in mid-ocean.

[boxtops]

appalling. I remember reading about this from one of the people who rowed across the ocean - can't remember which one - but they encountered one of these floating rubbish-dumps.

[wildwood]

AB Editor. It was merely a polite request to see if this could be left here, instead of being shifted to its proper category; Environment, which does not get many views.

Your cartoon is exactly to the point and very much like my intention to highlight how we treat this planet.