How many of you have heard about “The Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch”?
Well, those of you who haven’t, here’s a quick rundown:
The Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world. It’s basically a small oceanic area in between the Great Pacific Ocean that extends from California to Hawaii.
And do you know how much plastic is in there?
According to the latest sampling figures, the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch contains 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic that weigh approximately 80,000 tonnes.
And do you know what’s more concerning?
How many of you have heard about “The Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch”?
Well, those of you who haven’t, here’s a quick rundown:
The Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world. It’s basically a small oceanic area in between the Great Pacific Ocean that extends from California to Hawaii.
And do you know how much plastic is in there?
According to the latest sampling figures, the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch contains 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic that weigh approximately 80,000 tonnes.
And do you know what’s more concerning?
The plastic is accumulating in the area. While some experts believe these figures are not even the correct representation of the actual plastic accumulated in the area; the true figures could actually be higher.
The world needs something to hold on to and all that!
Sadly, it’s not just the Great Pacific Ocean that is littered with plastic. Every ocean that connects to a stream, lake, river and sea has plastic in it.
Just watch this short documentary from BBC (yes, we know it’s BBC, but hey the problem of ocean plastics is not of any one country to deal with or be concerned about) to get a much better idea of the problem we’re currently facing.
In oceans, you’ll find plastics of all sort. There are water bottles, plastic bags, plastic car parts, microplastics and every other type of plastic item that you have and haven’t come across living in this plastic world.
And these plastics are killing the underwater animals and plants.
Some are even finding their way inside human bodies as we eat the fish, the prawns, the crabs and the lobsters who had previously feasted on these plastics unwillingly.
They’re killing them and they’re killing us. And it’s high time we actually start doing something about them, rather than just talking about them.
What can you do?
You can do so much!
For starters, you can stop throwing your plastic garbage around and instead make sure you put it in the recycle bin.
If a shopkeeper gives you that plastic bag, don’t take it; ask the shopkeeper to place the items in a paper bag.
And please, be wary of your stormwater run offs.
Heavy downpours can wash off many things from your property (including microplastics) into storm drains, where these things ultimately find their way into the oceans. Install rock bags around your stormwater drains to filter the runoffs. If your backyard is directly connected with a watershed, install erosion control logs at the bottom to prevent runoffs from polluting local water bodies.
And if you live in a waterfront home, you can also install sediment control wattles on the shoreline to stop the returning waves from carrying the plastic along with them and into the ocean.
You can do a lot. It all comes down to how willing you are.
A BONUS read:What is Coir and Why You Should Use It In Your Home Garden