One plastic bag at a time:
In the broad expanse of the northern Pacific Ocean, there exists the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, a slowly moving, clockwise spiral of currents created by a high-pressure system of air currents. The area is an oceanic desert, filled with tiny phytoplankton but few big fish or mammals. Due to its lack of large fish and gentle breezes, fishermen and sailors rarely travel through the gyre. But the area is filled with something besides plankton: trash, millions of pounds of it, most of it plastic. It's the largest landfill in the world, and it floats in the middle of the ocean.
The gyre has actually given birth to two large masses of ever-accumulating trash, known as the Western and Eastern Pacific Garbage Patches, sometimes collectively called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The Eastern Garbage Patch floats between Hawaii and California; scientists estimate its size as two times bigger than Texas [source: LA Times]. The Western Garbage Patch forms east of Japan and west of Hawaii. Each swirling mass of refuse is massive and collects trash from all over the world. The patches are connected by a thin 6,000-mile long current called the Subtropical Convergence Zone. Research flights showed that significant amounts of trash also accumulate in the Convergence Zone.
It's the world's biggest landfill and it's in the Pacific Ocean.
4 comments:
whatever life form evolves to eat our waste will take over this planet someday.
Damn and double damn. No arctic ice cap, but we'll be able to walk across the pacific.
(If you feel a need to sing this, try the verse part of the tune "Sweet Betsy from Pike." You can even make up your own line to go between verses, although personally, I'd refrain...)
The Northern Pacific Subtropical Gyre:
Containing our garbage, it doesn't inspire.
Amassing much plastic, provoking our ire,
This Northern Pacific Subtropical Gyre.
The Greater Pacific Trash Throwaway Patch
Is larger than Texas (less toxic, though, natch).
Go fish in the middle, who knows what you'll catch
Within the Pacific Trash Throwaway Patch.
Expanding, accreting, the rubbish revolves;
Polluting our ocean, it never dissolves:
For making this mess, nothing ever absolves...
Revolting, around us this rubbish revolves.
All Texans, acquainted with piles of manure,
Prefer it to plastic discarded, for sure:
Those plastics forever and ever endure;
We'll stick with our piles of organic manure.
- SB the YDD
Oh well done, Steve!! (Wild applause, cheering)
I am honored to have this trash strew plastic bobbing doggerel!
Post a Comment