THRASHED

The Great Pacific Trash Vortex

For centuries man has yearned to foul his oceans and destroy his planet. Alas, the job is nearly complete.

Most people are shocked to discover that a good portion of our garbage gets dumped in the oceans, but there it is, floating in the Pacific. The problem came to the public's attention in the 1980s after NOAA reports chronicled the practice (which, by the way, is perfectly legal and nautical maps even show where boats are to dump the trash). That was when it became popular to snip the plastic six-pack holders, so that fish wouldn't get caught in them. It didn't occur to most people that maybe we really don't need those plastic six-pack holders in the first place. And certainly not the plastics industry.

Oh, and guess what the majority of The Great Pacific Trash Vortex is filled with? Plastic. Plastic grocery bags, plastic garbage bags, plastic shampoo caps, plastic straws, plastic packaging for worthless plastic products.

To quote "The Graduate", I've got just one word for you: Plastics.

Recycling is nice and it makes me feel good about myself and it allows me to 'tsk, tsk' my neighbors who don't recycle. But it won't solve the problem. Only consumers boycotting plastic will solve this.