Humans Definitely Caused This

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   nicompposted 15 years ago

   Anthropogenic global warming is nonsense, but we are at fault for this:
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Paci … bage_Patch

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      Paper Moonposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Nonsense indeed.  Wake up and smell the ozone.

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         blondepoetposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         It is indeed a disgrace on the human race.

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            B.Z. Alixandreposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            It is an ecological fact that the Earth, minus every human being, every factory, every human influence, creates more carbon emissions than we do by a significant degree.  As in millions more pounds of it.  It is also an ecological fact that global warmings and ice ages are part of the NATURAL cycle of the Earth.  Pretty much the biggest problem the Earth faces in whatever is coming by way of the global warming is losing the human race, which I highly doubt will happen.  Most of the species that don't survive it, most likely wouldn't have even if we weren't here.   I'm all for being more ecologically responsible, but I also am for being knowledgeable.  And toward that I commend this thread, since it is definitely a human fault, and therefor our problem to fix it.  Imagine though if all that waste could be utilized toward producing energy, two birds--meet the one stone!

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      2. 59

         nicompposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Ozone actually smells good. Go outside after a thunderstorm and take a deep breath. That's ozone you smell.
         
         Thanks for bringing back a wonderful childhood memory!

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2. 63

   Drew Breezzyposted 15 years ago

   uh yuck!

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3. 71

   earnestshubposted 15 years ago

   I'm horrified by this!

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4. 63

   emievilposted 15 years ago

   I read the article. It's scary to think about the time when all those garbage will be like 50% (or even 100%!) of the Pacific Ocean.

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5. 74

   glendoncabaposted 15 years ago

   There goes my jerk fish.  Man I dont wanna go back to red meat diet.

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6. 74

   glendoncabaposted 15 years ago

   global warming btw is I believe a natural solar phenomenon exploited by the new world order/global elite to control world trade.  Nevertheless we should control/reduce toxic emissions.
   
   As a creationist I believe we should exercise responsible stewardship over the planet to sustain the environment.  Centuries of garbage is now in the fish I eat.  Yuck!!!  Nasty.

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7. 84

   Jewelsposted 15 years ago

   It really has made me rethink about what I plastic packaged items I purchase in the supermarket.  I no longer bother with bottled water and because most fruit juices are full of sugar I can't see why I'd want to buy the juice in plastic containers either.
   
   Here is a short TED video on this issue worth watching http://www.ted.com/talks/capt_charles_m … astic.html
   
   I am at a loss to be honest, as to why the plastics industry is not made accountable for this mess along with all consumers who buy plastic containers.  Plastic definitely has it's advantages but this seems a very short sighted view for the sake of convenience.

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      glendoncabaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Jewel finally we agree on something.  I prefer to eat fruits and drink water instead of buying a manufactured thing in a bottle.  Why buy bottled stuff with all those chemicals.
      
      Yet for convenience, kids, visitors etc we keep buying juice at supermarket.  Luckily right now I have a worker who uses the kitchen blender to make juice right here at home.

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         Jewelsposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah glendoncaba.  I've a juicer also.  I have no problem going back to glass and cardboard, at least it's more eco friendly.

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      B.Z. Alixandreposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I can hardly agree that the plastics industry should be made accountable for this.  Consumers, litterers, companies that use, as a policy, ocean dumping, yes.  But plastic companies are as responsible for this as fast food restaurants are responsible for over eating adolescents.  (Just to clarify, I am a consumer, I have undoubtedly littered before, and I don't verify which companies have good EPA records on waste disposal, additionally I'm obese and I definitely don't blame fast food companies for my or anybody else's obesity).  I believe that there's not enough personal responsibility in this country.  Plastics are among the top recyclable materials, in ease and cost.  And if your so angry at plastic companies, find everything you have that's plastic and try and get rid of it (donation and recycle of course).  I just hope you don't have any sort of medical implant because that would be a pain.  Oh, and try not to need to use the hospital/ambulance, public transportation (including highways and vehicles), telecommunications, or a myriad of other things. 
      
      I personally would be interested to know if anyone has any information on participating in the clean up.  That seems like an excellent opportunity.  If anyone does, let me know.

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8. 84

   Jewelsposted 15 years ago

   B.Z. Alixandre - I think you need to read again what I wrote.
   
   We can always say it was supply and demand and stop talking.  Interestingly the general public never knew how to manufacture plastic, but when it was marketed they soon learned how to get used to it.
   McDonalds are being made responsible for the excessive amount of McDonald wrappers and packaging flying around, not only the close vicinity of their restaurants but outside the vicinity of their restaurants. It does their industry no good to see their wrappers clogging up drains and gutters and ending up in waterways.  The plastics industry is making huge profits from our throw away antics. There are mismanaged rubbish collection procedures for sure plus society needs to be better educated. The plastics industry, if they are going to continue to profit at the expense of marine life, could take up a bit of the slack - what do you recon.  Just for the sake of common decency?  Ethics in business are tenuous.  Even though they are seen to be doing the right thing, often they are not.
   
   Australia has one of the best records for recycling and rubbish disposal in the world.  There is an annual Clean Up Australia day, and there has been ongoing campaigns for a cleaner environment as far back as 1975.  All towns and cities have recycling programs.  I know this is not the case in the USA and the UK are in the process of implementing it.
   
   In the beginning nobody even considered the impact of plastic on our environment. It just was not cared about.  Now it has reached mammoth proportions and it will take much more than the individual to clean up the mess.  But I will and have started with my own environmental awareness campaign, particularly when I go shopping.
   
   You may have missed where I said plastics do have their advantages, so I'm not quite sure about your reference to medical issues.  I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you care about my health and I'm not planning on needing an ambulance in the near future.

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   1. 71

      ledefensetechposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      You're confusing cause and effect.  People don't use plastic because it was "marketed" to them, they use it because it's more convenient for them to use it.  People create the demand for plastics, not the companies who make it.  That's why it is so useful.
      
      If you'd like to see an interesting article on how free markets can actually help clean stuff like that up, check out:  http://mises.org/etexts/environfreedom.pdf
      
      Make a special note of section III where they discuss the costs of disposing of different types of waste.  Basically if you want people to act more responsibly, stop socializing costs and let people pay for waste disposal themselves.  When you hit them in their pocketbook like that, their actions will change.
      
      
      
      No lazy ignorant people are responsible for littering and getting that stuff in our waterways.  By blaming the wrong people, you encourage that type of behavior.  That's a major fallacy of PC and the idea that people are not responsible for what they do.  Until we change those ideas, we'll see this sort of thing continue.
      
      
      
      Why should they have considered it a problem in the beginning?  There were no effects.  If you try to overanalyze everything in life to be perfect, you'll do nothing else with your life.  The correct time to deal with a problem is when it becomes a problem.  One of the best ways to do that is to ascertain who is personally responsible and then ask yourself how that person can be made to pay their individual share of the mess they make.

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      B.Z. Alixandreposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Once again I made an unforgivable error.  I neglected to mention that I am from the US and that my experience is largely from that point of view.  It sounds like Australia is doing good things and should be an example to many places. 
      
      All that being said, none of your argument has managed to convince me that it is the plastics companies' responsibility to take care of this.  Of course they're making a profit, and they would continue to make a profit if consumers were responsible in recycling.  Plenty of things are not made of recycled plastic.  However plastic companies are often the ones recycling plastic and turning it to new things.  Most new playground fake asphalt stuff is made of recycled materials from landfills (not from the conscientious recyclers).  It is in fact the purpose of a company to make a profit.  I know that may be shocking.  I'm hardly standing up for their ethics, I suspect any company that makes a significant profit or to have large sweeping market to have ethical deficiencies.  What I am standing up for is personal responsibility.  I'd go so far as to say that the general "popularity" of green movements has done a great deal to harm itself, because now recycled goods and such cost a hell of a lot more than they used to, making it hard for the consumer on a budget to be ecologically responsible.
      
      I agree with ledenfensetech in his supply and demand comment.  No we shouldn't stop talking at that, and if you read everything I said, you would know that I barely mentioned it.  What I said is that consumers were among those at fault.  And when I suggested you disrobe yourself of all plastic trapping, I wasn't speaking as a blow to the consumerist market, I was speaking as an indicator to how much of your personal life is impacted by plastic.  Personally the one man stand against the big bad eco-wasting doesn't impress me much. The reason I mentioned medicine is because most implants have plastics material in them, prescriptions are made and researched in facilities that rely heavily on plastics, and most of the equipment in a hospital that is not stainless steel is plastic.  Plastic is in your vehicle and in the roads.  Oh, and I know from experience as an EMT that no one ever plans on riding an ambulance.    I don't wish you poor health, certainly, I only use it as an example. 
      
      You speak of advantages of plastics being in the short term, well thats hardly true.  Perhaps the advantage of a bottled drink is short term, but the advantage of plastics is responsible for huge advancements in medicine, technology, urban development, and yes even green practices such as the development of play ground material from landfill waste.
      
      No, plastics companies are not squeaky clean, and no doubt many of them violate EPA agreements themselves, but to lie blame at their feet so non-chalantly is denying the people the opportunity to accept responsibility for their own actions and do something about it.  BTW, I too refrain from using plastic bags while shopping, and have little need for plastic bottles.  Maybe I will pat myself on the back. 
      
      Again I ask if anyone knows anything about joining the clean up crew?

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         Jewelsposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         I'll pat you on the back.  I'm not solely blaming the plastics companies, but I do want them to take a stronger stance on the clean up process and the education of people in being more responsible with recycling.  The buck doesn't stop at just one person, it's all of us.
         
         1. Here's a petition started for cleaning up the mess.
         http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ocean-clean-up-project
         
         2. Here's a meet up group re the problem.  It has a message board so you may be able to find out more. http://plastic-bottles-in-the-ocean.meetup.com/
         
         I'm having problems finding more details about what's being done. But I signed the petition so that's a start.

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9. 74

   Eaglekiwiposted 15 years ago

   Where the hell is all that crap coming from !!
   
   On currents from ????
   
   Makes me mad and ruffled my kiwi feathers .
   
   Hmmm ,probably lots  more to say on this topic .
   
   It is a global problem, partially caused by greed and so called progress.
   
   Grrrr...

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      Anti-Valentineposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      You could write a hub on it.
      
      It is sad indeed. Especially about the poor Albatross...

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      1. 74

         Eaglekiwiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Yes good idea , no wait , maybe not
         
         
         
         Things is,people are greedy,im greedy , the guy who runs the manufacturer who makes the plastic containers is greedy cuz it costs him less to produce it with plastic etc.
         More paper products , more trees have to be cut down , lose forests ...oh it goes an on an on an on....
         
         I just think we all consume ,consume ,consume.....way too much!!

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      Pearldiverposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Quite a lot of the Debris has come from Bumble Town as a result of using the Blackwater Stream to flush our rubbish into the sea.  There will be a few logs in there too!
      
      I thinkyou might find that the same is done in Christchurch as well.
      
      You shouldn't allow it to ruffle your kiwi feathers; as you only have half as many as most kiwis!

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      1. 74

         Eaglekiwiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         But didnt they say ( site posted back there) that alot in the Pacific was coming on currents from North America...
         I know ,I know , crap is crap no matter whose crap it is , but grrrrr....way too much global consumption
         
         and I am fully fledged kiwi I'll have you know
         
         and New Zealand beat Australia in the first test ..yayyyyy

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10. 67

    Anti-Valentineposted 15 years ago

    It will either all eventually end, or never end. I suppose we'll eventually go to other planets, and ruin them too. It's human nature.

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       Eaglekiwiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       True,guess we can only try our best ,and if thats not good enough ,try a lil harder

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          Anti-Valentineposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          Ah, optimism. You gotta hate it!

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             Eaglekiwiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

             Sometimes it has its advantages , other times ,its like vinegar on an open wound.
             Timing is a good thing

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    curiozitiesposted 15 years ago

    I knew there was a reason I cut up those plastic retainer thingies every time I have a six-pack.  Of course, it would help if I waited until well AFTER I enjoyed the six-pack to cut them up, and not cut them DURING said enjoyment. 

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       Eaglekiwiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Those plastic tab thingies kill birds ( cuz they get tangled up in them)

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          curiozitiesposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          And sea turtles who either try to eat them or also get tangled up in them.  That's why I cut them up.

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             Eaglekiwiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

             Good For you ...applauds that!

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