Scientists Found a Second Giant Garbage Patch in the Pacific!

originally posted by: TEOTWAWKIAIFF
May 2012 – Plastic now outweighs plankton in the ocean.

Well, obviously the answer is to genetically modify plankton to be larger--and maybe to eat plastic?

Someone asked the question, “Are you mad? How mad?” the other day... Yeah, I’m pretty f# mad right about now.

Anybody else have a realistic approach? Anybody else PO’d about humans being stupid enough to make two of these in our ocean?

I don't know if I'm mad or not--I'm disappointed that we haven't had ways to recycle plastics since the inception of the material, so the accumulation of those non-recyclable years is a big part of this. I'm not mad about that, but it is disappointing and unfortunate.

I am mad, I suppose, at people who choose not to recycle out of sheer laziness and disregard for the negative effects of not doing so. But then again, a lot of people who I know that recycle do a lot of other bad things for the environment, so I guess it depends on which day of which month of which year that it is which will determine that which I will be the most angry about.

But, alas, I don't dislike plastic at all--what I do dislike, though, is that our society has become one that doesn't make anything to last anymore. We are a wasteful society, and in being so, we do this to our planet. I in no way subscribe to the belief that this is going to kill off the ocean and we're all going to die because of it, but it does seem to be a problem that can greatly be reduced through building better products that aren't tossed away in a month, and through being better stewards of our environment at the individual level, like recycling and reusing things.

But no, I'm not "pretty f# mad right about now" because most of it is beyond my control, and I try not to let things beyond my control throw me into a massive fit of rage.

I'm not always successful, but I'm trying.

a reply to: Plotus

a reply to: Mikehawk

‘Garbage patches’ are found in the world’s oceans wherever there is a gyre. The Pacific is not the only place in the world’s oceans where you will find a concentration of plastic; ‘garbage patches’ also exist in the other four major gyres of the oceans: in the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, South Pacific and Indian Oceans, and in several smaller gyres such as the North Pacific Subpolar Gyre, mentioned above.

The currents in the gyre suck in floating material from around the periphery and trap it in the centre. The waves and currents break up the plastic into smaller and smaller pieces, but it never goes away. The gyre is like a huge processing machine – continuously taking in large pieces of plastic and grinding them up into smaller pieces. But it’s a machine with no output, so it is gradually clogging up with plastic.

surfscience.org - Marine litter and ocean currents.

I'm learning as I go along too!

The surfscience article is really interesting. The amount of energy carried around by the current from wind and heat is in the range of petawatts! Maybe thebadcabbie was onto something with his OTEC thread.

The Gyres are really interesting and puts it all in perspective.

a reply to: openyourmind1262

My bad. But you get idea its "that kind of feeling"

Hey here is some good news. Major manufactures as Nestle, Coca Cola,Pepsi and Toyota are designing plant based plastics! Yay!!
I would like to see hemp used as a source because of it's availability and strength.

Nestle and the soda peeps have been inundated over the years with complaints of plastic manufacturing. There is hope that we still have a voice.

Let's flag this thread so it can make front page and add to the awareness of both problem and some good solution ideas.

100% Plant-Based PET Bottle Wars Heat Up March 3, 2017 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle biobased PET plastic bottleThe world’s two largest bottled water companies, Danone and Nestlé Waters, have teamed up with a California startup to develop and launch at commercial scale a PET plastic bottle made from 100 percent bio-based material. The joint effort of Danone, Nestlé Waters and Origin Materials, called the NaturALL Bottle Alliance, aims make the technology, which the partners say will enable a 100 percent renewable and recyclable bottle, available to the entire food and beverage industry “in record time.” It come as other multi-nationals including Coca-Cola and Toyota are also racing to produce 100 percent plant-based plastics at commercial scale — a target that has thus far eluded manufacturers.

The market for bio-based PET is projected to reach $13 billion by 2023, according to a market research report. Last summer Toyota Tsusho, the Toyota Group’s trading arm, invested an undisclosed amount in sustainable technology company Anellotech, which is working to make 100 percent bio-based PET plastic. And in 2015, Coca-Cola and Virent produced the world’s first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant materials — but at demonstration scale. Coca-Cola has been producing partially bio-based PlantBottle since 2009, a product comprised of 30 percent plant materials. The newly formed NaturALL Bottle Alliance project uses non-edible biomass feedstocks, such as previously used cardboard and sawdust. The partners say the bio-based PET will be as lightweight, transparent, recyclable and protective of the product as petroleum-based PET. Danone and Nestlé Waters are providing expertise and teams, as well as financial support to Origin Materials, although the companies did not disclose their investment amount.

Origin Materials has already produced samples of 80 percent bio-based PET in its pilot plant in Sacramento, the companies say. Construction of a “pioneer plant” will begin in 2017, with production of the first samples of 60-plus percent biobased PET to start in 2018. The initial volume goal for this first step is to bring 5,000 metric tons of bio-based PET to the market. The alliance aims to develop the process for producing at least 75 percent bio-based PET plastic bottles at commercial scale as early as in 2020, scaling up to 95 percent in 2022. The partners say they will continue to conduct research to increase the level of bio-based content, with the objective of reaching 100 percent.

“Our goal is to establish a circular economy for packaging by sourcing sustainable materials and creating a second life for all plastics,” said Frederic Jouin, head of R&D for plastic materials at Danone, in a statement. “We believe it’s possible to replace traditional fossil materials with bio-based packaging materials. By teaming up and bringing together our complementary expertise and resources, the Alliance can move faster in developing 100 percent renewable and recyclable PET plastic at commercial scale.”

edit on 2pmf31473531 by waftist because: (no reason given)

I became obsessed with this issue about a year ago. It's just sickening what humans are doing to this planet.

Check this out... A kid came up with this idea...

ocean cleanup

The Ocean Cleanup is developing a passive system, using the ocean currents as its driving force to catch and concentrate the plastic. By suspending a large sea anchor in a deep, slow moving water layer, we can slow down the system enough so that the plastic moves faster than the cleanup system. This will cause the plastic to accumulate against the cleanup system.

The Ocean Cleanup develops advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. A full-scale deployment of our systems is estimated to clean up 50 % of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 5 years.

I sure hope this works, simple but brilliant !

a reply to: Mikehawk

Read the surfscience article. It is very interesting. Giving e hope about science keeping an eye on this and pondering too on how to address. Lots of info in the article.

a reply to: SlapMonkey

The fact there is one is bad enough. Two, makes me sad. The "self-destructive" nature in humans is a wonder sometimes.

And now I have it associated with Lewis Carroll,
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves,
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe...



a reply to: waftist

The plastic in the Gyres will not breakdown. We will still have to do something about it.

Hemp oil would be a wonderful substitute for petroleum! Maybe one day the dinosaurs will die off and a reasonable approach to a plant will become the law... who am I kidding, like Mikehawk said, people suck.

Thanks for trying to cheer me up!



a reply to: horseplay

Kind of like my ramp idea but under water!!

Thanks for the link and info!

It's just OSCAR the GROUCH's cruise ship dudes...

a reply to: DanteGaland

The interest in plastic and ocean currents started when 28,000 plastic toys washed overboard during a storm.

They found rubber duckies, "red beavers, green frogs and blue turtles" (surfscience.org article).

Therefore, 'twas Ernie's buddy! And not the one doing the pigeon!

originally posted by: Plotus
Wonder how much the floating trash changes sea temperatures ?

That's a very interesting point. I'd assume from personnel experience with plastic is that it does seem to hold some heat. Or maybe it might be more reflective than the water.
This should be something that scientists look into with grant money. More important than working out if ducks quacks echo.

originally posted by: TEOTWAWKIAIFF
a reply to: testingtesting

Or turn it back to plastics. It is already ground up.

There are some smaller sea creatures actually using the one in he North for shelter.

a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

Maybe that is why we seem to be "trapped" here. We are banned from space until we clean up our room.

CO2, atmospheric soot, plastic islands the size of US states, oil spills, nuclear waste,... yeah, I'd keep the dirty monkeys from trashing our neck of the woods too!

I suspect that is true to a degree. I don't think we'll have the ability to do certain things until some lessons, in many cases harsh ones, are learned.

a reply to: horseplay

The info at their website is inspiring!

It makes sense. Treat the capture system like a large chunk of plastic. Let it float around the Gyre following all the other plastic. Have surface floaters capturing plastics while sea life swim underneath. Have underwater anchors that can be positioned around where needed. Then add more as needed!

YAY!

It simple to understand. It is also high-tech enough of a system to monitor ocean currents and adjust. And is low tech enough to not be expensive.

I will be watching their test in 2018!

originally posted by: waftist
Hey here is some good news. Major manufactures as Nestle, Coca Cola,Pepsi and Toyota are designing plant based plastics! Yay!!
I would like to see hemp used as a source because of it's availability and strength.

Nestle and the soda peeps have been inundated over the years with complaints of plastic manufacturing. There is hope that we still have a voice.

Let's flag this thread so it can make front page and add to the awareness of both problem and some good solution ideas.

100% Plant-Based PET Bottle Wars Heat Up March 3, 2017 by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle biobased PET plastic bottleThe world’s two largest bottled water companies, Danone and Nestlé Waters, have teamed up with a California startup to develop and launch at commercial scale a PET plastic bottle made from 100 percent bio-based material. The joint effort of Danone, Nestlé Waters and Origin Materials, called the NaturALL Bottle Alliance, aims make the technology, which the partners say will enable a 100 percent renewable and recyclable bottle, available to the entire food and beverage industry “in record time.” It come as other multi-nationals including Coca-Cola and Toyota are also racing to produce 100 percent plant-based plastics at commercial scale — a target that has thus far eluded manufacturers.

The market for bio-based PET is projected to reach $13 billion by 2023, according to a market research report. Last summer Toyota Tsusho, the Toyota Group’s trading arm, invested an undisclosed amount in sustainable technology company Anellotech, which is working to make 100 percent bio-based PET plastic. And in 2015, Coca-Cola and Virent produced the world’s first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant materials — but at demonstration scale. Coca-Cola has been producing partially bio-based PlantBottle since 2009, a product comprised of 30 percent plant materials. The newly formed NaturALL Bottle Alliance project uses non-edible biomass feedstocks, such as previously used cardboard and sawdust. The partners say the bio-based PET will be as lightweight, transparent, recyclable and protective of the product as petroleum-based PET. Danone and Nestlé Waters are providing expertise and teams, as well as financial support to Origin Materials, although the companies did not disclose their investment amount.

Origin Materials has already produced samples of 80 percent bio-based PET in its pilot plant in Sacramento, the companies say. Construction of a “pioneer plant” will begin in 2017, with production of the first samples of 60-plus percent biobased PET to start in 2018. The initial volume goal for this first step is to bring 5,000 metric tons of bio-based PET to the market. The alliance aims to develop the process for producing at least 75 percent bio-based PET plastic bottles at commercial scale as early as in 2020, scaling up to 95 percent in 2022. The partners say they will continue to conduct research to increase the level of bio-based content, with the objective of reaching 100 percent.

“Our goal is to establish a circular economy for packaging by sourcing sustainable materials and creating a second life for all plastics,” said Frederic Jouin, head of R&D for plastic materials at Danone, in a statement. “We believe it’s possible to replace traditional fossil materials with bio-based packaging materials. By teaming up and bringing together our complementary expertise and resources, the Alliance can move faster in developing 100 percent renewable and recyclable PET plastic at commercial scale.”

Yes, there are solutions. It's important to get big money behind it to do it, and I'd say those companies are a significant start.

a reply to: Mikehawk

I live in Michigan. I do not dump any plastic in the ocean. I should not and do not feel responsible for this.

Saying that I should not use plastic is silly, I either throw it away or recycle it. Either way if it ends up in the ocean something is wrong with the disposal chain, and it isn't on my end.

Better not eat anything out of the oceans, especially stuff like mussels, if you buy 1 sack of mussels, it's filled with thousands of tiny plastic parts... which gets even in your bloodstream..
www.theguardian.com...

They can make plastic that decay's pretty fast.. but no lets use plastic that takes hundreds of years decaying.. lets screw nature and eventually ourselves, we are good at that!

this is nothing, this is not affecting us at all, why bring it up ? we have a bigger problem and Al Gore told us so, so did the Paris accord, global S# and the global what ever is more important, it is making the sea more acidic which is more concerning

by the way why isn't fkng Al gore talking about this? maybe no money out of it?

originally posted by: waftist
Hey here is some good news. Major manufactures as Nestle, Coca Cola,Pepsi and Toyota are designing plant based plastics! Yay!!

Governments should make it a law that only plant based plastics are allowed when they succeed.. Company's just don't care, and when it's more expensive then ''normal'' plastic they will not even consider using it most likely.

It's the same with allot of packaging, many many packaging are not recyclable, many got many different layers of different materials which you only can burn, not recycle.

Sigh... unfortunately, we (using computers to communicate) are all complicit. As we in the West won't forgo our conveniences and comforts, and cannot at this point, then I think the only answer is better tech... and education, as always.

Biodegradable plastic replacements and bio-engineered bacteria hungry for plastics seem an answer, though I fear we would screw that up, too, and create worse problems.

But soon we'll be able to move to another pristine planet... sigh.

This is why everyone should be MADE to drink tap water. If you HAD to drink it, you'd complain enough that your water utility would 'clean their act up'.

When I was young we didn't drink water from bottles.

LOL

a reply to: Snarl

Really bottled water didn't become a "thing" until about 20 years ago. What's sad is most of it is tap water. They're not getting the water from a glacier or spring like so many of them claim.

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

They should wait till it gets even bigger and then nuke it.... that is actually pretty efficient!

a reply to: combatmaster

You forgot the "...from space part"!!

With Fukushima still going like the Energizer Bunny, we are kind of nuking it!

Great...!!!!

Radioactive plastic beads from h3ll!