Great Pacific Garbage Patch - bigger by 25 million tons since March.

that would definately appear to be a problem for everyones future and the earth in general, did find this small cleanup effort

But, the good news is, an effort to retrieve and recycle the Texas-sized mass of junk will begin in earnest next month. Charles Moore, an oceanographer who discovered the garbage patch in 1997, explains part of the challenge: the nearly microscopic size of much of the plastic rubbish makes it difficult to collect. However, that’s not stopping an expedition of scientists and conservationists from trying to collect the larger pieces.

From the Times Online:
Because of their tiny size and the scale of the problem, he believes that nothing can be solved at sea. “Trying to clean up the Pacific gyre would bankrupt any country and kill wildlife in the nets as it went.”

In June the 151ft brigantine Kaisei (Japanese for Planet Ocean) will unfurl its sails in San Francisco to try to prove Mr Moore wrong. Project Kaisei’s flagship will be joined by a decommissioned fishing trawler armed with specialised nets.
earthfirst.com...

well done S & F for the OP. I did a thread on this ages ago...but didn't get much response.

I am glad to see you have managed to get some much needed attention in this area!!!

I am glad I work in an area that is committed to Zero Waste. Bit of a wage drop but I feel good about it!!

After I first read about it, whenever I walked my dog, I would take a bag with me and pick up bottle top lids and rubbish...especially near drains and water ways, but honestly the sheer amount of it was overwhelming and as fast as I picked it up, the next day there would be the same amount once again.

IF everyone just picked up after themselves and used bins, used recycling centres etc - it would be a start!

reply to post by Rustami

Hey, glad to see they are finally making plans to try and do something about it. Best news I've heard all day!

reply to post by Rustami


Quite the undertaking. I'm glad it's being looked at and at least hacked at a little.

this is why i hope that something big happens and causes a massive extinction event.

the people in charge of this world dont deserve to be doing so, and the populace is so dumbed down they do not care that our air, water, soil, and food are literally poisoning us to death. we cannot save ourselves and our species is done for unless we have a chance to literally start over. and secretly, you all know this to be true. i say bring on WW3 and lets start out on the right foot the 2nd time around. no kings and queens or racial divides. hopefully the next generation learns from our mistakes, since no matter what they will have to live with what we are doing right now. peak oil, water, air and land pollution, gmo, ozone depletion, fallout from nuclear reactors, etc etc etc.. i pray for my little sisters that have to deal with what our fathers did in their greed and negligence...

*Bump* for Earth Day! Think about our oceans. upcoming film called "Aqua Seafoam Shame" documenting the horrors of the Pacific Garbage Patch and finding eco-friendly alternatives to disposable plastics. pacific-tv.com...