Sunday, March 28, 2010

Why Plastic Litter Must Stop



Recent storms brought an increase in driftwood to Wellfleet’s beaches. From one week to the next, we were able to observe how sand would bury weathered branches and boards, at the foot of the dune, above.

Flotsam refers to cargo on a ship, washed or blown overboard during a storm at sea.

Jetsam refers to stuff that is deliberately thrown overboard, for instance to help save a ship from sinking.

I’m not sure what the correct term is for plastic objects that end up in the ocean. 25% of this trash is debris from ships, but 75% of it comes from land-based sources, ie. you and me. Last week Beth Terry, at Fake Plastic Fish, posted a David Letterman interview with Captain Charles Moore, the seaman who discovered the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” The points raised are chilling. Do take a listen and spread the word.

When Michelle Obama is done with obesity, I think she needs to bring back the litterbug campaign of the Sixties, when Smokey the Bear was recruited to remind litterbugs that “every little bit hurts” because this plastic litter is being consumed by fish, and ultimately by humans, when they eat fish ….
Posted by Alexandra Grabbe at 8:27 AM

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Zuleme · 781 weeks ago

Here when the snow melts litter appears along the road sides. And then there is an organized volunteer effort that in one day, walks the roads with bags and picks everything up. It's a nice thing to see.
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marthaandme 42p · 781 weeks ago

Oh, it's awful, isn't it? I remember seeing some wash ashore in Hawaii, thinking how it utterly ruined that beautiful beach we were on. We see it in the lake where my parents have a house as well. The house is on the western side and everything washes up on the west shore. The morning after the 4th of July you wouldn't believe the amount of awful junk leftover from firecrackers that ends up on the shore.
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Frugal Kiwi · 781 weeks ago

I've been reading about that big garbage patch. Horrifying.

And thanks for clearing up flotsam and jetsam. My darling man and I were trying to remember the difference between the two only a few days ago whilst walking on the beach and then forgot to look it up when we got home!
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Alisa · 781 weeks ago

I think littering needs more than a campaign. We need to address the source--the reasons people do it in the first place. Sure some people are just lazy slobs. But I used to live out in a remote area where a lot of people dumped their trash. This perplexed me for a while because it seemed as if people were going out of their way to dump stuff there--tires, old washing machines, you name it. It occurred to me that many of these people were trying to avoid paying landfill and trash hauling fees. Somehow we need to create financial incentives that get people to do the right things and financial punishments (severe ones) for people who do the wrong thing.
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anjuli · 781 weeks ago

It is very sad with all the littering. I agree - something needs to be done about it.
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Kerri · 781 weeks ago

I hate it when I'm walking on our beautiful road and someone has littered it with plastic cups, pizza boxes, or styrofoam!
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Kris · 780 weeks ago

The thing is, if we're EATING sustainably, and aware of our diet, we're also eliminating plastic packaging! So in a roundabout way, a push for healthier lifestyles also helps this issue.
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Alexandra · 780 weeks ago

Yes, Kris. I hate all the plastic wrapped around everything in local stores. I try to shop at the health food store, or veggie shop, but that means traveling 20 minutes down the road. When you live in a town with an open-air market, it is possible to get away from plastic more easily. I really miss the markets of France, I must say.
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Roxanne · 780 weeks ago

There is a writer I follow in FB who just got a grant to visit and write about the garbage patch. It's so sad. I keep reusable bags in my car, and I try VERY hard to remember to bring them inside stores. When I forget, I usually refuse the plastic and just carry my items (if there are only a few) back to the car.
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chezsven 82p · 780 weeks ago

Jennifer M. emailed this comment: I agree that plastic litter is a HUGE problem. HUGE. It's so easy NOT to get a bag (that goes for paper bags too). I love your suggestion of having Michelle Obama take up the rallying cry. I really worry we are polluting ourselves out of existence.
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Sheryl · 780 weeks ago

There's nothing worse than finding trash from people who just don't care littering up beautiful environments. I get crazy when I see someone toss garbage out a car window or just into the street.
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Jesaka Long · 780 weeks ago

It's ridiculous that 75% of the waste on the shore is from my land-dwelling people! That is sickening. Just before I moved from Seattle, there was a vote to charge people for using plastic grocery bags. It didn't pass--and I'm glad because it would have hurt those with low income. But still, I do like the effort to push people away from using plastic. And with all the re-usable canvas bags available, there's no excuse.
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