Atlantic Ocean Garbage Patch Discovered

Posted by Rolf Joho on June 10th, 2010 filed in What Causes Global Warming

As if the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the world’s largest garbage dump, wasn’t enough, now a garbage patch has been discovered in the Atlantic Ocean, according to Red Orbit. Specifically, it’s in the Sargasso Sea, between Bermuda and the Azores Islands, but those kinds of semantics pale in significance when compared with the petroleum-based plastics that are poisoning fish, birds and, by extension, human beings.

Within the Bermuda Triangle lies an ocean garbage patch

Apparently, not only is the Bermuda Triangle a place where lost ships and planes go, but is also a place where plastic refuse goes to die, if this newly discovered ocean garbage patch is any indication. Gulf Stream currents run toward the area, opening into regions of calm winds and seas. Unpowered ships throughout recorded history – including those in the – have experienced this rather unique peril of being stranded in the dead of the Triangle. Many sailors jumped overboard when food stores ran low and madness ran high, which may have contributed to some of the popular myths of the Bermuda Triangle. Now it only takes a loan company to finance an average consumer’s venture into science texts to see that it really isn’t mysticism.

It is very real – the environmental impact of the ocean garbage patch

Anna Cummins and Markus Eriksen told the Associated Press that they took samples every 100 miles on their recent trip across the Sargasso Sea. Once they started uncovering plastic waste from every draw of sample, they knew they had discovered “the great Atlantic garbage patch.” Nearly all of the plastic bits found were smaller than pencil erasers, but that’s more than enough to catch the attention of birds and fish.

The couple’s discovery has moved them to initiate an educational campaign in hopes to help people understand the global significance of plastic ocean pollution. Every year, ocean-born plastic waste causes the deaths of “as many as 100,000 marine mammals,” reports the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Nearly 80 percent of plastic ocean waste comes from land as well, says the United Nations Environmental Program.

Not one more plastic bottle

Commercially bottled water has been proven no safer to drink than tap water – and according to the Government Accountability Office, it could be even more dangerous in some instances. Thus, there is no good reason for anyone on Earth who has access to clean public water to continue to buy bottled water. Our season are being polluted with millions of plastic bottles that are creating an ocean garbage patch wherever major current run. This will catch up to us.

The quality of life will soon be hampered by the damage to the ecosystem and we will have to look to the stars to find an inhabitable world, since prospects for such projects as chucking the plastic into the sun is cost prohibitive. It doesn’t matter where you live, start making a difference. No more can inaction be acceptable. Look to payday loans if you cannot afford a washable thermos for water – in small amounts they can help a great deal.

Related Reading:

Global Warming: Causes, Effects, and the Future

Planet Earth is warming faster now than at any other time in the past 1,000 years, and global warming may be the greatest threat to ever face humanity. Counteracting it is our greatest challenge.

 

Mark Maslin explains what global warming is and presents incontrovertible evidence that it is really happening. He examines the impact that climate change will have on health, agriculture, water resources, coastal regions, forests, and wildlife. He also looks at the efforts being made to counteract the effects of global warming and the ways in which we can adapt.

Climate Change: Causes, Effects, and SolutionsHuman-induced climate change is a serious concern, drawing increasing attention from the media, policy makers and citizens around the world. This comprehensive and thought-provoking volume explains in easily understandable language the potential effects of climate change on our planet and our lives.

Climate Change: Causes, Effects and Solutions examines the latest scientific findings without any advanced technical knowledge. It goes beyond a description of changes in the physical environment to consider the broader issues of ecological, economic and human effects of climate change.

The book explains:

• the causes and effects of climate change from a natural and human environment perspective.
• mitigation options and policies that could reduce the impacts of climate change.
• global impacts -  with case studies are taken from North America, Europe, Australasia and elsewhere.

Essential reading for undergraduates and general readers who want to heighten their knowledge and understanding of this important problem.

What Causes Global Warming (Opposing Viewpoints)

Time (Global Warming: The Causes- The Perils- The Solutions- The Actions: What You Can Do)

Is your lunch causing global warming? Cars and factories are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions that are heating up the planet. But what you ... An article from: New York Times UpfrontThis digital document is an article from New York Times Upfront, published by Scholastic, Inc. on January 18, 2010. The length of the article is 1977 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Is your lunch causing global warming? Cars and factories are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions that are heating up the planet. But what you eat may have even more of an impact.(ENVIRONMENT)
Author: Elisabeth Rosenthal
Publication: New York Times Upfront (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 18, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Volume: 142 Issue: 8 Page: 6(6)

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