where does all of that garbage go? the great pacific garbage patch

Jean-Michel Cousteau, world-renowned oceanographer, shows us where massive amounts of garbage from throughout the world winds up. First in a series of three on trash, today’s post is about Marine Debris. What is Marine Debris? It’s trash left over from sea-faring activities plus land-based trash that wind up here via the North Pacific Gyre. Just what is that? “The North Pacific Gyre is a swirling vortex of water made up of four prevailing surface currents that move in a clockwise direction: the North Pacific Current, the California Current, the North Equatorial Current and the Kuroshio Current. These currents trap and concentrate debris within the gyre. Comprising most of the northern Pacific Ocean, the North Pacific Gyre covers an area of about 10 million square miles. The large amount of debris that has accumulated in this area has given the North Pacific Gyre the nickname ‘the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.’ ” TV’s, cigarette lighters, toothbrushes, pens are just some of the items washed ashore. None of these are biodegradable. Of course, birds and other marine life can swallow these items mistaking them for food or even become entrapped in underwater nets. Remember that the land and the sea are indeed connected!

sea of plastic

QUEST on KQED Public Media.

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http://oceanmotion.org/html/background/wind-driven-surface.htm
http://www.pbs.org/kqed/oceanadventures/educators/kure/debris.html
http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/