What is the issue?

Trash Island

You may ask yourself 'What's the big deal?' or 'Why should I be concerned?' Maybe you don't live anywhere near the ocean; maybe you've never even seen the ocean. However, Trash Island - better known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - is affecting the whole world, not just the North Pacific Gyre.

'But why is it bad? What is the reason that should make me care? How does this affect ME? What are the specific effects?'

1. The plastic builds up in the guts of seabirds, causing them to die of the toxins leaching from the plastic, starvation because the plastic limits the amount they can eat, or dehydration because the plastic limits the amount they can drink.

2. The plastic is eaten by small animals and fish, which are eaten by bigger fish. This fish is then caught and sold to humans across the globe to be consumed. However, just like with the seabirds, toxins have leached into the fish and is either ingested by us or causes cancers and tumors in the fish, as well as many other health problems.

3. No matter where it is that the plastic enters the ocean, it will be spread (eventually) across the globe. Pieces of plastic from India and Africa are found in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and plastic from the United States or South America are found in the Indian Ocean. This isn't a problem that can be contained.

4. It is extremely difficult to clean up. Plastic is not bio-degradable, but rather photo-degradable (broken down by sunlight). However, no matter to how much sunlight it is exposed, plastic can only be broken down so far - to tiny pieces the size of plankton; it is still plastic, but now it can be ingested by various animals.

So, despite the fact that this may not be prevalent in your life this is a major issue for today, and the world tomorrow. I mentioned the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is the main area of concern, but there are five major gyres throughout the worlds oceans (shown in the picture below), as well as some smaller ones scattered across the globe. These gyres all have their own versions of Trash Island that gathers, and traps, debris from the main oceanic currents.

(NOAA)