Plastic in Ocean | Pacific Garbage Patch

Ok here is the scoop on clean up...pardon the pun!

There really is no way to effectivly "scoop" the trash...and here is why. There is no way of discriminating what is picked up by any dragging net, so the act of net dragging could produce greater damage by removing everything that is supposed to be there. The palagic plankton and jellies are for the most part destroyed once pulled from their ocean world, so catch and release concepts don't work with plankton.
the plastic varies in size and density so it ranges from visible particles and pieces on the surface to almost microscopic particles drifting as low as 100 ft down (depends on density and size of plastic).
we would have to drag filter every inch of an area bigger than texas,and with no way of preventing plastic from drifting into an area already cleaned, it would take hundreds of passes to thoroughly clean even a football field area.

Best Solution

The best solution is to reduce the demand of plastic by reducing the moral acceptance of saving a buck in production by making a bag or bottle that lasts 500 yrs yet is used just once. There is technology out there to produce plastic that actually has a biodegradable element, but it increases cost of production so it will be hard to implement. Public awareness and outcry has been the best tool for problems like this in the past.

What can I DO?

No longer use plastic bags EVER! Instead use a reusable grocery bag or non at all. Most every grocery store sells reusable bags for cheap. As in around a few dollars. They also give you a credit when you bring in your own

Recycle! Your recycle bin should be more full than your trash can. Pick up other peoples trash.

Put water in a stainless steel bottle for drinking on the go, no plastic bottles

Voyage to the Center of the Trash

Q: Can't we just scoop up the trash?

Best Solution

What can I DO?