Hawaiian beach turning into plastic

reply to post by space cadet

If earth shook us all off like fleas right now it would only be fair.

Indeed it would... A very poignant comment indeed!!

I wish more people would see it as you do.

What I am trying to understand is why a very simple and logical solution hasn't already been implemented.

Recycle it! That beach is so full of plastic that it would be a simple task to separate it and use it for new materials instead of just creating more plastic. Hardly a week goes by that I am not admonished to 'recycle your garbage', but here the ecosystem of the planet is actually gathering a recyclable product for us and no one is using it.

That beach and the floating plastic island could be used to benefit people and the problems of pollution could be minimized at the same time. And the entire operation, if we are to believe the claims of those who want us to recycle, would produce a profit to boot.

Something is wrong with this picture...

TheRedneck

reply to post by TheRedneck

And the entire operation, if we are to believe the claims of those who want us to recycle, would produce a profit to boot.

I'm not sure that it would... It is one thing to have millions of people, who live in city’s, separate the rubbish for you so that it is ready for collection by an existing waste management infrastructure... But a remote beach with nothing in place would involve far more effort and would not be economically viable... And sadly that’s what it comes down to in this world.

If it was gold drifting up onto the beach it would be clean in a week

reply to post by Muckster

So what you[re saying is that recyclable plastic is so worthless that it isn't even worth paying to have it separated?

No, I'm not picking on you. You're probably right. I just wanted to make that observation.

Great story, seriously. Things like this have to be brought to the public attention. I have said for many years that when man disposes of waste, it creates a toxic dumping site full of noxious odors and unfit for humans to live near. When nature does it, we flock there in droves and call it a 'beach'.

Now apparently we are even overloading nature's ability to clean up our filth.

You are also probably right in that, if it were gold, it would be clean as a whistle! But I'll add, if it were CO2, there would be a massive government taxation system to tax as many people as possible so they could point it out to more people.

THIS is pollution. THIS is harming the planet.

TheRedneck

I haven't read all the posts on this thread yet...but as far as bacteria that eat plastics, the nightmare would be in containing these bacteria. Imagine the havoc if plastic-eating bacteria were reproducing freely in your home...happily consuming everything made of plastic that you own.

Originally posted by Muckster
reply to post by space cadet

 

If earth shook us all off like fleas right now it would only be fair.

Indeed it would... A very poignant comment indeed!!

I wish more people would see it as you do.

Well that's not how it works, at least for the last two hundred million years or so. Just shaking off is no fun, if we'd continue business as usual, we'd end up being few evolved scavenging mutant human-cockroaches scattered across former civilisation eating our own radioactive dirt. The species would not just suddenly vanish, it would be a long and painful process in which we fail to adapt to our own man-made environment. And, after couple of million years earth would look like as if no intelligent species ever lived there .

But that's not gonna happen, because we're not that irresponsible and dumb... Probably.

Originally posted by Muckster
news.bbc.co.uk...
The human race seriously needs to cut down on its dependence on plastics!!

We already have a more ecofriendly substitute for plastic. It's from japan called elastic water or aqua material something.

Japanese scientists create elastic water

This is horrible.

Where i live, South Australia, the government has banned disposable plastic shopping bags,we all have to bring our own carry bags to the supermarket, awesome idea and it's really not inconvenient once you are used to it!
They also pay a 10c deposit return for every single plastic, glass and aluminium drink container.

People should campaign for their local government/council to do the same.

I read just the other day, that the Pepsi corporation is coming up with a new thing. In the Bloomberg business week magazine, they had Pepsi's plan to make litter green. They are creating dream machines that will make empty bottles worth reward points. You can go to: greenopolis.com and find out more. Even Coca cola is starting to do it as well. The only problem I had with it, is that they dont believe any more in bottle redemptions. I believe every state should do bottle redemptions, if people are lazy and throw them beside of the road, then the poor folks can still pick them up and cash them in for 5 cents a can or bottle. But I think that for States without redemptions the machines will be great. It will help cut back on the plastic, every wheres.

reply to post by Muckster


The vast majority of it most likely comes from China, Taiwan, Indonesia, but mostly China. Western countries have refined trash dumping and we are starting to really focus on recycling.. dumping huge barges of garbage into the sea (along with raw sewage and factory run off) is a habit that is chronic in countries like China.. we either need to teach them how to manage themselves, or refuse to deal with them.

Ugh, sadly this is news that needs to be spread throughout and to everyone we know. Our species is indeed a destructive one..when will we wake up and realize this?

Thanks for the post, man!

Originally posted by star in a jar
An bacteria has been discovered that can digest plastics and break it down but I'm not sure of the name of that particular bacteria but I know that some people don't want this information to be known for some reason. The latest that I know about this is a student who, after noting how some plastics degraded in the compost, isolated an certain bacteria to prove this bacteria could degrade plastics, and won an award at the science fair he competed in. I have not heard of him or his work since.

No bacteria has ever been "discovered" that can break down plastic. Plastic doesn't exist in nature and obviously nature would have no niche for bacteria that feed on something that doesn't exist.

The Bacteria you're referring to was genetically engineered. They have also created bateria that can eat oil to clean up after a ocean spill. Neither of these will ever be released into the world because you would lose control once they get out there. No one wants an infection eating the soda aisle of a Kroger store or the Saudi Arabian oil reserves being digested.

Originally posted by Rockpuck
reply to post by Muckster

 

The vast majority of it most likely comes from China, Taiwan, Indonesia, but mostly China. Western countries have refined trash dumping and we are starting to really focus on recycling.. dumping huge barges of garbage into the sea (along with raw sewage and factory run off) is a habit that is chronic in countries like China.. we either need to teach them how to manage themselves, or refuse to deal with them.

Really? I know plenty of Americans who are slobs and pollute the ocean, lakes, and land. I think it's our species as a whole.

reply to post by Muckster


Just plastic?

reply to post by Muckster


I have to say that the video made me laugh in a way, it's basically the ocean saying "Hey you!!! It's your #! Deal with it!"

Originally posted by GorehoundLarry

Originally posted by Rockpuck
reply to post by Muckster

 

The vast majority of it most likely comes from China, Taiwan, Indonesia, but mostly China. Western countries have refined trash dumping and we are starting to really focus on recycling.. dumping huge barges of garbage into the sea (along with raw sewage and factory run off) is a habit that is chronic in countries like China.. we either need to teach them how to manage themselves, or refuse to deal with them.

Really? I know plenty of Americans who are slobs and pollute the ocean, lakes, and land. I think it's our species as a whole.

That when the authorities (directly or indirectly) of the first world countries it self don't pay a shady company to drop containers of crap into the middle of the ocean which eventually end up in a beach of country that no ones bother to check. And trust me this happens a lot more than we think.

I bet that if you take a closer look in those "debris" you will see a lot of Made in USA, Made in China, Made in Japan and so on.

Just sad...

It makes me realize again, that the only way the earth can be restored to it's natural beauty, is for massive change and reset in the form of some sort of 'cataclysm.'

Could have you not posted the same story from a different news source site?

BBC isnt trust worthy.

Originally posted by Agent_USA_Supporter
Could have you not posted the same story from a different news source site?

BBC isnt trust worthy.

Hmmmmm...why would you even question this story at all?

I live on the Mississippi coast, and all it takes is a stroll on the beach here, to see how this could very easily be happening in Hawaii. I was just walking on the beach last Thursday, and commented to my husband about all the plastic crap that was apparent when the tide was low. It was everywhere! It was mingled in with all sorts of goodies left over from Katrina. Hunks of road, roofing materials....etc I imagine in a few days it will have a nice slick of oil, as well.

Sadly, I'm sure most beaches in the world show this kind of disgrace.

reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter


I have no problem with BBC news... for me its Fox news that i believe are biased and untrustworthy... I guess it’s just a personal view point!

Here is some other stuff about the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” from other sources...

Nothing directly related to the particular beach from my OP... but none the less it highlights the problem of that entire area.

Thanks.


Drownin g in plastic

garbagepatch.org

Mapping Plastic Pollution

Sea of Trash

oceanic vortex

deepseanews.com

Garbage Patch Swells

Woman tackles 'Great Garbage Patch'

Scientists study huge plastic patch



[edit on 25-4-2010 by Muckster]