JACKSONVILLE, Alabama – The last thing you would want to picture in Los Angeles is the saturated filth within the city’s river accompanied with the presence of an international threat known as the “garbage patch.”
As The Borgen Project noted, the garbage patches are “problematic heap[s]of floating artificial waste” that thrive in oceans like the Pacific and account as the highest plastic-enriched pollution. What is more alarming about these patches is the fact that they originate not too far from the coast of the United States, more specifically the heavily populated state of California.
The garbage patch issue stems back to the late 1980s, when the phenomenon produced various public service announcements (PSA’s) and networking programs to help spread word of the crisis.
If fans of 90’s kid cartoons kept a close observation of the array of environmental topics “Captain Planet” and “Gullah Gullah Island” were attempting to convey, then those fans were among the very few who managed to garner some definite whim of the addressed crisis that was destroying bodies of oceans across the globe.
Yet a light touch of the issue in beloved nostalgic cartoons and accompanying media would not be enough to evoke a strong surge of awareness, resulting in minimal to no assistance in alleviating the pollution. Progressively, the aftermath has resulted in the congregation of large amounts of trash in the Pacific Ocean. Consequently, this pollution has affected many food chains.
As of August 2014, disaster has further increased. According to “NBC News,” the size of a particular garbage patch, specifically the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, has grown to cover one-hundred additional miles, and has outweighed sporadic garbage patches in other major oceans.
In recent times, individuals have stepped to the plate to enact on solutions that could potentially resolve the dire matter.
In 2014, Boyan Slat devised an effective system that could collect vast amounts of plastic debris from ocean currents. His involvement generated viral buzz for his commitment to restoring the quality to oceans after viewing “more trash than fish” at a Greek main.
The young entrepreneur has developed a solar-powered device that can obtain steady quantities of garbage. During a 2015 press conference, Slat spoke of the outlook of his progression in utilizing the device.
When questioned on whether or not governmental powers of varying nations are to blame for the crisis, Slat simply explained that everyone around the world is accountable for the disaster. Primarily, because there has been lack of appropriate attention to call upon various volunteers to help alleviate the longtime issue.
On February 19, 2015, international geologist Martin Stuchty and fellow organization McKinsey’s Center for Business and Environment announced plans to tackle the debris of plastic infiltrating ocean waters. Both Stuchty and the organization are currently engaged in deliberated talks with communities that show high interest in minimizing the garbage patches.
– Jeff Varner
Sources: NBC News, BBC, OECD Observer, McKinsey and Co.
Photo: Flickr