VBS.TV. I stumbled upon this site which has tons of interesting videos about a trip to mind-trip communist North Korea, Manila in the Philippines garbage dump and the scavengers who live on the outskirts, interviews with artists and much more. One I found especially interesting and disturbing is Toxic garbage island. Three VBS.TV crew members travel with Charles Moore seven days sailing into the middle of the Pacific Ocean, so so far away from any people or land where the current circulate back around and keep things in, a vortex filling with plastic. You see the crew getting cabin fever for days and then they finally get to there destination, where millions of small particles of plastic(every part of the coke bottle) are floating in the ocean so very many miles from where any human is. The thing is that plastic never leaves it just keeps getting smaller, breaking down to tiny molecules. It doesn't go away ever; no biodegrading. Animals and fish are eating it and then it comes back to us. We unwrap the animals or fish from plastic and then eat the plastic inside them. great...
I remember the first time I traveled outside the USA. I went to Cozumel, Mexico with one of my best friends and her family. I was so young, 17 and so excited. We stayed on the sheltered side of the island facing the mainland at a beautiful villa. On day we took a trip to the other side of the island the open ocean facing side. It was picturesque the turquoise water, palm trees, the breeze was blowing but then all over the white sand beach was litter, plastic washing up from the sea. I started to pick it up but there was just so much. I tried to ask about it. I was told it was from the cruise ships but we are all to blame. That was over ten years ago and what am I doing differently? I can't claim ignorance anymore. Our system now is so set up for plastic we need to change our infrastructure. You use plastic for such a short amount of time but then it is around literally forever. The mind set is that it is disposble, no problem throw it. I think people are slowly becoming more aware but the garbage/recycle man comes every week to take it away from your house so you don't have to think about it so much. Also in America we have been recycling for years and is becoming the norm for so many. I think we are trying to change, there is alot of talk about being green and maybe one positive of this economic slump will help us rethink what we really need. Living in Turkey they use way less stuff, less wrapping, buy less stuff and reuse alot more but their consumption is on the way up , so many plastic bags and you can only drink bottled water in most cities. They want it and other countries want a consumer lifestyle. Some plastics can be great but others leach toxins into our bodies and the enviroment and never leave. Also it is petroleum based- same thing that gas is made from- that is strange.
here's a little more from the surfrider foundation
This video affected me hope you check it out...
