The document discusses the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is a large area of concentrated plastic pollution in the North Pacific Ocean. It is estimated to contain over 100 million tons of plastic trash that has been trapped there by ocean currents. Most of the plastic is unable to biodegrade and remains in the ocean indefinitely. This plastic pollution has negative effects on wildlife as marine animals often mistake the small plastic pieces for food, which can lead to choking, entanglement, or suffocation. The document outlines some actions that can help address this problem, such as reducing single-use plastics, cleaning up beaches, and supporting organizations working on environmental cleanup efforts.

1. Commotion in the Ocean: Reducing the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Chris Califano! Psychology Major TAT Minor CHHS 302-01 Natasha Oehlman April 25, 2011

2. Introduction 70% water 5 gyres -North Pacific Gyre 100 million tons of trash sucked into continual vortex

3. (aka) Great Pacific Garbage Patch Orbicular winds – whirlpool Incoming pollution becomes trapped. 80% plastic -Can’t biodegrade -No bacteria

4. Plastic, plastic everywhere Photo degradation - UV rays cause photons to break down molecules -Takes foreeevvveerrr - Gets smaller and smaller

5. Stats YEARS ITEM

6. What’s the problem?! Animals mistake these small pieces of plastic for food Plastic bags can resemble jellyfish 3 leading causes of death – choking, entanglement, and suffocation

7. Causes Gyre holds debris once spewed out by North America, Asia, and the Hawaiian islands. Correlation- Asia and United States are highest polluting countries Ship spillage Nurdles Plastic  landfills  incinerated   Dumped into oceans Plastics disperse non-bio-degradable pollutants and make their way into marine ecosystems

8. Marine Pollution

9. Effects Garbage Patch is increasing more and more each year. Between 2005-2008 sample of plastic particles had doubled. 6 times more plastic than plankton. Marine animals at risk. Plastic can get into our food chain.

10. What we can do… Recycle, reduce, reuse Clean up beaches Monitoring trash Environmental Cleanup Coalition Volunteer at aquariums – get educated! Contact product management systems -biodegradable plastics -plastics that don’t have toxic materials

11. NO!

12. YES!

13. References Cookson, C. (2003). Recycling resolutions. Retrieved from http://www.fvrd.bc.ca/InsidetheFVRD/MeetingsAgendasMinutes/AirQualityandEnvironmentManagement/Archived%20Agendas/2010%2003%2002%20Environment%20Committee/item%206.2%20-3%20Email%20re%20Recycling.pdf Marks, Kathy. (2008, February 5). The world’s rubbish dump: a garbage tip that stretches from hawaii to japan. Retrieved from http://teachers.oregon.k12.wi.us/sundstrom/Environmental%20Science/Outcome%204/Pacific%20Garbage%20Heap%20Reading.pdf Moore, C. (2006, November 7). Defending our oceans. Retrieved from http://weblog.greenpeace.org/oceandefenders/archive/2006/11/whats_a_nurdle.html Watson, P. (2006, July 26). Killing off marine life: plastic garbage polluting the sea. Retrieved from http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_1342.cfm White, Angel. (2011, January 4). Oceanic “garbage patch” not nearly as big as portrayed in media . Retrieved from http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2011/jan/oceanic-%E2%80%9Cgarbage-patch%E2%80%9D-not-nearly-big-portrayed-media