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Old 01-11-2017, 18:02   #16
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

Here is some more fear mongering.
Tide of plastic rubbish discovered floating off idyllic Caribbean island coastline | The Independent
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Old 01-11-2017, 19:14   #17
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

Does New York city still barge their garbage out to sea?
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Old 01-11-2017, 19:45   #18
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

If only it were just fear mongering.
I thought, or maybe I was hoping, it was not so bad, though I've seen trash and plastic on beaches and floating. Then I saw this film, and I strongly suggest all find it and see it. Here is a trailer.

Given the prevalence of plastic in all corners of the Earth, I am not sure what we can do. But see the film and judge for yourself if it seems like the danger is being misrepresented. This thread just popped up recently too.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ic-193042.html

I say let's not be too quick to dismiss environmental concerns. Surely we all know the sea is used as the final trash receptacle for much of the world. Anything that washes down just about any street and river and canal on the planet eventually makes its way to the sea. Sometimes it is intentional, often it is not.
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Old 01-11-2017, 21:46   #19
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don C L View Post
If only it were just fear mongering.
I thought, or maybe I was hoping, it was not so bad, though I've seen trash and plastic on beaches and floating. Then I saw this film, and I strongly suggest all find it and see it. Here is a trailer.

Given the prevalence of plastic in all corners of the Earth, I am not sure what we can do. But see the film and judge for yourself if it seems like the danger is being misrepresented. This thread just popped up recently too.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ic-193042.html

I say let's not be too quick to dismiss environmental concerns. Surely we all know the sea is used as the final trash receptacle for much of the world. Anything that washes down just about any street and river and canal on the planet eventually makes its way to the sea. Sometimes it is intentional, often it is not.
Thanks for the post Don.
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Old 02-11-2017, 00:07   #20
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

The arctic is freezing a lot faster than the MMGW types want so now its plastic this time but I do agree it doesn't belong in the oceans.
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Old 02-11-2017, 01:17   #21
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

This is an important thread. Every time there is a major cyclone, hurricane, tidal wave, landslide... that hits land, I think about the stuff gets sucked into the sea.

For me, today's problem is actually tomorrow's nightmare.

someone asked, What can cruisers do?

Any ideas?

I mean this, does anyone have an idea that they would like to share? I'm sure there are some out there... floating about in the minds of you sea-lovers. if so, please speak.

And before the naysayer in some of you gets a hold of your fingertips, I'd like to tell you this: I've got this uncle who is basically a genius, an idea genius (solar power inventions), and he explained to me that, in his company, he holds meetings where he asks his team for ALL IDEAS GREAT AND SMALL, STUPID AND ALL. He says that the best ideas come when all ideas are welcome.

I'll volunteer, brave girl I am. And PLEASE don't ask me who is going to pay for it.



Ok, remember Green-up Day? Or was this a sixties thing in Vermont? Does this exist for the sea?

When I go to the coast in Normandy (or wherever), I go for an early morning walks with two HUGE plastic bags and pick up plastic and only stop walking when the bags are so full... (sometimes I empty them and start again, but not always). While doing this years and years ago, I was thought to be odd and eccentric (I live in France where we have lot of infrastructure, so this seemed odd that an individual would step up to the plate); but, with time, more and more people have thanked me and even joined me.

Let's imagine that coastal areas designate days during the year for this.

For me, the best moments during the year would be during the equinoxes and the solstices. It makes sense because this is beyond politics, religion and all of our human constructs. this is about our planet.

-From here, imagine that these Solstice/Equinox clean-up days is for all the water (oceans, rivers, seas...). A big campaign in which people everywhere can opt to participate. We get media on board so that people everywhere will feel proud to make an effort. And of course, we'd need to get the plastic recycle and holding places on board... Oh my...

It is a major feat, but then again, i believe that many people actually enjoy collaborating for the greater good. Even the Pope mentioned how the planet is filthy. He might give a word or two... We can always ask.


-Imagine too, for the more and more cruisers that stop to pick up floating debris on any day... Could we imagine that there are drop-off points kind-a out there (big barges) where boaters can drop garbage they find (and their own)?


-Imagine too that we invent a kind of telescopic pole with a net (shaped to catch plastic bottles and bags - what we encounter out there). (I've actually made sketches) You set your tack and let someone take a shot at scooping it up. Hey, it's a new sport! Let's make a video!


-And imagine we set up a major plastic recycle centers right there in the center of each of the plastic islands... lots of stuff is on its way there anyhow.


Anybody here as brave as me?




Oh and yes, the problem is also at the bottom of the sea. The plastic bottles down there carpet the floor (there's a video out on it). I cannot dive anymore because of a problem in my ear, but wish i could...
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Old 02-11-2017, 02:04   #22
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

not sure this video is going to pop up or not, but here goes


ooops, sorry, it won't come up.
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Old 02-11-2017, 20:55   #23
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfgal View Post
someone asked, What can cruisers do?

Any ideas?

I mean this, does anyone have an idea that they would like to share? I'm sure there are some out there... floating about in the minds of you sea-lovers. if so, please speak.
.
The video "Plastic Ocean" had a few ideas. One was, if I recall correctly, a plastic fired furnace that that can render the bits into a recyclable mass. The thing is in many of these island and coastal communities (and there are a LOT) they just have no other way or place to throw the trash. We'd need to catch it at the source; once it is out floating it is too late. You'd need a fleet, an armada, of ships or barges that were equipped to safely take and convert the trash from every Pacific island and southeast Asian, central American and African and Indian coastal village and then transport it somewhere to be recycled or buried or sunk in a deep ocean trench. Not so nice to think of polluting the ocean floor, but better than the sea surface and coastlines. And I am not talking about what washes up on their beaches, but the trash that they themselves have generated and have no place to put it. It is a mind boggling task. What each of us can do is small, but still worth considering.
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Old 03-11-2017, 01:14   #24
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

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Originally Posted by Don C L View Post
The video "Plastic Ocean" had a few ideas. One was, if I recall correctly, a plastic fired furnace that that can render the bits into a recyclable mass. The thing is in many of these island and coastal communities (and there are a LOT) they just have no other way or place to throw the trash. We'd need to catch it at the source; once it is out floating it is too late. You'd need a fleet, an armada, of ships or barges that were equipped to safely take and convert the trash from every Pacific island and southeast Asian, central American and African and Indian coastal village and then transport it somewhere to be recycled or buried or sunk in a deep ocean trench. Not so nice to think of polluting the ocean floor, but better than the sea surface and coastlines. And I am not talking about what washes up on their beaches, but the trash that they themselves have generated and have no place to put it. It is a mind boggling task. What each of us can do is small, but still worth considering.

Thanks Don C L, I'll check it out.

This opens a bigger can of worms but, in this video, this incredible sailor shares a big plan

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Old 04-11-2017, 00:32   #25
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

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Originally Posted by wolfgal View Post
Thanks Don C L, I'll check it out.

This opens a bigger can of worms but, in this video, this incredible sailor shares a big plan

Excellent video! Thank you for sharing it Wolfgal! We need more cans of worms opened! And BTW I am going to repost that video to show an example of a truly amazing sailor who happens to be a woman. As I watched I remembered the work of a man whose class I was fortunate enough to take many years ago, Garrett Hardin. He too pointed out, among other things, an economy that is based on growth and defines its health in terms of growth is necessarily doomed in a finite world. I recall he likened a growth economy as analogous to a cancer. For those interested, (keeping in mind the sea is a commons
The Garrett Hardin Society
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrett_Hardin


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Old 04-11-2017, 07:49   #26
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

The patch is clearly there. We sailed thru it in 2014.

What we do about it:
- we do not throw any plastic garbage overboard,
- we segregate all our land garbage when in port,
- we fish out any plastic I find when walking our dock,
- we fish out plastics going in the dinghy or sailing by.

I feel if we all did the same, there would be less plastic in the oceans. The point is that different people have different ecology mindset. And different nations have different capacities to manage plastic waste.

And that's about that.

b.
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Old 04-11-2017, 09:52   #27
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

I think a good start would be to stop the sale of bottled water! It would save the aquafiers and also stop a major source of the plastic in the seas and on land. Also we could put a returnable deposit on all plastic and glass bottles which would also cut down on the crap that does get into the lakes rivers and Seas
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Old 04-11-2017, 10:16   #28
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

Just a little correction: Roatan from the original post is not "Atlantic", it's deep in the Caribbean...
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Old 04-11-2017, 10:29   #29
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

Here is the best video I have seen so far showing this floating plastic in the Caribbean (recent video). Here is link to the 2 minute video on BBC site.

BBC Radio 5 live - In Short, The colossal mass of plastic waste taking over the Caribbean

BBC Radio 5 live - In Short, The colossal mass of plastic waste taking over the Caribbean

Here is a link to the same video on Facebook (easy to share with friends).
https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews/vid...5953914506108/

As sailors, let's all do what we can to keep plastics out of the ocean.*

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*FRP (GRP) yachts excepted.
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Old 04-11-2017, 10:57   #30
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Re: Garbage Patch in Atlantic Ocean

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steady Hand View Post
Here is the best video I have seen so far showing this floating plastic in the Caribbean (recent video). Here is link to the 2 minute video on BBC site.

BBC Radio 5 live - In Short, The colossal mass of plastic waste taking over the Caribbean

BBC Radio 5 live - In Short, The colossal mass of plastic waste taking over the Caribbean

Here is a link to the same video on Facebook (easy to share with friends).
https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews/vid...5953914506108/

As sailors, let's all do what we can to keep plastics out of the ocean.*

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*FRP (GRP) yachts excepted.
steady thank you for posting the links.
Now if you look close you will see the majority of the stuff is drift wood and sea grass.
Also the video was shot just a few days ago . I bet the flotsam was washed into that protected cove they filmed in by the recent storms and heavy rains in the region.
I also noticed that the people on the filming vessel did not pick anything out of the water.
Absolutely nothing .
Seems to me if they actually wanted to make an impact they would have scooped some stuff up to show up close what it was that had been washed out to sea.
( sorry for sounding crass. We deal with this type of " eco warriors" every day here in the pnw)
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