Microplastics in the sea

[barnakiel]

https://www.theguardian.com/environm...stic-pollution


Act where it counts.


Cleaning up beaches while our politicians, businessmen and neighbours all pretend they care.


They do not. We do not.


It is not about collecting garbage from the beaches. It is about stopping bad production and consumption methods and patterns.


This is why it will never work. The bad patterns and habits are profitable and easy. The other 'green' thing costs more money and effort.


b.

[GordMay]

EPA to roll back Obama-era methane emissions standards
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency released its proposed rule to completely eliminate regulations for methane emissions from the oil and gas industry across the entire supply chain and to remove all federal rules (for both methane and volatile organic compounds, VOCs) for facilities in the transportation and storage segment of the supply chain. Today’s proposal comes on the heels of an EPA proposal, last fall, to significantly weaken pollution control provisions in 2016 standards, such as requirements for performing regular leak inspection.
As with the Trump administration efforts to roll back clean car standards, which has been met by strong opposition from automotive industry leaders, several leading oil and gas companies have called on EPA to maintain and even strengthen federal methane standards. Shell and Exxon Mobil, for instance, have warned that a lack of government regulations to curb emissions could undercut the argument that natural gas is a cleaner fuel, while the American Petroleum Institute has encouraged the administration to stop the direct regulation of methane emissions entirely.

“EPA Proposes Updates to Air Regulations for Oil and Gas to Remove Redundant Requirements and Reduce Burden”
Press Release (August 29, 2019) ➥ https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa...quirements-and

Meanwhile:
“Greenhouse gases reach record levels”
The dominant greenhouse gases released into the Earth's atmosphere reached record levels in 2018, and their global warming power is now 43% stronger than in 1990, according to a new report by the American Meteorological Society released Monday.
The State of the Climate in 2018 study also reported other key findings:
- 2018 was the fourth-warmest year on record. The three other warmest years were 2015, 2016 and 2017, with 2016 as the warmest year since records first began being kept in the mid-1800s.
- The report found greenhouse gases warming influence on the planet have increased an alarming 43% since 1990. Global carbon dioxide concentrations, which represent the bulk of the gases warming power, rose during 2018 to a record 407.4 parts per million, the study found. That is "the highest in the modern instrumental record and in ice core records dating back 800,000 years," the report said.
- Sea levels rose to record levels for a seventh consecutive year.
- Glaciers continue to melt at a concerning rate for the 30th straight year.
The report also found that global annual sea levels rose for the seventh consecutive year and hit a record high for the 26 years since satellite recordings began, having risen about 3.2 inches, or 81 millimeters, in that time above the 1993 average.

State of the Climate 2018
An international, peer-reviewed publication released each summer, the State of the Climate is the authoritative annual summary of the global climate published as a supplement to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.
➥ https://www.ametsoc.org/ams/index.cf...of-the-climate

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by Epicurean

My original post was about solutions often not being simple. There is the law of unintended consequences and often things aren't well understood.

Great point - that's the whole problem with single-use plastic packaging. The simple intention is flashy packaging - not the dull packaging of the 1950's. The unintended consequence is the unexpected degradation of that packaging choice, which has led to the flooding of all living bodies on the planet with microplastic particles. Plastic particles that are, in reality, an un-natural product of ethene gas that is "molecularly “cracked”—its carbon and hydrogen atoms rearranged—to form ethylene, the main building block of plastic." The unintended consequence is that such plastic packaging must, as a very literal matter, be considered as a food product. Every living thing in the world is now fundamentally being force-fed an involuntary diet of microplastic - according to new and steadily published public research.

Other countries are of the same thought - the younger generations of the world are leaving that way behind. They're concerned about these facts:
https://qz.com/1689529/nurdles-are-t...-heard-of/amp/ - In fact, citizens are concerned with what's taking place in their own countries.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-e...-idUSKCN1R823W

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/e...tics-ban-2021/ - As can be seen, the people want it. This is the start.

As far as our reaction - it's a fact that the US is the largest economy in the world. 5 years of ramping up notice for biodegradable single-use packaging, and the profit motive of the capitalistic system will take it from there. Off to the races. Profits are made on new production machinery. Current industry players re-tool with milk carton, or more recent technologies, and supply chains expand with corresponding profit. Economies of scale bring mass production costs down. Manufacturers that sell to the huge US market will also be happy to sell their packaging products to other markets. Other countries inevitably follow the leadership of the US, and their consumers prefer the lack of non-biodegradable single-use plastic waste in their environments.

I'd respectfully submit that a significant portion of China's existing single-use plastic production is destined for the US market. Our rejection of that old world packaging will decrease China's production of the disposable single-use plastic packaging produced for the US. The young people of China will be coming along shortly. They don't want to live in a smog-filled, plastic trash strewn hellhole. Just like the people of the eastern european communist block got fed up with communism enough to reach a critical mass.

Stating nothing can be done - until the other guy does it - is clearly a logical fallacy. In a nutshell, the younger generations see the logical stupidity of that fallacy. Like it or not.

[Hardhead]

I should add, I'm not sure why you wouldn't like it.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Epicurean

As a society economically we've never had it so good.

Nearly half of all U.S. families are either living in poverty or are one paycheck away from poverty.

https://fortune.com/2019/01/29/ameri...ty-now-report/

[barnakiel]

I told you so.


We elect stupid representatives, world wide.


These representatives are elected in a democratic process ensuring they represent at least 50,01% of the nation. Read the majority.


They are what we are.


They do not care about us. Why should they, when WE do not care about us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNJL6nfu__Q

So what now? Can I pull that old two stroke Evinrude outboard next time we visit Florida? The one that smoked like a native Indian writing a love letter?



Brazilians are right burning that bloody rain forest thing. We do not care about us. Why should they?


This post is not a troll. It is just a verbal trace of my utter disillusionment with us.



Cheers,
b.

[TigerPaws]

I can say with first hand knowledge that the technology exists and has for quite some time which provides totally clean and cheap energy. A technology exists which has the ability to neutralize radioactive waste and would render Fukashima, Chernobyl and all radioactive sites safe. The issue with that is that the technology would also render nuclear weapons useless.

Those technologies and many others including cures for diseases are locked up in projects so dark that a Black Hole shines brightly by comparison. Many of these technologies are held by companies not the government's. The Military Industrial Complex is not just speaking of the U.S. the term is truly multinational in scope. Some small bits have leaked out over the years but the media propaganda machine is quick to cast the shadow of conspiracy theory over whatever they are trying to cover up. Calling the people who are trying to share what they know as "The Tin Foil Hat Crowd". When bribery or ridicule is not working more extreme measures are employed.

The problem of microplastics is real as is pollution in general, the solutions are real it is just that we (the general public) will not see those solutions as they are being kept from us for a verity of reasons. From greed to control of the global population and simply because these groups can.

SeaQuest OE II

[Hardhead]

I've actually seen a lot of interviews with retired military, and contractors, discussing what you speak. I didn't think they had tin foil hats.

[Hardhead]

As the important issue of microplastics contamination is also heavily influenced by the crude oil investment cross issues - I found this to be an interesting view of things. A little dry at times. For whatever it's worth.

I don't know why the link transferred over with a full video screen. I apologize about that - can't seem to find the way to minimize the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wms2ivYel_A

[barnakiel]

From UN sources:


https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...united-nations


From AUS govt sources:


https://www.theguardian.com/environm...nt-review-says


I am nor religious that's when I say God bless leftie journalism.


Leftie or rightie, reading with understanding makes your life this much less fun.



b.

[GordMay]

The European Union is considering a ban on the vast majority of microplastics that are deliberately added to products. The proposal would cover up to 90% of microplastics that end up polluting the environment, which could eliminate up to 400,000 tons of waste in two decades. That doesn’t mean that 90% of the total weight of microplastics will be eliminated, but that 90% of the types of microplastics intentionally added to products will no longer be legally permitted. The measure was proposed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), which will study its impact and feasibility over the next 18 months, at which point a recommendation will be made to the EU parliament. Afterwards, the ban could be implemented in under a year.
Last year, the EU approved a ban on single-use plastics, and rules are expected to go into effect in 2021. The European Commission estimates that the plan could cost businesses more than $3.5 billion per year, while saving consumers about $7.6 billion per year — creating 30,000 jobs and preventing $25.6 billion in environmental damage.
Globally, more than 60 countries have taken action to curb plastic pollution, and the United Nations is working to enact global rules for plastic production and management. The UN has already called for an end to plastic waste in the oceans by 2025, but this latest push could accelerate that timeline. Countries such as Kenya, Morocco, Zimbabwe, and France are banning different types of plastic.

➥ https://echa.europa.eu/-/echa-propos...9-005056952b31

➥ https://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-2631_en.htm

[Hardhead]

It actually sounds like the USA - is the exact opposite of a world leader on the issues of microplastic contamination. So much for that status...

On a related issue - I'm still trying to get over the Dept. of Energy fact that current world oil consumption is over 7,000 barrels of oil a SECOND. Every second of the day. And, evidently, that is consumed largely by only 20% of the world's population - the industrialized nations.

And - the other 80% of the world is striving as fast as it can - to get their own citizens up to the other 20%'s high oil consumption. More cars, trucks, etc. Mind boggling.


In the 10 seconds it takes to read this - the world has actually consumed & burned up 70,000 barrels of oil.


Actually - that might be an understatement - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List...il_consumption

[Hardhead]

Once there is not enough oil to go around - to meet demand, then we will see a real zero-sum bidding war in the price of oil. Way high. That time is actually pretty close.

[Hardhead]

As a side issue, this thread has had a lot of views. Almost 12,000. If, out of that - 2,000 different people have read it, and half of them were to raise some general awareness with a friend or 2 - and then so on, further down the line - it might help to draw some more independent attention to the issue.

People can make up their own minds, however that may be. If there is one thing this issue needs - it's some actual attention.

[TigerPaws]

Originally Posted by Hardhead

Once there is not enough oil to go around - to meet demand, then we will see a real zero-sum bidding war in the price of oil. Way high. That time is actually pretty close.

Sorry to be the barer of bad news but the world has a 500 year supply of oil and natural gas even at the expected 2050 usage. New fields, extremely deep deposits the Artic, Antarctic are but a few of the areas to be developed. The deep sea beds around the Falklands have more oil and natural gas than the North Sea Deposits originally had, then there is the Spratly Islands China and Japan want so badly. The basic estimate is that there is a 300 year supply for all of China's expected needs.

The world is awash in oil especially around 15,000' deep. I am sorry to say that as long as there is money to be made and power to be had we will be using fossil fuels for any foreseeable future.

SeaQuest OE II