The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch stretches from the coast of California to Japan, and it is estimated to be twice the size of Texas. Scientists believe it is the world’s largest garbage dump which happens to be in the Pacific Ocean, not on land.

In some places, the floating debris, which is estimated to be about 90 percent plastic, goes 90 feet deep. In other places, there are six times more pieces of plastic than plankton, the main food source for many sea animals.

Where did this garbage come from? Marine biologists estimate that about 80 percent of the garbage is from land, either dumped directly into waterways or blown into storm drains, rivers and streams from all corners of the Earth. The garbage is then carried out to sea, where it gets trapped in swirling ocean currents and forms a giant, floating garbage dump of an enormous proportion.

Experts say plastic garbage has already killed millions of sea birds and marine mammals. Pieces of plastic and other types of garbage are often found in the stomach of  dead marine mammals and birds. 

We all need to protect our oceans and think about where and what we dump as garbage, so that we can help our oceans and the environment  stay healthy and in turn the ocean will nourish and replenish the earth and our future generations.

View videos of  “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch” below.