Published on: Nov 4, 2009
Scientists have reported that ocean currents have created a Sargasso Sea of plastic in the Northern Pacific. The expanse of waste products is approximately the size of Texas. No one wants to admit their hand in this phenomena, but everything made of earth seems to be wrapped in plastic. Most of it ends up in the ocean.
Several nations have banned plastic bags outright and more have imposed a plastic bag charge. The vast majority of countries are oblivious to the rising tide of trash. Thailand’s 7/11 are famed for packing purchases in several layers of plastic bags. One for the coke can, one for the straw, and one to insure the other two don’t break is a classic example of the store employee to distribute plastic bags to millions. If the clerks don’t give them, them are of being kee-nio or stingy.
Phuket has reacted to the complaints of beach goers to the plastic bags semi-buried in the sand like jellyfish doomed to never deteriorate. The city council has given major retailers the right to charge customers for plastic bags. The fee has succeeded in Ireland with a dramatic 90% drop in plastic bags. Of course the proper tactic would be banning them, however some people love their free plastic bags.
They make good Loy Krathong balloons.
ps The Sargasso Sea is created by four ocean gyres or currents. It has no contact with land. According to Wikipedia 0] The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt is the largest such mass of seaweed in the world.