PlasticPollution

ImagineifplastichadbeeninventedwhenthepilgrimssailedfromEnglandtoNorthAmerica.WhatiftheMayflowerhadbeenstockedwithplastic‑wrappedsnacks?Theplastictrashwouldprobablystillbehere,fourcenturies later.

Ifthepilgrimshadbeenlikemanypeopletoday,theymighthavetossedtheirwrappersoverthesideoftheship.AtlanticOceanwavesandsunlightwouldhavewornallthatplasticintotiny bits.

Plasticwasn’tinventeduntilthelate19thcentury.Massproductionofittookoffaround1950.Inonly70years,wehaveproducedawhopping9.2billiontonsofplastic.Ofthat,morethan6.9billiontonshavebecomewaste.And,ofthatwaste,6.3billiontonswerenever recycled.

Nooneknowshowmuchplasticendsupintheocean.In2015,JennaJambeck,aUniversityofGeorgiaengineeringprofessor,madean estimate.

Isthisaflorist'sshopinChinafilledwithflowers?Lookagain.Theseplantsareallmadefrom plastic.

Jambeckprojectedthatbetween5.3and14 milliontonsofplasticendupintheoceaneachyear.It’sdumpedonlandorinrivers.It’sthenblownorwashedintothesea.Howlongwillittakeforthatplasticto biodegrade, orbreakdown?Estimatesgofrom450yearstomaybe never.

Plasticisn’talways“bad”.Infact,ithastransformedourlives.Iteasedtravelintospace.Itchangedmedicine.Itextendedthelifeof food.

Plasticevensavedwildlife.Inthemid‑1800s,pianokeys,combs,andothertrinketsweremadeofelephantivory.Elephantswereatrisk.Ivorybecamescarce.So,acompanyinNewYorkCityofferedarewardifsomeonecouldcomeupwithan alternative.

InventorJohnWesleyHyattcreatedaplasticfromasubstancefoundinplants.Endlesspossibilitiesopenedup — becauseplasticwas cheap!

someoftheplasticfoundonHenderson Island

HendersonIsland’sShame

HendersonIslandisatiny,uninhabitedisland.ItsitsinthemiddleofthePacificOcean.Thenearestmajorpopulationcenterissome4,800kilometers(3,000 miles)away.Itishalfthesize ofManhattan.Yet,morethan19tonsoftrashlitteritsbeaches,mostofit plastic.

Researchersestimatethattheislandhasthegreatestamountofdebrisforitssizeofanyplaceintheworld.Foreverysquaremeteryouwalk,onaverageyou’llfind672piecesoftrash.Foreachpieceofdebrisyouseeonthebeach,twopiecesareburiedinthesand.Howisthis possible?

TrashbobsacrossglobalseasuntilitgetssweptintotheSouthPacificgyre.Thegyreisacircularoceancurrent.Itfunctionslikeaconveyorbelt.Thegyrecollectsplastictrash.ThenitsendsittoHenderson’sshoresatarateofmorethan3,500piecesa day.