Why we should be recycling every tiny scrap of plastic...



All photos by Chris Jordan







Photographer Chris Jordan specializes in large-scale works that depict the magnitude of our consumerism and its impact on our environment. In one of his most emotional presentations, Jordan shares heart-wrenching images of birds killed by ingesting plastics that increasingly pollute our oceans. Everyone on the planet should watch this!





www.chrisjordan.com






www.chrisjordan.com






www.chrisjordan.com






www.chrisjordan.com






www.chrisjordan.com






www.chrisjordan.com






www.chrisjordan.com


 
On Midway Atoll more than 2400 miles from a large landmass (Alaska) and more than 1000 miles from a city (Honolulu)...plastic debris is ubiquitous. That's because so much of our plastic ends up at sea and finds itself forever looping in the waters of the Pacific. Caught up in the currents of the Pacific Gyre our plastic waste might be eternal, for the coolness and darkness of the waters prevent plastic from disintegrating. The thinner pieces do eventually break down into ever smaller pieces and become deadly to plankton eating fish. Unfortunately the thicker, harder, colorful plastics seem to be a favorite of Albatross parents to feed their young. Albatross spend much time at sea in search of food, one of their staples being flying fish eggs. Flying fish attach their long strings of eggs to objects floating at sea, which are subsequently consumed by the albatross parents and then regurgitated to their chicks.**

Ninety eight percent of Albatross on Midway have plastic in them, and forty percent of all Albatross chicks birthed on Midway Atoll die each year due to ingestion of plastics. The actual causes are usually choking, dehydration or starvation as the plastic leaves little room for water or food. Or death from toxicity, such as when a chick is fed a cigarette lighter, which is often. John Klavitter, a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, calculates that albatross feed their chicks about 5 tons of plastic a year at Midway.*







Plastic swallowed by albatrosses in the Pacific ocean -
Hawaii: Message in the Waves - BBC
A student looks at the plastic items found in the stomaches of albatrosses. All the items were collected in but one hour!!!



* "Plague of Plastic Chokes the Seas" LA Times
    www.latimes.com

** Fish and Wildlife Service "The Plastic Problem on Midway Atoll"
    www.fws.gov/midway/Midway_Atoll_NWR_Cigarette_Lighters.pdf



See lots more videos: 

www.midwayjourney.com

www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/video-gallery


 

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Justice
Posts: 3

Ocean Plastic
Reply #3 on : Fri April 29, 2011, 19:43:02

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It's sad to see the destruction of Mother Earth at so many levels. I think most people have blinders on and just don't see this because it says a great deal about who we are as humans and what we do without even thinking.

Brojo
Posts: 3

Oh my
Reply #2 on : Thu April 21, 2011, 22:28:30

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Thanks.

David G. Donigan
Posts: 3

Plastic waste in the Pacific gyre.
Reply #1 on : Sat March 05, 2011, 13:57:17

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This is a very disturbing presentation. While some in our government are concerned about "leaving our grandchildren a large national debt," they seem totally unconcerned that we will leave instead, an unlivable world. Unless we wake up, our species is doomed to self induced extinction