30 October 2006

Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover

by Steve, onboard the Esperanza

So, we're out here in the Pacific to get a better sense of how much plastic is in our oceans, and what it's doing to ocean life. Since this is my first time at sea, I was in awe at how blue and clean the ocean looked. I assumed it was because we were passing through a relatively untouched part of the seas, but slowly but surely, I kept getting glances of little reminders of how humankind is trashing the oceans.

If you look overboard long enough, you'll see lots of plastic bits passing Esperanza by. A buoy here, a blue chunk there, a bucket top over there. It's a bit surreal to see all of this garbage floating out here, and I can't help but wonder how long it's been out here, and what each little piece of plastic was once a part of, and where the rest of it is. As you've already read, the samples we've taken up from the ocean so far are pretty nasty.

I guess what they say is true: don't judge a book by its cover. Even though the ocean out here looks clean, we've seen a disturbing amount of plastic come up. In looking at all of the stuff that the yellow thing has pulled up, I can't help but think of all of the plastic I use at home, and how we really do think it's disposable and easy to use. But let me tell you, after seeing the huge hunks of junk float by me out here in the middle of the ocean, i'm going to think twice about those plastic water bottles and i'm definitely going to stock up on cloth bags for shopping. Just recently, I was reading a story about a whale in the Cook Islands of the Pacific who died from eating a plastic bag. Apparently, the whale (whose name was Temata) mistakenly thought the white plastic bag was a jelly fish, and the rest is as you can imagine it.

We're going to learn a lot over the next week or so about what plastic does to our oceans, but sadly, we already know enough to be certain that changing how we live on land is the only way to make life better for our oceans and all of the life that depends on them.

   

Comments

Posted by: Michelle at October 31, 2006 4:45 AM

All updates from the Southern Ocean whaling 2007 leg »
All updates from the Pacific transit »
All updates from the Mexico leg »
All updates from the Hawaii leg »
All updates from the Pacific leg »
All updates from the Philippines leg »
All updates from the India leg »
All updates from the Red Sea leg »
All updates from the Mediterranean leg »
All updates from the Azores leg »
All updates from the Pirate Fishing/Africa leg »
All updates from the Southern Ocean »

Avast ye land lubbers! The ocean critters need your help!
Take action today!