Team Pacific Plastic
Annotated Bibliography for The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Despite efforts to reduce plastic usage, there has been an increase in plastics in the oceans which in turn move towards these patches which are called gyres. There are five of these gyres which act as whirlpools and consume plastics. Millions of kilometers are filled with both plastic and other garbage. The factors which contribute to the dumps of debris include extreme natural events, land-based sources, and ocean transportation. The author, Barry E. DiGregorio, investigates the way these patches are formed and analyzes how they may grow in size. Throughout the article, there are uses of informative language. This language is helpful because it helps the reader understand the impact of plastic use and waste. Through this article, the hyperlinks have further information on the topic which is being stated. This article will be useful because of the data which it includes. In order to create a sound argument, there needs to be facts and proof which this article provides. It will also prove useful in addressing the problems which are at hand, and help the audience understand the impact as well as the gravity of the situation. Understanding where the problem originates can help form a solution or guidance to a solution.
In Opinions Throughout History: The Environment, Micah L. Issitt explains the importance of maintaining the sanitation and chemical balance of the world’s oceans. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch was created by currents of “gyres” which led to the accumulation of plastic and trash deposits in the ocean. The author continues to express that human industrialization is one of the greatest threats to oceanic ecosystems, causing pollution to increase within oceans worldwide. Microplastics and plastic debris are responsible for the deaths of over 1 million seabirds, thus disrupting the food chains which maintain ecological balance for both humans and animals. Issitt unveils the reasons for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, including the causation of oceanic pollution from human activities. Additionally, the author provides insight into the geography and populations the Pacific Garbage Patch affects, and how these regions combat the problem of plastic waste, The work’s studies date to 2018, citing recent studies from oceanic conservation researchers on their efforts to clean the plastic and garbage in a timely manner.
I can apply this to my team’s research to further provide a visual background on the formation of the garbage patch. Using the maps and images from the book’s chapters on the Pacific Garbage Patch, these illustrations can be used to convey the vastness of the patch.
Summary: It is shown that there are a total of 1.8 trillion plastic pieces estimated to be floating in the patch which is a plastic count that is the equivalent of 250 pieces of debris for every human in the world. The trash that is within the patch is being categorized into size classes in which include: Microplastics, Mesoplastics, Macroplastics, and Megaplastics. It is shown that 92 percent of the total mass is made of debris that is larger than 5MM this means that the total is represented by microplastics. Another important factor is that studies have shown that about 700 species have come in contact with the debris and 92 percent are with plastics.
Evaluation: The article provides concise graphs and breakdowns of the different types of plastics/materials present in the patch. Impacts of society and wildlife is also discussed which plays an important role in the consequence of the trash being present.
Application: The useful data and measurements will help back up any claims discussed within our paper. The charts will definitely allow us to show how plastics are measured in order to discuss the impacts it has with the water and the wildlife and also how the natural breakdown of plastics occur due to the sun.