The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Informa
Growing our own Garbage Patch
Jessica R. Willard
City University
Growing our Garbage Patch
Planet Earth is comprised of approximately 75% water. 96% of that 75% is all ocean water. The ocean is actually one very large body of water that is divided up into different smaller oceans. The large body of water is called “The World Ocean” and the individual smaller oceans are “The Pacific Ocean”, “The Indian Ocean”,” The Arctic Ocean”, and” The Atlantic Ocean.” In the past, oceans have been viewed as a bottomless pit where humans can dump waste, with little to no consequences. (Library, 2012) Waste such as sewage, plastics, radioactive waste, and much more were dumped into our oceans. Over time, research has been done to identify ways that this waste dumping has affected the lives of marine animals and in turn the lives of human beings. The World Ocean contains many currents that move the water in a circular motion and when combined with the wind, as well as the rotation of the earth, causes build up of non biodegradable debris. The entire system of currents within the ocean is called the ocean gyre. . (Turgeon, 1996) The North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone is a gyre. A gyre is where the warm water from the South Pacific meets up with the cooler water from the Arctic. Within this convergence zone, a collection of debris has accumulated to form what is called “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” (Turgeon, 1996) The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific Trash Vortex, is the calm center of the gyre, where debris is able to sit, and build, rather than circulate into other parts of the ocean. Discovery of this vortex was made by Captain Charles Moore in the early 1990’s. (Ocean Portal, 2014) Moore was actually on a sailing trip and made the discovery. The trash or plastic was surrounding his boat, and seemed out of the ordinary. (Greenberg, 2009) He noticed that there were pieces of debris that were covering the surface
Jessica R. Willard
City University
Growing our Garbage Patch
Planet Earth is comprised of approximately 75% water. 96% of that 75% is all ocean water. The ocean is actually one very large body of water that is divided up into different smaller oceans. The large body of water is called “The World Ocean” and the individual smaller oceans are “The Pacific Ocean”, “The Indian Ocean”,” The Arctic Ocean”, and” The Atlantic Ocean.” In the past, oceans have been viewed as a bottomless pit where humans can dump waste, with little to no consequences. (Library, 2012) Waste such as sewage, plastics, radioactive waste, and much more were dumped into our oceans. Over time, research has been done to identify ways that this waste dumping has affected the lives of marine animals and in turn the lives of human beings. The World Ocean contains many currents that move the water in a circular motion and when combined with the wind, as well as the rotation of the earth, causes build up of non biodegradable debris. The entire system of currents within the ocean is called the ocean gyre. . (Turgeon, 1996) The North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone is a gyre. A gyre is where the warm water from the South Pacific meets up with the cooler water from the Arctic. Within this convergence zone, a collection of debris has accumulated to form what is called “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” (Turgeon, 1996) The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific Trash Vortex, is the calm center of the gyre, where debris is able to sit, and build, rather than circulate into other parts of the ocean. Discovery of this vortex was made by Captain Charles Moore in the early 1990’s. (Ocean Portal, 2014) Moore was actually on a sailing trip and made the discovery. The trash or plastic was surrounding his boat, and seemed out of the ordinary. (Greenberg, 2009) He noticed that there were pieces of debris that were covering the surface
Bibliography: Conservancy, O. (2014). International Coastal Clean up. Retrieved November 30, 2014, from Ocean Conservancy: www.oceanconservancy.org Contributors. (20087, September 3). Ocean. Retrieved from New World Encyclopedia: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Ocean&oldid=798445 Library, E. (2012, 5 4). Ocean Dumping. Retrieved from www.cee.Cornell.edu. Singh, T. (2013, March 26). Inhabitat. Retrieved from 19-Year-Old Develops Ocean Cleanup Array That Could Remove 7,250,000 Tons Of Plastic From the World 's Oceans: http://inhabitat.com/19-year-old-student-develops-ocean-cleanup-array-that-could-remove-7250000-tons-of-plastic-from-the-worlds-oceans/#ixzz3DK9XlFJQ Slat, B. (2012). The Ocean Clean Up. Retrieved from The Ocean Clean Up: http://www.theoceancleanup.com/about-us.html Figure Ocean Clean Up Array