While all of these articles focus on the problem of gyres and the trapping of pollutants, the provided article from Week 4 on the South Pacific Gyre solely discusses the problem of plastics in pollution. This article used a more recently discovered garbage patch, called the South Pacific Garbage Patch, as an example of the immense issue that plastic has become, and the toll it is having on marine life. Plastic is building up in oceans and on beaches, and marine life are suffering. Dead animals found filled with plastic, or strangled/choking on it, is becoming a only more common occurrence. A study done on lantern fish, for example, showed that 38% of these fish have eaten plastic. However, following that food chain, we are consuming the predators of these lantern fish (tuna and salmon), thus consuming this plastic indirectly. So what can we do to fix this issue?
I believe that a variety of steps can be taken, whatever level one may be at. Individuals, for example, could stop using plastic items, start using more reusable items, and could be more self-aware of how we dispose of things. This, hopefully, influences others (monkey see, monkey do technique)to do the same, and also be thoughtful in these areas such as recycling. Governments, I believe could do many things to help. For one, items such as plastic straws, utensils, cups, bags, and other unnecessary disposables could simply just be banned (as is starting to occur in many cities). In terms of plastic already in the ocean, the government could start organizing clean-up efforts by sending crews to clean up beaches and waters that are highly polluted by plastics. Individuals, companies, and the government need to work together in solving the crisis of plastic pollutions.
The explorations and deep knowledge gained this throughout the past year regarding gyres has been truly shocking and disheartening, but also motivating. Previous to the past year of research, I have no idea just how much we had damaged ecosystems in the ocean. Garbage patches (not floating on top of the water solely, but to the ocean floor like soup) as large at India and Mexico (THREE TIMES THAT SIZE OF FRANCE) are turning up in the middle of oceans, with plastic debris from each patch floating ashore, polluting and damaging even some of the most isolated of beaches. No corner of the planet is same from our plastics, heat, and chemicals created negative consequences for many species. While these garbage patches (formed through the currents of gyres carrying and grouping debris) have potentially formed over decades, they are exponentially growing, and this is an issues that truly cannot be ignored.
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/ocean-pacific-gyre-pollution-garbage-patch/84565
Montgomery, Hailey. “South Pacific Ocean Gyre Holds Massive Garbage Patch.” The Weather Network, 27 July 2017, www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/ocean-pacific-gyre-pollution-garbage-patch/84565 .