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The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Is Worse Than We Feared

  • October 04, 2016

Water is the fundamental building block of life. Modern civilization relies on the availability of potable water and threats to this supply are of an existential nature. Unfortunately, humanity faces a grave environmental crisis because of our failure to safeguard this vital resource.

Water has recently been in the headlines due to local level issues such as the lead contamination debacle in Flint, Michigan and self-inflicted poisoning through fluoridation. Actions are being taken to rectify these problems, but the global level threat to our water supply must still be addressed.

As reported by the Huffington Post, the island of trash referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is actually far larger than first estimated. The Ocean Cleanup, a group dedicated to monitoring this enormous floating pile of garbage, found the density of garbage at the perimeter of the patch was greater than anticipated.

This island of trash will continue to grow unless drastic steps are taken. Almost 5 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans each year. It is not only marine life that is threatened. Plastics leach toxins such as BPA, a powerful endocrine disrupter. A test conducted in Singapore found BPA in every piece of seafood sampled. Plastic trash is not limited to the oceans but also fills our lakes and rivers. It is clear that even the vastness of the Pacific Ocean cannot protect us from this looming specter of pollution and environmental degradation.

Our water resources face a dire and growing threat at every level. From subterranean fracking, to pesticide laden agricultural run-off, our safety and health are under siege. You can reduce plastic waste by using glass water bottles and a home water filtration system, which can provide clean safe drinking water for your home.