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The Pacific garbage patch is so large it cannot be precisely measured. It is estimated to be twice the size of Texas and  one of five in the world. Out of sight, out of mind? I think not.

Light bulbs, bottle caps, toothbrushes, Popsicle sticks and tiny pieces of plastic, each the size of a grain of rice, inhabit the Pacific garbage patch, an area of widely dispersed trash that doubles in size every decade and is now believed to be roughly twice the size of Texas. But one research organization estimates that the garbage now actually pervades the Pacific, though most of it is caught in what oceanographers call a gyre like this one — an area of heavy currents and slack winds that keep the trash swirling in a giant whirlpool.

PCBs, DDT and other toxic chemicals cannot dissolve in water, but the plastic absorbs them like a sponge. Fish that feed on plankton ingest the tiny plastic particles. Scientists from the Algalita Marine Research Foundation say that fish tissues contain some of the same chemicals as the plastic. The scientists speculate that toxic chemicals are leaching into fish tissue from the plastic they eat.

The researchers say that when a predator — a larger fish or a person — eats the fish that eats the plastic, that predator may be transferring toxins to its own tissues, and in greater concentrations since toxins from multiple food sources can accumulate in the body.

It may be out of sight, but it should be on your mind. After all, the effects could end up in your body. 

For the captain’s first mate, Jeffery Ernst, the patch was “just a reminder that there’s nowhere that isn’t affected by humanity.”

To read the rest of the article, click here. 

From Melissa:

Air quality monitoring stations in Lualualei, Timberline and Waianae offer daily measurements of Sulfur Dioxide, Ozone, Carbon Monoxide and Particulates in the surrounding areas on an easy-to-use website. The color-coding system on the website is aesthetically pleasing and shows the condition of each pollutant for that day.

A small disclaimer notes:

The data on this web site are preliminary and await review and validation by qualified staff. The data may be revised or invalidated after review. Every effort is made to assert the validity and integrity of the real-time data displayed on this web site, but data can be affected by equipment malfunctions, technical difficulties and other unforeseen circumstances.

So check your air quality, but question the data as well.

The website is user-friendly and answers basic questions about their system.

West Oahu Air Quality Monitoring website