April 28. 2009 15:24

It seems impossible that there could be a mass of garbage out there twice the size of Texas. I'll definitely be cutting back on my use of plastics. Easy thing to give up is bottled water, why pay for something you can pour out of the tap for free. Better yet, fill a glass pitcher full of water and put it in the refrigerator ... as good as any bottled water you'll find.

G. Knight

May 6. 2009 04:55

just found out about the garbage patch via web surfing. it amazes me that there's that much garbage floating around. its been great having this knowledge, i told my husband about and he is now on board with me about recycling and buying reusable/biodegradable products. (he loves hawaii that much)

kribss

May 15. 2009 06:54

Scientists estimate its size as two times bigger than Texas [source: LA Times].

Finn

May 15. 2009 14:11

When my family and I lived in Morgan Hill, CA we would volunteer for the Monterey Bay beach clean up every year. My 4yo son learned life lessons on those beaches that he's carried through to this day (at age 15 1/2) We would pull gloves on our hard working hands and give our time to help and protect the creatures from plastics, cigarette butts and other pollutants left on the beaches.

Many people are unaware of the garbage patch, or how it impacts them, or that they have the power to change the world and help the ocean. If a 3year old can do it, so can you!

We use plastics as little as possible and love out Sigg water bottles. As my son is also on the Autism Spectrum, it is even more important to me to protect him from dangerous plastics (like #7) as well as do our part to reduce and re-use.

Antoinette

May 15. 2009 14:52

we have definitely have cut back on use of plastics. our family also recycle paper, plastic and glass. kids in our community also collect cans and bottles for fund raising events.

patel

May 16. 2009 15:56

Wow! This was a very interesting article. I was amazed that PLASTIC is 90% of all trash floating in the worlds oceans.

Denise Sears

May 18. 2009 03:16

I could not believe that in 2006 it was estimated that every square mile of ocean hosts 46,000 pieces of floating plastic!! That's ridiculous, and my family and I plan on doing our part to significantly reduce that number!

Sarah

May 18. 2009 04:35

I've known about this issue for some time now and was thrilled that Oprah recently told the world about it. I find it amazing how few people are aware of the reality of our situation! We do what we can to recycle, use far fewer ziploc bags, bring our own bags to the store, and other little things to make a difference. I just wish the schools would take a more active role in educating families and enforcing zero-waste lunches.

Lori

May 18. 2009 06:29

Great article. We will stop buying so much plastic.

kathy waters

May 18. 2009 15:57

Wow. I mean I knew it was bad, but I had no idea. The United Nations Environment Program estimated in 2006 that every square mile of ocean hosts 46,000 pieces of floating plastic!!

Kate

May 19. 2009 00:37

Let's see:
The Great Garbage Patch is actually 2 patches that commingle and stretch from the CA coast to Japan. It weighs 3.5 million tons and 90 percent of it is plastic.

(I just wrote a blog on it, too!)
blog.thenatureschild.com/.../...plastic-count.html

Cate

May 19. 2009 03:14

Wow - I'd never heard of this. So much garbage and 90% is plastics. That's a good reminder of why to buy less plastic.

DebbieKL

May 20. 2009 00:08

What frightens me most about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is that plastic waste enters the food chain: The plastic degrades into smaller pieces and eventually becomes small enough to be ingested by aquatic organisms.

ColleenP

May 20. 2009 01:58

This is so sad! But we can make a difference!!!

Alicia

May 20. 2009 04:07

I learned that this area is the biggest landfill in the world...twice the size of Texas. OMG!

This was truly eye-opening! Thanks for the chance to win!

turnitupmom

May 21. 2009 12:45

If 100 billion lbs of plastics are produced in the US every year, where does it go next year? Of all that I've learned about the great Pacific Garbage Patch, I was surprised to learn about something called Biotic Mixing. That is to say, large pieces of plastic (a beach ball gone astray) host animal life such as mussels but then it floats off to new parts of the ocean to mix with animal life they are not used to - non-native species...means unknown problems! There is a great video about this called "Alphabet Soup" video.google.com/videoplay

Felicia

May 22. 2009 03:25

I want to honor our earth all year long thanks for the chance!

Abby

May 22. 2009 03:45

I did not know that the Garbage Patch is twice the size of Texas and it's in our oceans....wow! I have been trying to be green for a long time now by re-using anything that i could...such as re-usable containers, or items that would normally end up in the trash for my art projects. Thanks for the chance to win.

BrendaLea

May 24. 2009 09:01

The great Pacific Garbage patch is the largest landfill in the world, and it floats in the middle of the ocean.
This is just insane to think there is that much trash floating in one area.

Christine

May 26. 2009 03:07

It is unfathomable to think that we are filling even an ocean with our wastefulness! The Eastern Pacific Garbage Patch is estimated to be the size of Texas!! It is outrageous to think that what we consider a common daily act of tossing garbage into a trash can is what is essentially destroying us and our planet! This is why my family has become more and more conscious of what we toss. Reuse, reduce, and recycle have become the tenents of survival!

Angela Money

May 30. 2009 17:32

It is so important to start kids out from a very early age learning to love and protect our mother earth. I plan to show my son pictures of the Pacific Garbage patch. I want him to truly get a picture.
Sophia

sophia zuniga

June 4. 2009 04:28

Wow! interesting article. I was amazed that PLASTIC is 90% of all trash floating in the worlds oceans
I did not know that the Garbage Patch is twice the size of Texas and it's in our oceans

rajee

June 5. 2009 03:50

You should watch this TED Talk. The bit about the birds is amazing.

www.ted.com/.../...ore_on_the_seas_of_plastic.html

Monera

June 16. 2009 08:17

More than one million birds and marine animals die every year because of plastics in the ocean. If everyone reduced, reused and recycled we could help save the world.

-Sylvia Kaya Weaver, age 6

Sylvia Weaver

June 26. 2009 05:54

I can't believe the largest landfill is floating in the ocean. We all need to cut back and start reusing.

Shelly

June 29. 2009 06:10

There is not enough publicity on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch! This should wake people up about the use, mis-use and over-use of plastics!
Get with the program people.... RECYCLE and cut down on the use of plastics.
Why can't we wake up the manufacturers of products in plastics?

Luana

June 30. 2009 04:43

Perhaps it's showing my ignorance, but this is the first I've heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (a large floating landfill, bigger than Texas). I guess it's true, out of sight out of mind. Thanks for bringing this to light.

Carrie Anne