Seeing is Believing

I believe photography has the incredible ability to communicate and connect to people. If you didn't believe or understand the extent of the damage plastic pollution inflicts on our wildlife before, hopefully Chris Jordan's work will convince you. He traveled to the Northern Pacific Gyre for his latest project and shot the bodies of albatross chicks and the plastic inside their stomachs. These chicks were were mistakenly fed plastic from the garbage patch by their parents. This resulted in death from plastic poisoning or choking. I apologize, as I know these images are unpleasant, but so is the truth.

You can click on the images to enlarge. The rest of the pictures from Chris Jordan's Nothern Pacific Gyre projects are also available here.

a Truthful Ad Campaign

The Surfrider foundation, a nonprofit environmental organization focused on the coast, has taken up the plastic issue. Their mission is "the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education. Surfrider’s campaign is called “Rise above Plastics” has had great success. Many of its chapters have even succeeded in getting their local cities to ban plastic bags. Surfrider continues to educate people on the truth about plastic, reaching members worldwide. I thought I’d share with you some images from their “Catch of the Day” ad campaign. Innovative and clever, the campaign consisted of repackaging plastic and other material debris found on the beach and in the ocean and displaying it next to seafood for sale in supermarkets (until the store eventually discovered and removed them) The packages were also photographed and used for print and billboard ads.







As both an advertising major , and ocean advocate, and former Surfrider foundation intern, this campaign is one of my favorite.

blah save the whales blah blah blah, what about me?

    Some  think that humans deserve to be on a higher priority list than the environment.  They think that making our lives easier and tasks more convenient is more important than the environment. But the thing is, a healthy environment= a healthy place to live=healthy humans. 

You can be indifferent to wildlife and ecological preservation all you want, but plastic pollution affects you and your health.  Plastic takes at least a thousand years to biodegrade,  but most plastics being used today are not biodegradable. Instead they break down into smaller and smaller pieces, but never into organic matter. In landfills these pieces absorb toxic chemicals and make their way down to the groundwater and your water supply, both tap AND  bottled. In the ocean these toxic particles are eaten by animals who mistake them for plankton and the chemicals are transferred to them . Commercial fishermen catch these fish, crabs, oysters, clams,lobsters, etc, to be sold in the market.  Buying and eating seafood- you're the next in line to ingest toxic chemicals without knowing it.  There's no way to buy  truly "organic" seafood. No matter how pricey it is, everything comes from the same ocean.

Ok, so maybe you say you're not a sushi fan, you don't like seafood. Toxic chemicals from plastic are still getting into your water supply. And next time you  surf, boogie board, or swim in the ocean, think about if you want millions of plastic particles entering your ears, skin, nose, and mouth. 

SPI Ad campaign

Advertising Age recently featured SPI's plans for their 10 million dollar ad campaign to promote the benefits of plastic. Below is the interview with William Carteaux, SPI President and CEO. The campaign is planned to last 4 years and utilize various mediums, including twitter and facebook.


With new information emerging on the effect plastic is having on the environment , I hope Carteaux will reallocate some of the 10 million dollar budget towards building more recycling centers, and informing the public about recycling their plastics. If he decides otherwise, this plastic promotion campaign will only tragically increase plastic consumption and waste, not recycling. A grand advertising budget and social media are great things...please use them wisely.

The Great Floating Plastic Collection

Out of any posts I have ever written or will ever write, this one may be the most disturbing- it’s about a floating garbage patch in the middle of the ocean TWICE THE SIZE OF TEXAS. Called the great Eastern Garbage patch or Pacific Trash Vortex, the collection of debris sits in the Northern Pacific Ocean, between California and Hawaii. Discovered in 1988, more than 10 years ago, the Great Eastern garbage patch has just recently begun to receive public attention.

It is located in the Northern Pacific Gyre. Gyres are systems of rotating ocean currents or vortexes. These currents carry trash and debris to their center, creating giant garbage patches. There are multiple, but the Eastern garbage patch is by far the largest. The garbage patch is mostly made up of plastic debris- estimated at over 100 million tons. 80% of the plastic in the Garbage patch actually comes from land source, not boats. This results in a collection of plastic that ranges from bath products to toys to plastic bottles and bags. This giant garbage patch has been referred to as eerily quiet. The wildlife that ventures into the waters of the Eastern Garbage patch risks ingesting the plastic or getting caught in the dense debris.

I think the fact that we've produced enough plastic waste to cover Texas twice is astounding and really puts our consumption into perspective.

Another Common Culprit

Today’s post is dedicated to another plastic product we encounter and use everyday. Unlike plastic bottles, it’s something we are not even reminded to recycle- Plastic grocery bags. 500 BILLION plastic bags are used every year worldwide. When you stop to think about it, the usage time of a plastic grocery bag is ridiculously short. You drive them from the grocery store to your house, unpack your purchases….and then what do you do with them? They can be reused for bathroom or desk trash liners, but I’ve always seen them build up much faster than they can be reused. Only a select number of curbside recycling centers take plastic bags. Grocery stores do not do a good job of informing people that they can return their plastic bags to the stores.


Most plastic bags, like plastic bottles, end up being thrown away or littered. Being even lighter than plastic bottles, grocery bags can travel hundreds of miles being carried by the wind or through storm drains. Because they are made from a higher density plastic, called high density polythelene, plastic bags actually NEVER biodegrade, even after a thousand years. Instead they just continue break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Animals, especially in the ocean, often eat these plastic pieces, mistaking them for food. This results in sickness or death. Animals also get injured or die from getting entangled in floating plastic bags.



Besides littering our environment and hurting our wildlife, plastic bags also consume one of our most valuable natural resources. The amount of petroleum used to make 13 bags is the same amount need to drive a car one mile.

Plastic Water bottles-

Plastic bottles make water, a healthy choice in comparison to juice or soda, more convenient and accessible. Many people trust bottled water to be cleaner than that which comes out of their tap. More water companies are coming out with new packaging, catering to the growing number of people who view their bottled water as a symbol of status and style. Today, there are more than 600 brands of bottled water on the market. New brands emerge everyday, some with added benefits such as vitamins, energy, weight loss, skin supplements, etc.

So it’s no surprise that plastic water bottles are everywhere. Water is the fastest growing bottled beverage in America. A 22 billion dollar a year industry, it’s second only to soda in beverage sales. A study by Forbes showed that 1973 the average American bought only 1.6 gallons of bottled water a year. Now, the number is 28.3 gallons per year and rising.




Unfortunately the rapid rise of plastic water bottle sales contributes to the growing plastic pollution problem. Water bottles can, and should be recycled. Some states have even charged a deposit for bottles at the point of purchase to encourage recycling. But the reality is the vast majority of consumers either throw used bottles into the trash or worse, litter them. According to the Clean Air Council, America throws away 2.5 million plastic bottles per hour, or 60 million bottles a day. The Surfrider foundation maintains a running tally of plastic bottles thrown away into landfills on their site Last time I checked, the number was 

35, 491,584,972 water bottles. Statistically less than 10 percent of water bottles are recycled. It is unacceptable that plastic bottles are taking up space in landfills when they can be recycled instead. Our landfills are getting so full they are closing at the rate of 1 per day. Unrecycled plastic water bottles that don’t end up in landfills are littered and many find their way into our oceans.

In my Front Yard

This environmental issue is important to me for a lot of reasons. Growing up in Seattle, I was encouraged to take on the city's environmental attitude. It wasn't until I moved back to California for college and saw the dorm cafeteria, trash rooms and dumpsters that I realized that not everyone was as earth conscious as Seattle. The ocean is also a very big part of my life. Being by the water has always been very important to me. Surfing to me = happiness,peace, and sanity. I specifically scheduled my classes,job, and internship hours, just so I'm able to surf at least 3 days out of the week. The idea of not being able to go in the ocean or enjoy our coast is almost unfathomable to me, but I know it could be very well be a possibility at the rate we're going.

I recently moved to a house on the water in Newport Beach, so this has become even more personal to me. Interning for Surfrider Foundation this summer I participated in beach cleanups and saw the trash that is left on shore. But just walking around in the sand in front of my house I was surprised to see just how much trash there was in such a small area. Below are pictures of plastic from the beach in front of my house. I wasn't able to upload all my pictures, but I found about 60 plastic items in an area less than half the size of a city block.

A letter to SPI the Plastic Industry Trade Organization

Dear SPI,

I would just like to extend an invitation of collaboration. You see, in writing my blog, I do not wish to sabotage or incite you with inflammatory, defamatory comments. I’d hate for this to turn into a virtual shouting match of sorts, instead of a productive discussion for change. I am not trying to undermine the plastic industry or downplay any of its accomplishments and contributions to society. I understand that it is a potentially sustainable material with many uses. However, I do believe it is necessary to convey the truth about how current plastic practices are also hurting our environment. With all due respect, current practices are encouraging plastic overproduction, consumption, waste, and improper disposal. If you were not aware of or doubtful of this, I am confident my blog will convince you otherwise.

I urge you to make an effort to commit to responsible business practices. I acknowledge that profit is the purpose of any industry, but I ask you to recognize the importance of keeping the health and best interests of your customers and the environment in mind. Manufacture enough plastic to meet demand, not exceed it by leaps and bounds. Focus on producing plastic where it is necessary, such as medical supplies. Refrain from pushing products shown to be wasted instead of recycled, like plastic grocery bags and water bottles,

Instead of spending 10 million dollars on a strategic ad campaign trying to make us love plastic, use the money on make a positive difference. Since the plastic you produce is present in so many products and packaging we encounter and consume everyday, make it easier for us to recycle. Eliminate plastic in landfills by providing the public with more opportunities and outlets to recycle. Advertising how dynamic and great plastic is isn’t necessary. There is a urgent need to inform the public about why they need to recycle and how to do it. I’d like to think you want the best for everyone, not just yourself. Prove that you are an industry with ethical standards and prove that plastic can live up to its sustainable, environmentally friendly name. Call me idealistic, but I believe together we can do this.

-Amanda

Welcome

Hello! Welcome to my blog! It covers an issue that affects everyone living on planet Earth. (So I'm glad you found it, because that includes you!)  The issue is the giant amount of pollution coming from an unlikely source. It's something  we use every day, multiple times a day. And ironically, we usually think we're helping the environment when we use this.  What is it? drumroll please.......the answer is PLASTIC!  

Surprising? I call it the "at least it's not styrofoam or paper" effect. We use plastic, applauding ourselves for not using the decidedly ungreen styrofoam, and for not killing trees. Plastic is recyclable! It's great! Let's use it for everything!

You might find this hard to believe, but plastics are taking massive toll on our environment. Without change, the damage may be irreversible. My goal with this blog is to raise awareness about this problem and encourage both users and manufacturers of plastic products to take action, for everyone's sake.