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Title: Shocking photo shows Caribbean Sea being 'choked to death by human waste'
Source:
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URL Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201 ... -sea-choked-death-human-waste/
Published: Oct 27, 2017
Author: Staff
Post Date: 2017-10-27 01:43:06 by Horse
Keywords: None
Views: 66
Comments: 7
The worst of the rubbish the dive team found was about 15 miles off the coast of Roatan heading towards the Cayos Cochinos Marine Reserve “We were on a dive trip to a set of islands that don't quite break the ocean surface. They are one of the most pristine dive sites in this part of the Caribbean,” Ms Power recalled. “The photo of the diver in the water was actually over one of these seamounts. To see an area that is supposed to be pristine covered in garbage and trash was disheartening.” She said they passed through floating garbage for “nearly five miles”, adding: “Everywhere we looked, plastic bags of all shapes and sizes: chip bags, ziplocks, grocery, trash, snack bags, other packaging. Some were whole and the rest were just pieces. Sadly, many turtles, fish, whales, and seabirds will mistake those bits of plastic for food. “We then reached an area about two miles wide that had multiple trash lines that stretched from horizon to horizon “There was also a seemingly infinite number of plastic forks, spoons, drink bottles, and plates. There were broken soccer balls, toothbrushes, a tv, and so many shoes and flip flops.” Blue Planet Society, an organisation campaigning to end overfishing and the overexploitation of the world’s ocean, believes the rubbish originated from the Motagua River in Guatemala, washing into the sea during heavy rains. They said the images were “unbelievable”, adding: “We see a lot of shocking images of environmental destruction. This is right up there with the worst. “Trash from Motagua River in Guatemala polluting Honduras coast has been an issue in region for some time.” Ms Power adds, “there is a lack of infrastructure and education, so many people either burn trash or throw it into rivers”. Conservationists Oceana Europe said the photos had left them “shocked, sad and angry, but not surprised”. They added: “If we don’t change our behaviour now, we’re going to have more plastic than fish in the ocean.” By numbers | Plastic in the sea 300 million - tons of plastic produced globally each year 12 per cent - amount of plastic which is recycled Five trillion - number of pieces of microplastic in ocean, with one rubbish truck load added each minute 11,000 - number of pieces of microplastic ingested by humans each year from seafood 780,000 - number of microplastics humans will ingest by the end of the century if trends continue 8.5 billion - number of plastic bags used in English supermarkets annually before 5p charge 6 billion - estimated number of bags removed from circulation annually at last count, an 80 per cent reduction. By numbers | Plastic in the sea 300 million - tons of plastic produced globally each year 12 per cent - amount of plastic which is recycled Five trillion - number of pieces of microplastic in ocean, with one rubbish truck load added each minute 11,000 - number of pieces of microplastic ingested by humans each year from seafood 780,000 - number of microplastics humans will ingest by the end of the century if trends continue 8.5 billion - number of plastic bags used in English supermarkets annually before 5p charge 6 billion - estimated number of bags removed from circulation annually at last count, an 80 per cent reduction. 12 minutes - useful lifespan of average plastic bag 
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#1. To: Horse (#0)
The Caribbean could be the most beautiful place to dive and snorkel in the world. Not sure about that but it could be a contender at least. But at least nature put all the garbage is in one place. That's better than evenly mixed, I'd say. At least if anyone is of the mind to do it it's easier to clean up.
A Dutch student invented a system to passively collect the plastic in the oceans. There are garbage dumps in the Pacififc that are bigger than the state of Texas.
Yes, I heard about both the Pacific patch and the idea to catch the waste. Just gotta pay for the boats to visit the things and do the trash pick ups.
#4. To: Pinguinite, Horse, 4 (#3)
Littering is a 100% human problem which could end tomorrow were some not so stupidly thoughtless.
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#3. To: Horse (#2)
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