Recycling Myths 4 U

I'm sure you've heard this "argument": "It's OK to buy those plastic water bottles, because, I RECYCLE THEM!" (Usually followed by an unvocalized "YAY 4 ME!"...) The concept in our heads - as placed there, to a large extent, by plasti-manufacturers - See: Misconception #5! - versus the reality of what actually happens to stuff you toss into a recycling bin are separated by a wiiiide-a** gap.

FunFact/Misconception #2: "Curbside collection will reduce the amount of plastic landfilled". Plastic items don't come back as those same items. Those that actually make it into a recycling bin (and truly end up at a plastics renderer...) come back as un-recylable stuff...so they end up in the dump (or your surf break) eventually...

Find this helpful & informative list here - SEVEN Misconceptions About Recycling and FIVE Strategies to Reduce the Environmental Impact of Plastics. Pretty slick - show it to your parents (no matter your age)!

Today was a good day at my local break - One CapriSun (the Devil's drink) mylar 'pouch', one Pooh toy part, a plastic shopping bag, and a couple of bottle caps. Yesterday was GnArLyer: One CapriSun (the Devil's drink) mylar 'pouch' [I guess I didnt get them all this day], Two water bottles, one full (though empty) Happy Meal set, some unhappy plastic toy parts, one 'travel-size' shampoo bottle several plastic straws, and four bottle caps...all gathered on my short walk from the water to the parking lot - maybe 60 yards of beach to traverse - and this was AFTER the city's "beach-grooming" contraption had made its passes. D'ya see why we have a problem with plastics around here? DAMN!

Brits Bash Bottles!

...well, and all oceanic plastics, for that matter. And rightly so, as oceanic trash does not respect international boundaries! Two gob-smacking articles from UK periodicals this week detail 1) a Telegraph piece detailing the Pacific Gyre trash problem, and 2) a BBC item describing the rising level of plastic detritus washing up on the shores of the British Isles.

The Telegraph article is kind of old news about the gyre overall, but worth the read and associated Euro-perspective, for sure. And frankly, all continued drumbeats on the garbage patch problem help dispel the "urban legend" that still hangs above this phenom in some quarters. ...and just so ya know, the Atlantic Gyre is growing just as rapidly...check this slide show out, and see image #7 for Algalita/5Gyres' Marcus and Anna sporting Portland, Oregon Surfrider shirts, while showing off Atlantic Ocean plastic trash.

As for UK beach trash, the BBC article details stats from Marine Conservation Society's ("MCS" - send one of their beach trash e-cards) shore cleanups that boast 63% plastics (lucky them, we are finding 74% plastics here in So Cal beach cleans). In addition to listing a "joke severed finger and a set of vampire teeth" (I thought they spelt it "vampyre" there, oh well) - the article repeats the assertion that "Ultimately, plastic litter may be providing a new method for these chemicals [persistent organic pollutants absorbed by oceanic plastics] to be passed up the food chain to human consumers." Sushi is so...nineties.

Good news that this info is still getting out there via major outlets, bad news that it still has to get out there...absobloodylutely!

Upward & Onward...and of course, Cheerio!