Chattanooga Pulse

As I reached the checkout line at the grocery, I realized that I had, yet again, left my cloth bags in the trunk of my station wagon. I carried as much as I could in my arms and reluctantly put a few smaller items in a plastic bag. I justified it by telling myself that I would use it the next time I walk my dog. In fact, I hoard those plastic bags in my pantry because I can’t bear the thought of throwing them into the trash (which is another plastic bag) to find their way to a landfill or, worse, to the swirling vortex of plastic that resides in the Pacific Ocean.

No, I am not lapsing into science fiction. There is an area of pollution referred to as the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” It is twice the size of Texas and made of plastic waste. These materials, the skeletons of bottled water, tampon applicators, trash and grocery bags, float on the surface, unable to fully decompose. Plastic is broken down by light in a process called photodegradation. The pieces become smaller and smaller but remain polymers down to the molecular level.

So there is a lot of plastic floating around in the ocean. What does it matter to the common land-dwelling human? Well, for one thing, these plastics not only leech toxins (such as bisphenol A) into the water but also absorb chemicals that have been dumped into the ocean. Many varieties of sea life consume these toxic morsels. Small pieces ingested by jellyfish can, in turn, choke sea turtles that eat the jellyfish. As these turtles decompose into the ocean, the plastic that choked them remains, continuing to pose a threat to other sea life.

As the pieces break down, they remain near the surface of the ocean, where microscopic organisms can feast. The non-biodegradable matter has been found in the bodies of black-footed albatrosses.  Plastic is entering the food chain. And as the sole animal species that has created and utilized it, this vortex of trash is our albatross to bear.

It may be actually impossible to reverse all of the damage done by this careless use of the ocean, but as of this year, 2009, steps are being taken. In March, Ocean Voyages Institute (a California-based nonprofit) introduced Project Kaisei. This project was created to research the feasibility of collecting and recycling the island of plastic. On August 4, Ocean Voyages Institute launched the Kaisei out of San Francisco to begin investigating the size and concentration of the mass of flotsam. The Kaisei was joined by the New Horizon, which will study the effects of the debris on wildlife.

While still in the early stages of a solution, it is encouraging that this issue, which was discovered in the ’80s and just a month ago made it into People magazine, is being addressed. So, back to the grocery store. What can we do to (at the very least) not add to this growing mass of used and forgotten waste?
Well, start with the bags. Do whatever you can to avoid accumulating clouds of grocery bags that you eventually throw away in a fit of frustration or a re-organizing binge. This is an instance in which to employ your wise consumer skills. Choose items with minimal packaging. All of that fluff costs extra, and you only throw it away.

Avoid extraneous uses of plastic. If you don’t want to do dishes the next time you grill out, consider biodegradable plates and utensils. Use paper cups. Try biodegradable, or at least recycled plastic, trash bags. Consider alternatives when it comes to personal hygiene products and toiletries. Buying in bulk or in larger containers generally reduces waste, but try to find products packaged in glass or cardboard. Anything that you consume on a regular basis—consider the waste and work to reduce it. Making a change in your day-to-day routine is the best way to make a significant difference in your personal output. For some purposes, plastic is the best for the job. There are some things that would be impossible in our modern society without it. However, for something that is designed to never decompose, we use it far too excessively and with little thought for the repercussions of convenience.

Victoria Hurst is a proud resident of the Appalachian Mountains. She has recently graduated from Warren Wilson College with a B.A. in English: Creative Writing.