Why can't we see what we are doing to our world - Floating Pacific Garbage dumps.?

Unfortunately Al Gore and the Left politicized the environmental movement and essentially killed it. By the time global warming is totally debunked the word environmentalist will be such a dirty word nobody will dare try to raise awareness. You describe a very real ecological problem and one we need to address but instead we the politicians are busy using quasi-environmental garbage to punish industries which don't bribe them enough.

Not all is lost. If an environmental group formed that combated the stupidity and fought for real envoronmental issues like deforestation, recycling, pollution in our waterways and oceans then we might win back the environmental movement from those attempting to destroy it for personal and political gain.

Yes I recyle, though no easy way to recylcle plastics yet. I recycle all metals that I toss out even steel, all biodegradables go into mulch. So about all that's in my trash is paper and plastic.

I have to agree with you. I am ashamed to be human. This planet was once a beautiful paradise and is now an enormous landfill site. There are many other things that humans have done to impact the environment - so many that it would take hours to list them all. The ocean itself has only 2% of life that has been discovered and made known, and the sad part is that we will never know how much life actually exists in it.

I personally don't know what to do to "fix" what has already been done, other than to continue to recycle, never buy a car (I cycle to work), eat foods grown locally (to keep shipping trucks off the road), and use solar power for heat and electricity. Many people will never go to even these lengths to help. I don't think they care.

This is the 'slogan' I made up: "WELCOME TO OUR SELF-INFLICTED MISERY".

My council, years ago, saw what was coming and initiated a kerbside recyling program, which has now been adopted, by quite a few, other councils in this state. Everything that can be recycled IS recycled, leaving very little to go to landfill. What does go there, breaks down and returns to where it originated - in the ground.

Our State Government years ago, initated a can and bottle deposit scheme, where as many as possible, drink cans, cardboard containers and bottles were and still are, returned to recycling yards. The deposit used to be 5 cents. That was recently increased to 10 cents to add incentive to those, who had become too lazy to return them and consequently threw them on the ground - litter.

While there is an initial cost to those containers, it is not noticed, as it is so miniscule and it would otherwise still be applied, but finish up being used for cleaning up, instead of recycling.

Most people in South Australia are aware of the need to keep the state as clean as possible. If somebody slackens off, then others will do their job for them, albeit the original litterer's responsibility to clean up after themselves and if caught, get hit with quite a hefty penalty.

Our state has had a program for some years as was known as KESAB - KE ep S outh A ustralia Beautiful. It was eventually adopted nationally and has significantly reduced waste going into our waterways: also to landfill.

Most of it finishes up in the right places but, for some crazy reason, the other states oppose a deposit scheme on those containers. It does benefit individuals/groups who save them and return the en-masse. The amount returned to an individual or group, usually goes to something which otherwise, might not have been available to them.

Our council (a lot of other councils also have similar programs) and State Government has, to the best of their ability, created a recycling industry in this state and is constantly looking to increase the types of recycling, that can be done.

Other countries (governments) could adopt those programs, with a bit of dedication and the loss of a "I don't see it, therefore it isn't there" attitude. There are initial hurdles to overcome, such as setting up budgets to cover the initial extra cost and then maintaining the program, while still allowing people to keep living, but they CAN be overcome.

Some of the United States, individual states (for but one country) have adopted recycling programs to some degree, but aren't going the whole hog - yet. In time, I guess.

To work properly; as much as possible, needs to be recycled and so reduce the amount of garbage/waste being thrown away. Then we might start seeing a cleaner; then ultimately, clean planet!

I really started recycling two years ago and now that I look back on it, I would like to know just how much plastic, cardboard, aluminum, tin cans, etc I have recycled? I am proud to have done my part to help make a difference. I have also encouraged my family to do the same. I see plastic, aluminum soda cans, beer bottles tossed everywhere and it makes me so sad that people just do not seem to care. Start taking those items to the recycling center and do your part. Good luck.

IDK but isn't garbage from the earth too. Why should it be a problem to take the plastic from a building on land and put it in the water at sea. If the fish like plastic then how bad could it be. Seriously, isn't eating a fish just as bad as fish eating plastic. Why should we regulate fish diets because we want to eat them?

try to inform as many people as possible.

wat can u do no one really cares enough to do somethin all u can do is recycle and pick up cans and bottle off the street