International 414 million pieces of plastic found on remote Australian island

[WarDosAnjos]

Wow. Title says it all. Absolutely shocking. And conservatives will still argue we are not in the midst of a environmental crisis. We are destroying our earth people. We must come forward with new legislation to protect our world. This level of plastic production is not sustainable. We are heading towards extinction and destruction of our beautiful natural environment.

https://edition-m.cnn.com/2019/05/1...ntl/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F

 

[Wet Blanket]

In before north Americans try to blame China.

 

[Amerikuracana]

Yes.. The problem is pollution. That is the correct word. We have to stop polluting..

 

[Not A Theist]

In before north Americans try to blame China.

Not trying to blame China by any stretch, but I keep seeing things about a few (non-North American) rivers putting out most of the plastic in the ocean by a huge margin. I haven't looked into it so I'm wondering - are those articles false?

 

[Sketch]

In before north Americans try to blame China.

It is China.

 

[ShadowRun]

Stop throwing your trash in the ocean bro’s

 

[Wet Blanket]

Not trying to blame China by any stretch, but I keep seeing things about a few (non-North American) rivers putting out most of the plastic in the ocean by a huge margin. I haven't looked into it so I'm wondering - are those articles false?

I have no idea personally.

What I do know, is that every single piece of plastic we buy / use / discard ends up somewhere. That's on us regardless of who pollutes more.

 

[Wet Blanket]

We have the means to avoid using disposble plastic items, we are just too lazy to do so.

 

[Supereem]

I have no idea personally.

What I do know, is that every single piece of plastic we buy / use / discard ends up somewhere. That's on us regardless of who pollutes more.

Don’t you recycle?

 

[Stoic1]

And conservatives will still argue we are not in the midst of a environmental crisis. We are destroying our earth people.

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

I have no idea personally.

What I do know, is that every single piece of plastic we buy / use / discard ends up somewhere. That's on us regardless of who pollutes more.

yup, I give my women and friends shit for using fucking plastic straws...

why the fu*k do we need plastic straws!??

and plastic cups also really piss me off.

 

[Not A Theist]

I have no idea personally.

What I do know, is that every single piece of plastic we buy / use / discard ends up somewhere. That's on us regardless of who pollutes more.

Yeah, that's a fair statement. Of course if I produce less garbage than my neighbour it doesn't absolve me of responsibility for producing garbage.

I do think that when we're talking about something like a garbage island as a problem it does make sense to ask the question "Ok, who actually made most of this garbage and put it into the ocean?" If I put ten pieces in and my neighbour Frank put in a thousand you're right to point out that I contributed, but if you really want to stop garbage islands from forming you had best talk to Frank.

(just to be clear I'm rather ignorant on this issue at large - never followed up on the articles about plastic going into the ocean mainly coming from a few places that are not in North America. That could very well be a selective interpretation of the information)

 

[cottagecheesefan]

Wow, if you look where that island is located, it looks like rivers in both India and China lead directly into that ocean. So yes, blaming China and/or India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, West Africa, and the Middle East here is correct.

Shocking? No.

edit: just to add for reference <_<

 

[ShinkanPo]

I dont believe this 414? Who would count that?

 

[Serenity Now]

Imagine being stranded there...It will be craft heaven.

 

[Gregolian]

yup, I give my women and friends shit for using fucking plastic straws...

why the fu*k do we need plastic straws!??

and plastic cups also really piss me off.

Because those shit-tier paper straws come in individual single use plastic bags.......

 

[Social Distance Warrior]

I dont believe this 414? Who would count that?

 

[scoopj]

What poor schmuck had to count them all?

 

[milliniar]

Not trying to blame China by any stretch, but I keep seeing things about a few (non-North American) rivers putting out most of the plastic in the ocean by a huge margin. I haven't looked into it so I'm wondering - are those articles false?

Usually it's related to other countries shipping recycling and garbage there.

 

[Not A Theist]

Usually it's related to other countries shipping recycling and garbage there.

Gotcha. So is it the garbage from the developed world that is shipped there then ends up in the rivers when they "recycle" it? It doesn't exactly absolve them of blame, but it does certainly put the spotlight on us in the developed world for basically paying someone to make us feel good and kick the can down the road for us.

I don't suppose you have any sources on this?