This really is depressing: Apparently there are continent-sized pools of plastic trash accumulating in eddies in the Pacific Ocean. The ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ or ‘trash vortex’ may contain 100 million tons of stuff; one-fifth of it has fallen or been tossed off of ships and oil-drilling platforms , the rest of has been dumped or washed away from land.
The only good news from this story–and even this is a little sad–is that it is possible to become an “authority on flotsam,” such as Curtis Ebbesmeyer. Is there a professional society? Perhaps a Flotsam-con? Do they get along with the jetsam researchers?
Your comments reminded me of a poem I wrote after your dad & I went out on a “œwhale watch” during our trip to southern CA in Feb. “˜98.
I don”™t think I can post the whole poem here, but I”™ll send it to you!