The great pacific garbage patch is a collection of marine debris in the north pacific ocean. A gyre is a large system of swirling ocean currents. Its day 71 of his 80day swim across the great pacific garbage patch. Arguably more frightening than any shark, the great pacific garbage patch is a rapidly growing hot spot for ocean plastic, carrying 1. Dutch group to rid great pacific garbage patch of trash in 2018. Digging into the great pacific garbage patch youtube. The ocean cleanups nearly 2000foot boom is collecting ocean plastics from. This is what its like to swim through the great pacific garbage patch. How the great pacific garbage patch is destroying the. This is what its like to swim through the great pacific. This is the first of our special edition series for gsutv, exploring the perils of plastic pollution and the great plastic garbage patch in the middle of the pacific ocean.
Yet another floating mass of microscopic plastic has been discovered in the ocean, and it is mindblowingly vast. Plastic garbage patch bigger than mexico found in pacific. The patch was described in a 1988 paper published by the national oceanic and atmospheric administration. Great pacific garbage patch is bigger and mostly made of. Charles moore, who discovered the great pacific garbage patch in the late 1990s and plans a research trip there in july, estimates that altogether the globes garbage. Great pacific garbage patch national geographic society. Also known as the pacific trash vortex, the garbage patch is actually. Also known as the pacific trash vortex, the garbage. A team of scientists and artists investigates the buildup of marine debris.
It is estimated to cover a surface area twice the size of. The great pacific garbage patch is the worlds largest collection of floating trashand the most famous. The great pacific garbage patch is one of five gyres, or vortexes, where currents have concentrated debris that has ended up in the ocean. Education which have provided or contributed the content on this page.
The great pacific garbage patch, full of ocean plastic. The entire great pacific garbage patch is bounded by the north pacific subtropical gyre. In light of the sheer physical enormity of the great pacific garbage patch and the complexity of its causes, what can we possibility do about it. The great pacific garbage patch, also described as the pacific trash vortex, is a gyre of marine. The great pacific garbage patch isnt what you think it is. In this fulllength web exclusive, national geographic journeys along the remote alaskan coast. The great pacific garbage patch maxwell school syracuse. Creating art from a plastic ocean national geographic. The north pacific garbage patch, a loose collection of drifting debris that accumulates in the northern pacific, first drew notice when it was. The great pacific garbage patch lies in the pacific ocean between hawaii and california. Marine researcher charles moore holds a sample of water with debris from the great pacific garbage patch, which he first discovered in 1997. He also vowed that the cleanup of the great pacific garbage patch will be operational in 2019.
First of its kind map reveals extent of ocean plastic. It was named by the explorer ferdinand magellan in 1520 as he sailed through a calm patch of water on the ocean. Furthermore, national geographic reported that while the name great pacific garbage patch may conjure up an image of a floating island of debris, the actual garbage patch. First of its kind map reveals extent of ocean plastic national. It is the worlds largest collection of floating trash, covering an area larger than texas. Charles moore of the algalita marine research foundation first discovered the great pacific garbage patch an endless floating waste of plastic trash. The name pacific is a version of pacify or peaceful. It lies between hawaii and california and is often described as larger than texas. The ocean cleanup contraption developed to collect plastic trash from the pacific garbage patch is being towed back to san francisco during the first week of january 2019 for repairs. National geographic is committed to reducing plastics pollution. According to the national geographic about 80 percent of the debris in the great pacific garbage patch comes from landbased activities in north america and. Marine debris is litter that ends up in the ocean, seas, and other large bodies of water. Photograph by randy olson, nat geo image collection. Floating trash collector has setback in pacific garbage patch.