As disturbing as it looks and is, Loree Griffin Burn's book Tracking Trash - Flotsam, Jetsam and the Science of Ocean Motion sounds fascinating. The book opens with the Nike incident in 1990 when five containers packed with sneakers were swept off a cargo ship in a storm, and introduces the works of oceanographers Curt Ebbesmeyer and Jim Ingraham who collected data on the sneakers washing up on shore.
A big part of the trash-tracking that Curt and Jim do involves hanging out with beachcombers, Loree says, and to get a feel for the "work" these beachcombers do, she and her friend Betty (the photographer) set off on their own beachcombing excursion while in Washington. Curt and Jim recommended the beaches in Grayland, and that's where they went.
The two also joined Curt at the annual Beachcombers Fun Fair in Ocean Shores, WA, where he met with the many beachcombers who help him track trash.
Others scientist profiled in the book are Captain Charles Moore, founder of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation in Long Beach, CA, which is dedicated to protecting and preserving our marine environment. They collect and examine all kinds of sea life and determine how much plastic is present.
Captain Moore also took Loree to a nearby beach for a glimpse into the extent of the plastic debris problem he and his colleagues are working so hard to address. And the message of Tracking Trash such as flotsam and jetsam? Reduce, reuse, and recycle. And I think we can all do that!
On a lighter note, check out Prue's darling Flotsam Dolls, made from shells, driftwood, sea grass and debris found on the Northern Beaches of Sydney.
14 comments:
How interesting!! Who knew trash could offer so much information.
I know I get upset whenever I see people just throwing trash out of thier car windows....I can't even imagine people throwing trash into the beautiful ocean...
PS...I am doing a give away on my blog!! Stop on by if you get a moment:)
Wow. How interesting and also slightly heart breaking.
Sometimes when my Husband and I walk the beach in the a.m. we make a point to pick up every piece of trash we see. Feels like we're contributing...especially when we're no help with oil cleanup. Breaks my heart.
That is unbelievable. I was actually watching a documentary on Nat Geo about how trash in the oceans is tracked, and all I have to say is...wow! There is a lot of trash at the bottom of the ocean.
It is upsetting - I walk beside the sea every day and pick up, but it is only (forgive me) a drop in the ocean. Heart breaking.
There is a local effort here to retrieve the huge number of "ghost" lobster traps that liter the bottom of our coastal Maine waters. The subject is certainly a fascinating one to track the movement of other lost cargo in the waters of the ocean. ~Lili
As a beachcomber on the Gulf Coast, I'm amazed at the trash and other flotsam catches that I come across. I have an idea for some of it...! I'll let you know if I ever do it. It's on my "list." I may need to get this book in the meantime! Thanks for sharing. cheers, -susan
Hi! I so remember when the containers full of Nike shoes started washing up on the beach in Washington and Oregon. Amazing that there is so much junk - mostly plastic water bottles and plastic shopping bags. If we each only stopped using those 2 things we would be so far ahead of the game.
World Oceans Day is next Tuesday - how about making a commitment to take a beach walk with an extra bag to pick up the trash?
Thanks Maya - this books looks like fun!
What an interesting book! It's just terrible the trash that people toss without a second thought! And I can't even begin to think about this awful oil spill...
Along with the plastic bottles, plastic bags & many other items, the one thing that seems so small & harmless is quite troublesome...cigarette butts. It's mind-boggling to me that people can just toss them without a care in the world. I've found them along the coast of the Aleutians in the middle of no where while beachcombing glass fishing floats. It's crazy! The filters can continue to carry harmful chemicals & they get ingested by fish, birds & other creatures/animals.
I've also heard Curt Ebbesmeyer speak at the Beachcombers Fun Fair & it's very informative.
Maya, you should link up this post to Cris' Oceanic-Blog-A-Thon tomorrow for World Oceans Day, it's perfect!
It breaks my heart every time I find trash thrown or washed up on our beautiful beaches. What are people thinking?
Sigh! It's amazing how much trash accumulates in the oceans. As I live in a touristic area the 'cleaning crew" has usually made the beaches around here nice and pretty by the time I get there. But there are certain beaches where you keep running into plastic and stuff when you're swimming. People complain about it, but they never quite seem to realise that they are part of the problem and should help with the solution!
This helps!
Great one for the Blog-A-Thon, thanks for joining in! :o)
The saddest part is when you ask people if they're concern with the environment, they will say "YES!and suddenly throw trashes out of the car window! Yeah I think trash throwing has become global. I thought it happen only here in the Philippines! I wonder why people especially excursionists hasn't ever learned about proper waste disposal?
Thanks for sharing and that was a very nice post!
I think most people aren't even aware of the enormous trash problem in our oceans.
I remember how trashy the roadsides were when I was a child. There were huge campaigns to bring awareness to the litter problem. It worked! People cared enough to change. The landscape stayed cleaner... then we all forgot. Or another generation came along. I don't know the reason, but the trash is back. And it all works it's way to the oceans...
Thanks for a wonderful post!
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