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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Feb 13, 2015 - 09:03am PT
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more on waste...
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6223/768.full
Science 13 February 2015: Vol. 347 no. 6223 pp. 768-771
DOI: 10.1126/science.1260352
Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean
Jenna R. Jambeck, Roland Geyer, Chris Wilcox, Theodore R. Siegler, Miriam Perryman, Anthony Andrady, Ramani Narayan, Kara Lavender Law
ABSTRACT:
Plastic debris in the marine environment is widely documented, but the quantity of plastic entering the ocean from waste generated on land is unknown. By linking worldwide data on solid waste, population density, and economic status, we estimated the mass of land-based plastic waste entering the ocean. We calculate that 275 million metric tons (MT) of plastic waste was generated in 192 coastal countries in 2010, with 4.8 to 12.7 million MT entering the ocean. Population size and the quality of waste management systems largely determine which countries contribute the greatest mass of uncaptured waste available to become plastic marine debris. Without waste management infrastructure improvements, the cumulative quantity of plastic waste available to enter the ocean from land is predicted to increase by an order of magnitude by 2025.
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dave729
Trad climber
Western America
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Feb 13, 2015 - 12:11pm PT
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News Update.
Plastic remains an excellent way to sequester carbon
safely even though the Warmist's constantly complain its 'TO SAFE',
and does not require massive infrastructure and ongoing expense
like underground CO2 injection boondoggles.
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thebravecowboy
climber
just banana-jam it
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Feb 13, 2015 - 05:29pm PT
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TGT would you care to speculate on the causation of the steadily decreasing light stable O isotope ratio of the Earth atmosphere?
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Feb 13, 2015 - 05:42pm PT
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thebravecowboy
climber
just banana-jam it
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Feb 13, 2015 - 05:46pm PT
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So you're telling me that thiose highfallutin' isotopists are full of it? You might find some good company with Shaggy Dope and Violent J. I like to envision you wearing the facepaint
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 14, 2015 - 09:49am PT
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Without waste management infrastructure improvements, the cumulative quantity of plastic waste available to enter the ocean from land is predicted to increase by an order of magnitude by 2025.
The packaging industry is out of control. (And, perhaps I'm showing my ignorance, but isn't plastic a by-product of the fossil fuel industry--they need to do something with all the waste.)
As a simple example, I want to buy some nails. I used to be able to go to the nail bin and scoop out lbs of nails into a bag. Now, I buy sets of nails in plastic boxes. This model of over-packaging can be seen wherever you look--you buy things, and they are all packaged ever more in elaborate boxes and individual packages.
All these people in the world, we all need jobs. Those in the packaging industry have done a great job of promoting their goods, and they've grown their industry. A fantastic economic model. But what would happen to all those jobs if we were forced to relax the packaging standards that we've come to expect. What if minimalistic standards were set by law, and all goods had to be packaged using the least amount of resources as possible.
On and on, capitalism demands that companies grow, quarter over quarter, so they can supply the jobs that enable buying. DMT cries that he needs to feed his family, and so does everybody who has a steady job. We depend on our jobs, and because of that we support the economic model upon which our system is built. They supply all these jobs, and we grow. Quarter over quarter.
From what I see, one of the big questions we need to address is how do we consume less, while at the same time provide for people who are able to work and produce more and more goods, but shouldn't.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 14, 2015 - 10:07am PT
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Nice smug retort Dingus.
Sorry, but I think you missed my point. I was replying to the fact that the amount of plastic set to enter the ocean is going to go up by an order of magnitude in 10 years.
I see you think it's up to me to fix that.
EDIT
Or maybe it's that you just don't view it as a problem ("quit crying about what everyone else is doing").
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EdwardT
Trad climber
Retired
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Feb 14, 2015 - 12:53pm PT
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The Gore Effect rears its ugly head, again.
Weather is not climate, unless it helps the cause.
-------------------------------------------------------
Moving on... the plastic issue is a global problem. I may be wrong, but I'd guess the US is not a major contributor to the buildup of plastic in our oceans. It's coming from countries that don't have built-in waste disposal systems.
We may be the largest consumer on the planet, but our waste does get disposed. There's plenty to criticize the US over. Plastic in the ocen is way down the list.
As far as overall plastic consumption goes, we're fat hogs. Much of the plastic packaging is about glitz. IMO, we could have laws restricting it's use, without sticking it to producers... except maybe the plastics companies. They may have to suck it up, a bit.
On a side note, I f#%king hate the hard plastic packaging used for electronic products.
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Roger Brown
climber
Oceano, California
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Feb 14, 2015 - 01:18pm PT
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Wade,
Yea, I remember that place. It was my home port for a couple years.
It was known far and wide as "Sh#t City". I don't miss it.
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Feb 14, 2015 - 01:19pm PT
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sounds like "Sh#t City" is going to be flushed away shortly.
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Feb 14, 2015 - 03:19pm PT
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Thanks Chief, that's why I asked.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 14, 2015 - 04:57pm PT
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Wade, very interesting page on who creates the garbage--what is up with that?
I may be wrong, but I'd guess the US is not a major contributor to the buildup of plastic in our oceans. It's coming from countries that don't have built-in waste disposal systems.
Nice to see the US is ahead in this sense.
And now for something completely different:
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Feb 15, 2015 - 08:20pm PT
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thebravecowboy
climber
On this ride, I'm cptn; My pals call me Shackleton
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Feb 15, 2015 - 08:26pm PT
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I mean, I know it was an article in Science so it is the Lord's word, but 2% mismanaged waste for the U.S. Really? I doubt that very much.
EDIT: Ok, I see the elevated ppd kgs of plastic for the U.S. I believe that! I see too how it fits into the relatively low percentage of "mismanaged waste"
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dave729
Trad climber
Western America
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Feb 15, 2015 - 10:29pm PT
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Giga tons of fish poop directly into the oceans water daily. And you're
worrying about some plastic? Way silly rabbit.
Be informed that mid ocean floating plastic makes ideal places for fish to live. It is shady, providing protection from birds, right at the surface away from dangerous shore breakers. The more the better.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 16, 2015 - 08:21am PT
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The question is, does our waste management policy include shipping our plastic waste to China so they can "recycle" it?
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