When Plastic Runs Away from the Picnic
Fall in Puget Sound is the time for sports, picnics, trips and other family events. These outings usually come with an assortment of plastic water bottles, plastic plates, plastic silverware and plastic containers. Fall is also the time when strong winds and fast currents are prevalent. What happens to the plastic garbage that is picked up by the wind or waves and flies or floats away? Eighty percent of plastic waste in the ocean comes from land. It is either carried by wind or washed into streams and storm water drains by rain, ending up in Puget Sound and eventually the ocean. Animals and other organisms get tangled in it, ingest it and are hurt by runaway plastics.
Viewer Tip: The Port Townsend Marine Science Center urges you to limit the plastic products you use and think of other ways to re-use and reduce your plastic waste.
The Center wishes you happy fall outings and sports games without flying and floating debris!
This information is provided by the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. Learn more: www.ptmsc.org.
Season: Fall
(Sources: Port Townsend Marine Science Center http://www.ptmsc.org/science/research.html. Algalita Marine Research Foundation http://www.algalita.org/. http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200905/message.aspx
www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/06/08/ocean.trash.report/
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/forum/science/july-dec08/plastic_11-13.html.)
