3 ms·

> I don't know exactly You sum up a fundamental problem of the world so well - you don't know, but you damn well wont let that stop you from formulating a stro

• yostrovs 8y ago
  The point of view I'm expressing is skepticism of one thing accompanied by basic knowledge of another. You, on the other hand, are all knowing and skepticism has no place for you.
  • random878 8y ago
    > I don't know exactly, but the impact difference on trash in the ocean will approach zero. Sorry, I couldn't see your healthy skepticism as it was blocked from view by your statement of fact.
• nfopfish 8y ago
  The composition of the oceanic "garbage patches" is about 50% discarded fishing gear [1]. The stuff you tend to find washed up on beaches contains a large proportion of land-originated bits and bobs such as lighters, toothbrushes, and beach sandals, but also a large fraction of already-partly-decomposed plastic fragments, impossible to ascribe to any particular source [2]. Personally I'm not in favour of an outright ban (give me back my 100 W lightbulbs and 2000 W vacuum cleaners!) but EU-wide taxation could surely disincentivize plastic cutlery with respect to bamboo or other decomposable. [1] https://ocean.si.edu/conservation/pollution/marine-plastics https://ocean.si.edu/conservation/pollution/marine-plastics [2] "Composition and potential origin of marine debris stranded in the Western Indian Ocean on remote Alphonse Island, Seychelles" Duhec et al. Marine Pollution Bulletin 96 (2015) 76–86