Plasitcs make it possible

[kzager]

Just in case the weakening economy, stock-market recession, the cost of gasoline and the knowledge that it's a non-renewable resource that may or may not be emitting CFCs when burnt (depending who you ask), drought, cost of food going up because of the higher demand for corn, species becoming endangered or extinct on a level that we haven't really seen before, no-longer-needed medications which are flushed down the toilet by the doctor's orders raising mercury levels in fish and make them sterile, an exponentially increasing human population, war, bad leaders, Super Soakers getting less and less powerful, Cadbury eggs being smaller than they were in the past and sentences that are much too long and questionably run-ons didn't depress you enough:

Toxic: Garbage Island

The first 12 videos are more just to show some drama and all that stuff that entertains people. The video titled "extra" is an interview with a marine scientist discussing the matter in greater detail. The 9th and 10th video were actually good for showing exactly what it was that they found and all of that.

It's really disturbing to think about how much we as a society keep up with trends that are ultimately hazardous to ourselves in the long run because it adds some convenience to the short term.

In somewhat related news I did hear about a bacteria being discovered that was able to break down synthetics but I'm unsure the validity of the source.

[loofah]

no-longer-needed medications which are flushed down the toilet by the doctor's orders raising mercury levels in fish

Where did you hear this?

In somewhat related news I did hear about a bacteria being discovered that was able to break down synthetics but I'm unsure the validity of the source.

Well, this article talks about microbial degradation of plastics, but it's not in a peer-reviewed journal. this one talks about degradation of phthalates, but they're just talking about plasticizers, and not the plastic itself. (everytime I hear the word "plasticize", I think of "jazzercise", and it's always done with jazz hands)

[kzager]

Good point.
1.
2.

"Also, pharmaceuticals in waterways are damaging wildlife across the nation and around the globe, research shows. Notably, male fish are being feminized, creating egg yolk proteins, a process usually restricted to females"

[loofah]

Good point.
"Also, pharmaceuticals in waterways are damaging wildlife across the nation and around the globe, research shows. Notably, male fish are being feminized, creating egg yolk proteins, a process usually restricted to females"

Oh, I knew about the feminization of fish, I was just questioning the increasing mercury levels coming from medications. I think the mercury tends to come from pollution (untreated pulp and paper processing, combustion of coal, improper disposal of mercury-containing consumer items like button-batteries and thermostats)

[Nik]

Correct, much of the mercury level is coming from chemical dumping. I go to school on the Hudson, and many of our Chemistry, Biology and environmental science students do tests on the water (which has cleared significantly since the dumping stopped) but the mercury levels are so high you're cleared only to eat one fish every three weeks or something from the river IF you're not a child or pregnant. This is because the mercury levels are so high.