Oct 27, 2009: Killer Plastic

xoxoxoBruce · 10-27-2009, 01:43 AM

We've discussed, here in the Cellar, the stories of huge amounts of plastic in the Pacific Ocean Gyre. Apparently most of the plastic breaks down into small pieces, making a "soup" just below the surface.

Well, not all of the pieces are small...

Quote:

These photographs of albatross chicks were made just a few weeks ago on Midway Atoll, a tiny stretch of sand and coral near the middle of the North Pacific. The nesting babies are fed bellies-full of plastic by their parents, who soar out over the vast polluted ocean collecting what looks to them like food to bring back to their young. On this diet of human trash, every year tens of thousands of albatross chicks die on Midway from starvation, toxicity, and choking.

To document this phenomenon as faithfully as possible, not a single piece of plastic in any of these photographs was moved, placed, manipulated, arranged, or altered in any way. These images depict the actual stomach contents of baby birds in one of the world's most remote marine sanctuaries, more than 2000 miles from the nearest continent.

~cj, October 2009

Albatrosses are killing their chicks, without even realizing it.

link

Scriveyn · 10-27-2009, 02:50 AM

Plus, less obvious, the "sand" on the worlds beaches is in part made up of broken down plastic. Some research found up to 10% of the grains are actually plastic.

SPUCK · 10-27-2009, 04:33 AM

The bastards!
Death to plastic hording birds!

Got a light buddy?

Griff · 10-27-2009, 05:21 AM

Dead albatros on the cellar, dead aspen on NPR, depressing start to the day and that's just the "A"s.

spudcon · 10-27-2009, 06:29 AM

Don't you just hate it when you're eating a dead albatross chick, and you get a hunk of bottlecap stuck between your teeth?

TheMercenary · 10-27-2009, 07:54 AM

Pretty sad statement.

birdclaw · 10-27-2009, 09:28 AM

Strange you don't see these images on the "power of plastic" commercials.

xoxoxoBruce · 10-27-2009, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Griff

Dead albatros on the cellar, dead aspen on NPR, depressing start to the day and that's just the "A"s.

Yeah, I've been holding on to this for awhile, trying to figure out the best day for it. Too sad for a Monday, it's certainly not a Friday image, too important for a weekend. I just wish NPR would check with the Cellar first.

glatt · 10-27-2009, 03:28 PM

This IotD is depressing as hell. We human beings are filthy pigs.

xoxoxoBruce · 10-27-2009, 04:06 PM

Yeah, yeah, I know. I'd prefer happier things too, but some things are too important to ignore. Let's blame it on the Aussies, or the Japs, or maybe Aliens.

Gravdigr · 10-27-2009, 05:30 PM

I thought we (Merkins, anyway) were blaming everything on China and Cuba. And Iran. Yeah, Iran.

wolf · 10-27-2009, 05:54 PM

Mebbe that evil-loution theory thingy is wrong ... albatrosses seem to be as good at figuring out plastic is not food as deer, squirrels, and opossum are about cars.

TheDaVinciChode · 10-27-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf

Mebbe that evil-loution theory thingy is wrong ... albatrosses seem to be as good at figuring out plastic is not food as deer, squirrels, and opossum are about cars.

The albatross, deer, squirrel, and opossum, that avoid these dangers, pass the information to their young.

Those that do not, cannot.

The young who fail to use the information, never grow old enough to pass on said information.

It's a slow process, but nature is slowly killing off the less-able-to-adapt.

Elspode · 10-27-2009, 06:52 PM

What we need here is an ad campaign:

"Plastic - Albatross tested, albatross approved! Hundreds of thousands of albatross can't be wrong!"

Yeah, that's what we need.

newtimer · 10-27-2009, 07:52 PM

Hey, there's my lucky green lighter I lost at the beach last year. Thanks for finding it!

10-27-2009, 05:21 AM	#4
Griff will audible pooch punt Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 12,778	Dead albatros on the cellar, dead aspen on NPR, depressing start to the day and that's just the "A"s. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

10-27-2009, 06:29 AM	#5
spudcon Beware of potatoes Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY, USA Posts: 1,854	Don't you just hate it when you're eating a dead albatross chick, and you get a hunk of bottlecap stuck between your teeth? __________________ Mag ingot ng ilong mo!

10-27-2009, 07:54 AM	#6
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 16,985	Pretty sad statement. __________________ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knItRruwXEA

10-27-2009, 09:28 AM	#7
birdclaw putting the "g" in flight Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 145	Strange you don't see these images on the "power of plastic" commercials. __________________ “The difference between a man and a boy is, a boy wants to grow up to be a fireman, but a man wants to grow up to be a giant monster fireman.”

10-27-2009, 04:06 PM	#10
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 36,410	Yeah, yeah, I know. I'd prefer happier things too, but some things are too important to ignore. Let's blame it on the Aussies, or the Japs, or maybe Aliens. __________________ The Truth and Robert Shapiro Shall Set You Free.

10-27-2009, 02:50 AM	#2
Scriveyn Here Be Dragons Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Between my ears Posts: 443	Plus, less obvious, the "sand" on the worlds beaches is in part made up of broken down plastic. Some research found up to 10% of the grains are actually plastic.

10-27-2009, 04:33 AM	#3
SPUCK Professor Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,015	The bastards! Death to plastic hording birds! Got a light buddy?

10-27-2009, 03:28 PM	#9
glatt waiting like a stalking Butler Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 11,820	This IotD is depressing as hell. We human beings are filthy pigs.

10-27-2009, 05:30 PM	#11
Gravdigr Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 2,868	I thought we (Merkins, anyway) were blaming everything on China and Cuba. And Iran. Yeah, Iran. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements, please feel free to fuck right off.

10-27-2009, 05:54 PM	#12
wolf The other bright meat Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 17,854	Mebbe that evil-loution theory thingy is wrong ... albatrosses seem to be as good at figuring out plastic is not food as deer, squirrels, and opossum are about cars. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

10-27-2009, 06:52 PM	#14
Elspode Serve ice cold, add salt to taste Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,172	What we need here is an ad campaign: "Plastic - Albatross tested, albatross approved! Hundreds of thousands of albatross can't be wrong!" Yeah, that's what we need. __________________ Peas and Logic, Patrick "He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it." Douglas Adams

10-27-2009, 07:52 PM	#15
newtimer Hoodoo Guru Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 281	Hey, there's my lucky green lighter I lost at the beach last year. Thanks for finding it!

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