Reports of Pacific Ocean's plastic patch are greatly exaggerated, Oregon State University professor

[The Straight Story]

Reports of Pacific Ocean's plastic patch are greatly exaggerated, Oregon State University professor says

Remember that Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the pile of floating plastic and other debris "the size of Texas" or more?

Now comes Oregon State University assistant professor Angelicque "Angel" White to say that commonly quoted estimate is "grossly exaggerated."

White, who participated in an expedition to gauge plastic debris and studied the literature, figures the size of a hypothetically "cohesive" plastic patch in the North Pacific Ocean is actually less than 1 percent the geographic size of Texas.

What's more, the oceanography professor says the data suggest that plastic patches actually haven't increased in size in recent decades, despite greater use of plastic.

There's too much plastic in the ocean, White says, but the hyperbole about the extent of the problem drives a wedge between the public and scientists.

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2011/01/reports_of_pacific_oceans_plas.html

[CurtEastPoint]

1. I hate to be snarky, but I wonder who's funding her research?

The plastics industry?

[former9thward]

2. Oregon State University's Ocean Research facility

is one of the most highly funded ocean research facilities in the country. It is funded by the federal government and state government. Snark away if you like made up throw away lines as your talking points.

[XOKCowboy]

3. Why are we not flooded with aerial photos of this "patch"?

If it's "the size of Texas" where are the satellite photos? I know for sure that discarded plastics are a problem but I hear about this patch but never see any photos.

[uncle ray]

4. because the garbage is partially degraded into tiny pieces you can't see from the air.

at least that's my understanding, the plastic breaks into tiny balls, so while the actual amount of garbage is large, it is not easily detectable. the visible trash is only a part of it.

[Beaverhausen]

5. so she "participated in an expedition to gauge plastic debris and studied the literature"?

it doesn't say where the expedition was, and it says she "figures" what the size of it is.

Whatever.