state number 51

Did you know that there is a new state in the United States? It's mass covers an area twice the state of Texas, stretching from California to Japan. In some places it is 90 feet deep. Never heard of it? It's called the state of TRASH. Debris, litter, and all other kinds of trash have blown into the Pacific Ocean creating this huge mass of TRASH. Ocean life is dying, fish are eating plastic because they think it's food, beluga whales are getting breast cancer from the chemicals in the plastics they are eating (does that tell ya something???), birds are getting caught in plastic bags and suffocating, they've even found appliances like refrigerators IN THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN!!...need I say more?? Ok, I will. In some places in the Pacific there are SIX TIMES more pieces of plastic than there is plankton, the main food source for many sea animals. And it isn't just coming from the western states. Experts say that the trash and debris travel as far as Iowa. IOWA. Crazy. I thought that I was pretty informed about the need for recycling and using less stuff, but my eyes have been opened!! Did you know that this isn't the only ocean with a big mass of trash? It's just the biggest one. Most oceans and watersystems have swirls of trash like this. Crazy!

The exciting thing is that we CAN do something about this. Even small steps can make for change. Try one of these changes:

~use reusable bags at the grocery store rather than plastic. They are inexpensive (99 cents each for a reusable Dillons bag) and stores like Dillons give you 5 cents for each bag you use. Kenya, Tanzania, Bangladesh, and (I hear) Oregon have begun charging consumers for each plastic bag they use. In Oregon, I believe some grocery stores charge 33 cents per bag. So, use reusable bags and you'll save money AND you'll save the planet. Nice.

~recycle what you can. In Wichita, a local trash company (Waste Connections) has partnered with www.recyclebank.com. Along with your trash service, you can order recycling service. You get a container and dump recyclable materials in---no need to sort, they'll do that for you. Then they weigh your recycling and turn pounds into points that you can then turn into certificates for free items. Cash for "Trash". Nice.

~take your lunch to work waste-free. Use reusable containers for your lunches rather than plastic baggies. Just takes a small investment in containers but you'll save money in the long run. One company makes cool looking containers: www.to-goware.com Saving money in the long run as well as saving the planet in the long run. Nice. I kind of feel like a broken record :)

So, what can you do? God gave us this beautiful and precious Earth and I believe it is our responsibility to take care of it. I certainly don't do everything I can and throw away things that could be recycled, but each day I'm making an intentional effort to reduce my carbon footprint. I hope to hear responses to this post of small ways you are making a difference---I always love to learn new things!