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Packaging
Plastic, plastic, everywhere. We have become a society that values convenience above almost anything else. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the amount of plastic packaging we encounter every day. Plastic is cheap, plastic is lightweight, and plastic is forever. 
            After World War II the plastic industry began to develop polypropylene and polyethylene for all sorts of industrial and domestic applications. Like so many post war products, i.e. chemicals and fertilizers, the scientists of the day were more concerned with the short-term benefits of plastic than they were with the long-term impact their wonder product would make on the environment. 
            The extent that plastic has infiltrated the marine ecosystem is overwhelming. Not only do we see bags and bottles and all things plastic at so many beaches, but this stuff may also be finding its way into the cellular tissue of our bodies.
            Close to 90% of the junk floating in our oceans is plastic. According to a 2006 article by Kenneth R. Weiss, “a piece of plastic found in an albatross stomach last year bore a serial number that was traced to a World War II seaplane shot down in 1944.” Unless it has been picked up, washed ashore, or been consumed, almost every piece of plastic that has found its’ way to the ocean is still there.
            Nowhere is this more apparent than in an area called the North Pacific subtropical gyre. This particular patch of Ocean is located northeast of Hawaii and stretches nearly to California. This million square mile wasteland is full of floating plastic.  A rotating air mass and slow moving surface currents combine to produce a massive clockwise flow of debris. Some of the garbage occasionally breaks off and reaches Hawaiian and other pristine beaches, but most of it just spirals around. A 2001 survey of the area sponsored by the philanthropist, Captain Charles Moore, estimated that there are six pounds of plastic floating in the gyre for every one pound of naturally occurring zooplankton. Put another way, 3 million tons; 6 billion pounds, of plastic is spinning around this one part of the Ocean.
            Since most people will never sail through this stretch of sea some might say, so what? Out of sight is out of mind. Other than being foolish and irresponsible, this attitude neglects to consider the molecular behavior of plastic and how it may infiltrate the food chain.
            Because plastic is a man made, synthetic material it does not break down, or biodegrade, like organic substances such as paper or fabric might. But plastic does photodegrade. Exposed long enough to sunlight, plastic will break into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually disintegrating into individual molecules of plastic. As if this wasn’t bad enough, these little plastic blobs act as sponges, absorbing all types of toxins. Japanese scientists discovered that these poisons can become nearly a million times more concentrated in plastic than they can floating around on their own.
            Now imagine a school of tuna or salmon or any other ocean going main course happens to swim through some of this man made soup. It doesn’t take an advanced degree to believe mister fish just might ingest some of this stuff. How much is absorbed and how much passes on is for the guys with advanced degrees to debate. But go swallow a handful of plastic pellets that has been soaking in oily pesticides and tell me how you feel.
            The point of course is to avoid plastic on your boat at all costs. This is much easier said than done, but we must start somewhere.
            While you fill your shopping cart with groceries try to minimize or even eliminate plastic. Instead of buying the 24 pack of handy water bottles-that are usually wrapped in a big sheet of plastic- grab a gallon or two of drinking water and use refillable personal water bottles on board. Not only will you save money, precious garbage space, and the environment, you will probably stay healthier too. Instead of swapping germs by grabbing your kids’ identical jug of backwashed H2O, each crewmember can mark their own earth friendly stainless steel water bottle. (More on this idea later.)    
            Personal sized plastic fruit cups, yogurt containers, juice boxes, and on and on can all be replaced with more Ocean friendly packaging. Whatever the item, if it is plastic look for alternatives, they are out there.
            Once you reach the checkout counter the inevitable question is coming. Paper, or plastic?  If you must, choose paper. Better yet, bring a canvas shopping bag or two with you and load them up. If you are new to this green stuff, plan on feeling a little self-conscious here. It will take a few trips to get over it, just remember the North Pacific gyre.