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Expedition To Explore an Alaska-Sized Plastic

Posted August 05, 2009 9:22 AM

From Slashdot:

An expedition called Project Kaisei has departed bound for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — a huge 'island' of plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean estimated to be the size of Alaska (some estimates place it at ten times that size). The expedition will study the impact of the waste on marine life, and research methods to clean up the vast human-created mess in the Pacific.

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Guru

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#1

Re: Expedition To Explore an Alaska-Sized Plastic

08/05/2009 9:24 AM

Wow, I think this is great news!

For more information on the Pacific Garbage Patch, check out this blog entry I wrote back in 2007.

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#2

Re: Expedition To Explore an Alaska-Sized Plastic

08/05/2009 9:40 AM

We can't just burn it?

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#4
In reply to #2

Re: Expedition To Explore an Alaska-Sized Plastic

08/06/2009 4:24 AM

maybe send it to space on a trajectory to the sun?

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#7
In reply to #4

Re: Expedition To Explore an Alaska-Sized Plastic

08/07/2009 5:01 AM

At what distance from the sun would the sun's image completely fill the space ship's front screen?

Is this before or after the plastic begins to melt?

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#8
In reply to #7

Re: Expedition To Explore an Alaska-Sized Plastic

08/08/2009 3:17 AM

"At what distance from the sun would the sun's image completely fill the space ship's front screen?"

depends of the size of the front screen.

"Is this before or after the plastic begins to melt?"

I suppose the plastic would already have melted not long after it left the earth's protective atmosphere.

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#3

Re: Expedition To Explore an Alaska-Sized Plastic

08/05/2009 10:45 AM

Good. It's about time something was done about it.

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#5

Re: Expedition To Explore an Alaska-Sized Plastic

08/06/2009 5:24 AM

If we can't comprehend our responsibility to this mess...

our children will catch and eat a plastic fish.

hmmmm...

lets do something.

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#6

Re: Expedition To Explore an Alaska-Sized Plastic

08/06/2009 7:29 AM

This guy took years to collect enough trash to build his island paradise. And all he had to do is go here and he would have been set. If all else fails its an idea far the trash.

http://stavos.homeip.net/condemned/bottleIsland.htm

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