14 DAY TRIAL // There has been a lot of talk about trash aimlessly floating about in our planet's seas and oceans in recent years, and I myself have written quite a bit on the topic. However, I dare say that the infographic below tells the tale of this threat to marine wildlife in the best possible way.
The infographic is the creation of Alissa Sheller, who pieced it together for Huffington Post using information provided by the Ocean Conservancy, Environmental Protection Agency, Mother Nature Network, World Bank, NOAA, Smithsonian and National Geographic.
As detailed by Alissa Sheller, trash that people too often improperly dispose of, i.e. abandon on streets and alleys, works its way into sewer pipes via storm drains, and eventually ends up in waterways. From here on, it travels all the way to seas and oceans.
Unlike paper, wood and the like, plastic trash does not degrade after it hits marine ecosystems. It does, however, break down into bits and pieces that researchers refer to as microplastics. As reported on several occasions, these small fragments of plastic trash constitute a threat to aquatic wildlife.
Interestingly enough, it appears that the United States is now one of the biggest contributors to garbage patches documented in seas and oceans across the world. Check out the infographic below to learn more about why it is important to pay closer attention to what happens with our trash.