Earth Dwellers Legacy: Scorched Earth, Befouled Oceans . . .

IN PROGRESS…

• TIA [September 24, Confidential 10]
• TNWG [October 22, Confidential 10]
• MIRR [November 14, Confidential 10]

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Nominated Groups:

• Executive

FIRE-EARTH Report:

Earth dwellers rapidly forfeiting their privileges

[Prepared by FIRE-EARTH Science Teams.]

• Presentation available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

All Groups

• Latest FIRE-EARTH DIRECTIVES, ALERTS, FORECASTS, BULLETINS and MESSAGES available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

Background:

Researchers at Wakatobi national park (SE Sulawesi province, Indonesia ) found the rotting carcass of a 9.5 meter long  sperm whale on Monday.

The whale had more than 1,000 pieces of plastic waste in the belly weighing 5.9 kg including “Hard plastic (19 pieces, 140g), plastic bottles (4 pieces, 150g), plastic bags (25 pieces, 260g), flip-flops (2 pieces, 270g), pieces of rope (3.26kg) & plastic cups (115 pieces, 750g).”

5,9 kg sampah plastik ditemukan di dlm perut paus malang ini! Sampah plastik yaitu: plastik keras (19 pcs, 140 gr), botol plastik (4 pcs, 150 gr), kantong plastik (25 pcs, 260 gr), sandal jepit (2 pcs, 270 gr), didominasi o/ tali rafia (3,26 kg) & gelas plastik (115 pcs, 750 gr). pic.twitter.com/ZFWZgkbnzu

— WWF-Indonesia (@WWF_ID) November 19, 2018

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Untouched by Humans: Pristine Henderson Island

Worst case of plastic pollution in the world: A plastic wasteland on an uninhabited, pristine South Pacific island

 

Ocean currents have carried about 38 million items of plastic debris to Henderson Island in the South Pacific.(A) Plastic debris on East Beach of Henderson Island. Much of this debris originated from fishing-related activities or land-based sources in China, Japan, and Chile (Table S5). (B) Plastic items recorded in a daily accumulation transect along the high tide line of North Beach. (C) Adult female green turtle (Chelonia mydas) entangled in fishing line on North Beach. (D) One of many hundreds of purple hermit crabs (Coenobita spinosa) that make their homes in plastic containers washed up on North Beach. Image: Jennifer L. Lavers. Source: PNAS

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‘Exceptional and rapid accumulation of anthropogenic debris on one of the world’s most remote and pristine islands’

By Jennifer L. Lavers et al.

Abstract

In just over half a century plastic products have revolutionized human society and have infiltrated terrestrial and marine environments in every corner of the globe. The hazard plastic debris poses to biodiversity is well established, but mitigation and planning are often hampered by a lack of quantitative data on accumulation patterns. Here we document the amount of debris and rate of accumulation on Henderson Island, a remote, uninhabited island in the South Pacific. The density of debris was the highest reported anywhere in the world, up to 671.6 items/m² (mean ± SD: 239.4 ± 347.3 items/m²) on the surface of the beaches. Approximately 68% of debris (up to 4,496.9 pieces/m²) on the beach was buried <10 cm in the sediment. An estimated 37.7 million debris items weighing a total of 17.6 tons are currently present on Henderson, with up to 26.8 new items/m accumulating daily. Rarely visited by humans, Henderson Island and other remote islands may be sinks for some of the world’s increasing volume of waste.

“Climate Engineering” Best Option: Economists

“Climate engineering could provide a cheap, rapid and effective response to global warming,” the economists said.

Oceans contain 6 times more plastic than plankton!

Related News Links:

• Engineering better than tax on climate: economists

Related Links:

• Oceans contain 6 times more plastic than plankton
• Blind scientists examining the elephant
• World Problems:The Root Cause Matrix
• First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• How to Ensure National Security AND Create a Healthy Economy!
• The 13 things you should know about the world before you depart prematurely!

• 286W
• First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Nuking Earth for Lifestyle
• ‘C’ for the Economy’s Carbon Cycle [Boosted by Bailouts and Stimulus Plan]
  
• Carbon Footprint of Your Dollar