New ocean concern: tiny plastic pollutants

While scientists have documented the effects of large plastic flotsam in the oceans for decades — turtles trapped in fishing nets, albatrosses swallowing plastic cigarette lighters — very little research has focused on what happens when those bigger pieces break down into tiny specks, called microplastics.

Read more about the impact of microplastics in this article (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012102451_microplastics13.html) by Phuong Le, The Associated Press.

Albatross Chicks

See Chris Jordan's collection of amazing photographs of albatross chicks
from one of the world's most remote marine sanctuaries,
more than 2000 miles form the nearest contintent. Unfortunately they have died, theirbellies full of plastic fed to them by their parents.

http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php?id=11

Colbert Nation and the Pacific Gyre

Charles Moore talks with Stephen Colbert about the garbage patch that's turning the Pacific Ocean into a plastic wasteland.

See it yourself at http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/260772/january-06-2010/charles-moore