Monkey with Chainsaw

Ugh…  Have you ever watched a documentary or read about something that completely depressed you?  The Lady and I watched National Geographic’s Strange Days on Planet Earth Dangerous Catch; Dirty Secrets.  It covered a few unsavory topics: over fishing, fresh water contamination, and the trash island between California and Hawai’i.

I have heard of this island before, and it just bugs the hell out of me.  But what really got me this time was the video of albatross and sea turtles eating the stuff because they mistake it for food.  That doesn’t end well for them.

I’ll let the Popular Science Blog describe:

A heap of trash that’s twice the size of Texas is floating somewhere between San Francisco and Hawaii. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, as it’s called, is 80 percent plastic, and weighs in at 3.5 million tons. Trapped in a circular course by winds and currents, it’s been around since the 1950s, and has been growing tenfold every decade.”

All of this can leave one feeling helpless and hopeless.  That’s where people neglect to understand the importance of aggregates.  Just as in voting, one person’s choice makes only a small impact, but when many people change their behavior the effect is enormous.  Here are some the things that you can do.

You can also support businesses that have ecologically friendly practices.  I normally don’t like national chains (I’m a snob like that), but my wife was introduced to the cardboard straw at Ted’s Montana Grill.  They have declared themselves an “eco-friendly” establishment, with the apparent chops to back it up.

So gather up your friends and start doing things that don’t kill other things… unless it’s steak, because steak is tasty.