The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

I don’t like being negative, but I recently read an article that a soup of plastic debris floats off the coast of California, a testament to humanity’s reliance on plastic and the failure to dispose of it properly, which is why we Ocean lovers must be diligent and set the ecology example.

I first heard of this plastic-rich portion of the ocean way back in the 1970’s. It is a product of swirling currents, known as the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, that gather and concentrate debris. Like an iceberg of debris floating in the Pacific Ocean, the mass usually isn’t visible on the surface, but lurks just below. You can’t walk on it.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has become an early symbol of what some say is a looming trash crisis. But this floating mass of is hard to measure, few agree on how big it is or how much plastic it holds. That makes it difficult to determine what to do about it.

That hasn’t stopped activists and the media from using only the biggest estimates of the patch’s size to warn of an environmental catastrophe, which really captures the publics imagination, but to characterize it inaccurately is wrong and prone to exaggeration and mis-characterization. One thing is for sure; it is human trash and so it can be controlled.

It is difficult to know how to extrapolate the findings. The borders of the gyre shift between seasons, and some scientists argue that the high-plastic area is concentrated and confined to a relatively small part of the gyre.  So what let’s fix it, RIGHT?

That sounds like good news. Right?

Maybe we are turning a corner? Maybe we should continue consuming less? Not so fast, this headline is a little misleading…

Climatologists at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York City have found that 2008 was the coolest year since 2000. The GISS analysis also showed that 2008 is the ninth warmest year since continuous instrumental records were started in 1880.

The ten warmest years on record have all occurred between 1997 and 2008.

The GISS analysis found that the global average surface air temperature was 0.44°C (0.79°F) above the global mean for 1951 to 1980, the baseline period for the study. Most of the world was either near normal or warmer in 2008 than the norm. Eurasia, the Arctic, and the Antarctic Peninsula were exceptionally warm (see figures), while much of the Pacific Ocean was cooler than the long-term

This is our first!  HD Podcast 001

Join us and subscribe to our Ocean Observations. Click the image will jump to our iTunes listing.  I find iTunes is best for delivering HD quality of over the web. Video clips download to your computer for the ultimate HD experience, then you can load and play on any iPod or iPhone. Come along, let’s see how it works.  I’m sure there will be improvements along the way.

This first Podcast is a very colorful reef I call “Blue-Green Day-Dream”.  The visuals are enhanced by a stellar soundtrack scored for this special reef.  You should find it ~ Relaxing ~ Entertaining ~ Meditative ~ and a bit Seductive ~

Set the mood to cool blue and take a full-screen plunge anytime you see this logo!  Or watch the version below; right here, right now.  Let us know what you think.

For best playback try the pop-up player!

The new iPhone is open for business.

No, I don’t have one. I can’t - my entire day would be screwing around with the iPhone “platform”. Apple represents an entirely new way of computing… and commuting. Don’t toss on that Windows® ladened PC just yet. The crush to develop plugins for the iPhone is just beginning. It won’t take

There once was a sitcom episode where toilets were banned in favor of low-flow models. In the end it was proven that double-flushing was necessary to fully clear the bowl resulting in higher average gallons per use. Once again the early adoptor get sucked in by the ecology sales pitch; volume-per-flush rather than the more insightful and accurate flushes-per-load.

With only good intentions I ran out just like you and bought some energy-approved fluorescent bulbs. Our home only requires a few strategic lights for normal household function so I’m saving the planet. (and scoring a hefty windfall for myself)

Click my cabbage!

Well folks, I’m making the clubhouse turn! I’ve been at it for about 5 months now. Several nights a week and pretty much every weekend. Basically every spare minute working around my “day job” and my other musical commitments. This is definitely a labor of love and I am thrilled to be working on this project with my long time friend and “former” golf buddy Paul Dymon. I say “former” because he doesn’t play much golf anymore and we haven’t lived in the same city (or time zone for that matter) for 17 years. Nonetheless our friendship has endured as we went through our separate life journeys.

I met Paul in 1987 while performing at the old Dunes on the strip in Vegas, where the Bellagio now stands. The Oasis Lounge was one of the hotter spots in

Philosophy of “Do No Harm” Sets Tone for Underwater Protocol

Read the interview with Paul Dymon, of Paul Dymon films, inc reveals his company’s capability and technical advantage producing underwater imagery in the era of higher resolutions.

Las Vegas, Nevada – March 19, 2008

Paul Dymon films, inc. is a high definition production company with underwater camera specialty. The entity established in 1999 was recently retooled

In the last part (also the first part) In the first and last part I mentioned stopping junk mail. Not only does it save paper, think about the energy savings of the US Postal Service. Processing junk mail takes man hours and fuel, and we all know how fast they move because we named it “snail mail”.

41pounds.org charges $40 to stop junk mail for five years.

greendimes.com sharges $20 and claims to stop about 90%.

Non-profit groups can reuse many items you would be temped to just toss out. SafeNest and Catholic Charities will take furniture and appliances for needy families. Other groups can swap the stuff for cash or more appropriate items they need. And you take the tax credit. Just get a receipt cause I don’t want to hear you crying when the tax man comes for giving up some $200.00 jeans. That’s what you paid new? Too bad, sorry to hear it.

Appliances are a drag when they break down. If you drag it to the street chances are your community will pick it up and it’s out of your hair. Unfortunately for Mother Earth that steal heap is headed for a landfill. Older refrigerators contain freon that will eventually leak. Why not look for company that extracts and resells the steal. You know they will be regulated to handle the freon removal as part of their business.

So that it! That’s my take on recycling. Do what you can feel good about, a lot or a little, everything helps. I don’t know the reality on Global Warming. I do know the cleaner the planet the healthier we are. Clean is good. Right? Like the beautiful waters of the Florida Keys. Want a closer look? Click the image for the full res view. Wanna get even closer? We’ll take you inside! Literally. Buy our DVD today.

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It’s not that hard. There is no excuse.

With the exception of a few, we all want to do our part to help the environmental movement. Not everyone has the same level of commitment or concern, and that’s okay. Participation in any worthy cause will lead to greater involvement. It just takes time to form the good habit. Let’s face facts: It’s no day at the park to cull out salvageable materials, but recycling shouldn’t be a big deal considering the result - it will leave a better place for future generations. No where is the impact of recycling (good and bad) felt MORE directly than our Oceans and coral reefs.

1. To emulate Shakespeare’s words about the rose; Junk is junk, is junk. But it doesn’t start as junk. Your JUNK MAIL begins its long, nasty, dirty journey to the landfill along with 100-Million trees, sacrificed for promotional materials. STOP JUNK MAIL altogether! Several web sites act as “anti-clearinghouses”. They contact solicitors on your behalf and ask to cease and desist. Put the post office out of business. I will post a few web links in part 2 for one click service to stop your junk mail.

2. What is/ isn’t recyclable? This is the big question for most of us. Styrofoam coffee cups: some styrofoam types are while the twizzler sticks are not. Plastic milk containers are while the plastic cap is not. Wax-paper juice containers are not recyclable, but so many people put them in that the cost of reprocessing goes up. HELP! This is getting silly and confusing so let’s recycle the basics first. If you want to do more contact your local community’s program.

Start with the big three. PLASTICS are petrolium based products and with crude oil reaching $90. per barrel… do the math. PAPER is energy-intensive to produce from trees. Basically reducing the tree to sawdust to begin. How sad a fate when each ton of recycled paper saves enough energy to power a three bedroom home for three months. ALUMINUM from recycled material takes 95% less energy. Again, 95% less. If that isn’t reason enough to recycle your can off, the mining of new bauxite is expensive, dangerous to rivers, and degrades the land. The very manly exercise of crushing soda and beer cans with a slight twist uses 1/3 the space at home and inside the collection truck resulting in less fuel overall.

3. USE LESS STUFF (in the first place). This is the real secret to a self-sustainable society. Start with the easiest; grocery bags. Bring your own cloth bags to the store. Plastic store bags should be banned from seacoast communities. Do you really NEED a bag for that pack of gum? Carelessly handled bags fill with water and set adrift could be mistaken for food causing a horrible death to an unsuspecting animal. That cannot be fair.

The ‘very classy‘ human being in all of us wants to be ‘exceptionally hip’. Start your personal hippness by bringing your own grocery bags to the store. Believe me, you will stand out and you will be respected for doing it. My wife gets a nickel for each bag. People grasp the concept. How many times have I heard myself say, “I could do more, and perhaps one day I shall.” Today I did do more.  I wrote this article!

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Las Vegas - The Hotel Casino Monte Carlo was ablaze today.

This morning was an exceptionally beautiful sunrise. Looking in any direction from 6:00AM through sunrise was inspiring. I stared out at the western mountains is awe and with disappointment. I was out of video tape.

Around 11:00 I was outside and noticed smoke coming from the direction of the STRIP. From our second floor windows we cannot see to the Monte Carlo, although we can just see the Luxor light.

My first impression was a fire much closer to us, perhaps an McCarran Airport tragedy? Thank God that was not the case.

This is a good test of the emergency systems of Las Vegas. Crisis Management and Emergency Services are Las Vegas all the way. I am certain this minor issue will be resolved quickly, smoothly, and the hotel will do everything to comfort our guests.

The biggest disaster today is my running out of video tape!

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When it comes to discussing global warming, glaciers melting, or oceans rising it’s sure to charge up some tempers. Pick a side and start firing across the fence. There’s an overwhelming ‘peek pressure’ to convict without a jury anyone who doesn’t see it a certain way! I try to present a balanced view, but we all have our prejudice and peeves.

VP Al Gore has a movie, Academy Award, & Nobel Prize and yet I’m not going to fall over backward, sorry. For anyone to question any point about Earth temperatures is like a crime equal in shame to calling the earth flat and asking for equal time to present that view. That’s just not the case. If you feel the evidence is compelling and indisputable I encourage you to do whatever you can. If you don’t think there is accelerated human impact it still makes total sense to support a cleaner planet and to recycle. For the middle-of-the-road folks I suggest a reasonable combination of these two approaches. Just don’t flip off the guy driving a Hummer because he may, in his way, be doing more than you!

MIT Technology Review (Nov - Dec 2007) stated that science has a POOR understanding of the ice sheets. With poor data it would be hard to predict how sea levels will respond. Scientists tend to agree sea levels are rising due to rising temperature, but the impact on the oceans is near impossible to determine with poor data.

Use of Stock Footage: I have the exact same shot used by Mr. Gore’s Academy Award film showing in slow motion as a chunk of glacier falls into the sea. Very emotional especially in slo-mo. That’s not uncommon. It’s what glaciers do - they constantly move - they recede - they retreat to the sea. All hope to resolve or understand Global Warming was lost forever when a United Nations’ formed a Panel to analyze and report. They predicted from 7 - 24 inches of ocean rise this century. What? Can they hit a barn with a snowball? Way to narrow it down for the rest of the world to comprehend and rest easy. But wait, there’s more; this same panel conceded the estimate “might be unreliable” because knowledge of how ice sheets disintegrate is limited. So they took a wild guess for the heck of it? Why not just say they can not make an accurate determination vs. guessing?

MIT Scientists (WJS - 11/02/007 Section: B6 The Informed Reader) will have data from an archaeological expedition setting out this summer to drill into an ice sheet in Greenland. They will study cores from glacier ice that formed 115,000 to 130,000 years ago, WHEN GREENLAND WAS ABOUT 12 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT WARMER THAN IT IS TODAY!

Did I miss Mr. Gore covering these thought-altering facts? He had to run across these studies just as easily as I did. After all, too much Political Science and not enough Natural Science don’t make him right. Not saying he’s wrong, but he doesn’t really know.