It's Offical, I'm outta here!

The countdown has began! I'll be sailing off into the sunset in about 8 days! This is the type of boat I'll be on:

http://www.hallberg-rassy.com/
Go to the links on the left, Yachts, HR48' to pull up pictures!

Plastic trash site size of Texas!

So, I've recently heard about this and was stunned. Why I did not know about it before, and it is not talked about now is beyond me, but this is how information gets out (in the age of cyberspace) and gets known! Please pass it on.

I know this article is long, and if you can only skim through it, please make sure you read the part on tips to reduce plastic waste. Thanks a bunch!

Plastics in our Oceans

Sailors for the Sea

September 2008

Imagine the massive breadth and spread of our great state of Texas. Now imagine every milli-inch of that piled high with trash: bottle caps, cigarettes, cigarette lighters, tampon applicators, plastic nets, discarded flip flops, Frisbees, soda bottles, milk jugs, diapers, six-pack rings, busted tennis rackets, empty pens, shampoo bottles, empty squeeze bottles of jam, you name it. Now take that image, double it, and plunk into the water. That’s what is floating around the eastern corner of a 10-million-square-mile oval known as the North Pacific subtropical gyre. Nicknamed the “Eastern Garbage Patch,” this buoyant stew of toxic pollution—most of which is plastic—is only one of five such garbage heaps caught in the swirling high-pressure currents characteristic of gyres. The others reside in the South Pacific, the North and South Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean. And each year, perhaps unwittingly, each one of us adds to plastic to the heap.

The effects of these garbage heaps, as well as of the smaller, free-floating pollution, has a devastating effect on marine life, wild life, and human life. Birds mistake small colorful pieces of plastic for food and ingest them. One washed-ashore seabird was found to have 1,603 pieces of plastic in his stomach. Fish, sharks, and turtles die, entangled in discarded ropes and nets. Sea turtles’ shells are deformed by suffocating plastic bands they can’t remove. humpback whales drag plastic nets that both cut into their flesh and impair their hunting. The list goes on. Already, over a million seabirds, one thousand marine mammals, and innumerable fish die in the North Pacific each year due to swallowing our trash or drowning in it.

If this isn’t enough to elicit action, how about the effects this pollution is having on people? Scientists have linked obesity, infertility, and depression with the entry of these pollutants into the food chain. The majority of the trash invading our oceans is plastic. With the exception of the small amount of plastic that’s been incinerated—producing some of the most toxic gases imaginable—every ounce of plastic ever made is still on our planet. Even when reduced to a single molecule, plastic remains too tough to biodegrade. Instead, its chemicals are leaching into our oceans and we in turn are drinking, eating, and absorbing them through our skin every day. In marine environments, these chemicals have had a startling effect on the endocrine system of birds and fish, sometimes resulting in female sex organs on male species. The corresponding effects on humans have only begun to manifest, but many scientists believe that by mimicking the female hormone estrogen, these chemicals are the root of the current upswing in obesity, the decline in birth rates, and the increase in cancer and diabetes. These chemicals are especially dangerous in the systems of newborns, whose brains, immune systems, and gonads are still developing. Just because these toxins do not cause instant and ferocious reactions, does not mean they are safe.

Plastic makes it into our oceans in a variety of ways. About twenty percent of it comes from goods lost from boats: i.e. accidental loss of fishing tackle and other recreational gear, massive shipping containers carrying millions of plastic items washed overboard during severe storms; litter from pleasure boats, or illegal dumping of unwanted goods. Beachgoers’ debris is also a contributor. The other eighty percent is swept in from land. Just as Nonpoint Source Pollution from fertilizers, detergents, and pesticides find their way into our waters, so too are plastic items washing into our blue oceans. A discarded bottle cap or an empty sandwich bag thoughtlessly left along the side of the road will eventually be blown or kicked or washed into a storm drain, which will then shoot it straight into the ocean. Not all plastic floats. In fact, nearly half of it sinks to the bottom of the ocean where there it brings death and destruction to the bottom of the ocean floor. Additionally, plastic is made from petrochemicals; so every disposable toothbrush we buy or plastic bag we do not reuse adds to our already crippling dependence on oil. Plastic came into being in 1865 with the best of intentions as it was meant to save the elephants! A scientist named John Wesley Hyatt created celluloid, the first plastic product given a trade name, as a synthetic replacement for ivory billiard balls. After that came rayon, Teflon, polypropylene, and the list goes on. Certainly, plastic has made it easier to live the “easy” life. No need to carry cash or write a check or hang on to razor. Plastic has been of invaluable service in the medical and scientific world. But do we need quite so much of it? For instance, the US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year. And where do those used bags end up? Often as a “raincoat” for some hapless seabird or a “necklace” for a sea otter, and these are the lucky ones who don’t mistake the bags for food.

Much about plastic can be misleading. For instance, those circular arrows stamped into each piece mimic our recycling symbol leading consumers to believe when they’re through with it, the product will be recycled when in fact the symbol only denotes type of plastic. Of the seven types of plastic available only three—PET (1), HDPE (2) and PS (6)—are considered “easy” to recycle. The vast majority of municipal recycling centers don’t even accept the other types which include such heavily used plastics as wrapping films, dry cleaning bags, sandwich bags, grocery bags, baby bottle nipples, medical tubing, shower curtains and Tupperware. According to Algalita’s website, of those plastics collected, less than three percent actually end up recycled. Reheating temperatures run too low to burn off contaminants, plus it’s often cheaper to produce virgin plastic than to recycle it. So most of the plastic our recycling companies are so diligently collecting ends up in landfills or in our oceans.

Fortunately, a lot of people are taking the plastic crisis seriously. Several countries, for instance, have banned or substantially taxed—or are moving toward doing so—plastic bags. These countries include Bangladesh, China, Ireland, Rwanda, Israel, Canada, Western India, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Taiwan, Sweden, Germany and Singapore. Many cities in England have instituted citywide bans, with London recently coming on board; across the Channel, Paris too has joined the ban. In 2007 San Francisco became the first American city to ban plastic shopping bags, with Boston, Portland and Phoenix considering following suit. New York City now requires large stores and retail chains to recycle plastic bags. And trendsetter Whole Foods has banned the use of plastic bags in all 270 of their worldwide stores.

This is all encouraging, but only a drop in the proverbial bucket and there is much we can do without waiting for laws:

(Tips to reduce plastic waste)

Use durable fabric shopping bags;
Whenever possible, choose bio-plastics, glass or paper;
Return broken plastic goods to the manufacturer;
Please do not litter.;
Pick up a piece of plastic on your way home from sailing and place it in a recycling bin;
Support environmentally responsible companies who are recycle plastic.
Compost and recycle everything you can;
Sweep your sidewalk rather than hosing it;
Buy in bulk, avoiding smaller containers that will need to be disposed of;
When appropriate, send letters to companies about over packaging or plastic packaging;
Buy less and when you do make a purchase, avoid excessive packaging;
Repair whatever goods you can before considering replacing them;
If you live near a body of water, volunteer to help clean up the trash;;
Reuse flimsy plastic bags used for bulk purchases or choose paper instead.
Cut the rings of plastic six-pack holders, which lowers the chances of entanglement with marine animals should that holder make it out to sea.

Remember, even if we stopped producing all plastic right this very second there is still 143 years worth of it that has already been produced. Spread the word: many people are unaware of how the choices they’re making and the products they’re purchasing affect the environment. People want this information; it feels good to do the right thing;

LINKS:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Marine Debris Fact sheet: http://www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris/factsheet_marinedebris.html

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Seas: http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/marinelitter/default.asp

Change of direction!

So...I've been telling everyone I see lately this great quote I read in SF Magazine and thought I'd share it with the rest of you. The article was regarding this new teaching program being instituted in San Francisco and this is from one of the new teachers being hired.

"I tell my students that success is not a destination, it is a direction. And if they want to change the direction in which their life is going, they need to start anywhere and start right now." ~John Rodrigues

Wow, aren't we all just students in the school of life - time for a change in direction...

Meow

Soccer for the Ages!

Yes, it is that time again when (outdoor) soccer season is upon us! I am back down to playing on just one team, from the 4 different leagues I have been involved with. This one is outdoor, full field, coed and a blast. Currently my team is in need of women players. If you are over 27 years of age, you qualify. It is a great way to stay in shape, widen your social circle, blow off some steam from the stressful work week, and show your kids (for those of you who have kids), how to have fun.
Let me know if you are interested. No experience is necessary and it is only a 2 hour commitment, once a week. Games are on Sundays, either at 9am or 11am, are 45 minute halves and it is Rec division (C). The average age on our team is about 50, with me bringing it down. One of our players is 69 years old and is the high scorer on the team. Okay, he use to be on the Greek national team, but it is so inspiring, especially when the great grand kids come to watch. They get all excited and want to play too.
Anyhow, just to brag, because it is such a fluke and won't last long, but I am now the high scorer on our team, well, at least so far for this season. Our first game, we forfeited due to lack of women players, and our second game I scored a goal off a penalty kick! First goal of the season, that counted for our team! Schweet, schweet! ... so me getting nailed in the face with the ball, trapping another with my mouth (for a stellar defensive play, I must say) and stepping in a hole and re-twisting my ankle, was all worth it. The glory, people, that it what I am talking about here!
Meow.

Got Car?

Okay, Okay, now I know I have not posted anything in a while, but I have been running around like crazy trying to get me stuff together so I may sail off into the sunset! One of those things being, selling my car. So, if you know of anyone interested in a great car, send them my way please!

Here are the details:

2003 Volvo S60YR 2003

Miles - 84,000

3 owners (includes myself)

New tires

Mostly Freeway miles

Automatic 4 door sedan

Had a complete 60,000 mile service ($2,200)

Just put in new headlight/signal light bulbs

Champagne color with tan leather interior

Killer sound system

1 - Key and key-less entry remote

Moon roof

Power seat - Seat postion memory

Very clean - plastic still down under the car mats

Gas Mileage - 18-22 in city, 24 - 31 Hwy

For the car, after reviewing blue book, and the Internet, I am asking $11,000

My Car new MSRP is $33,190 Standard Features Horsepower 208 @ 5,000 RPM; Torque 236 @ 1,500 RPM 5-Cylinder, 2.5-Liter Engine 5-Speed Driver-Adaptive Automatic Transmission Front Wheel Drive Driver and Front Passenger Supplemental Restraint System - Dual-Threshold Air Bags Inflatable Side Curtains (IC) Whiplash Protection Seating System (WHIPS) Side Impact Air Bags for Driver and Front Passenger Power-Adjustable Driver Seat, 8-Way with 3-Position Memory and Lumbar Support Dual-Zone Electronic Climate Control (ECC) Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 16" Alloy Wheels Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC) Premium Audio System with Single In-Dash CD Seat Belt Pretensioners All Seating Positions Split Folding Rear Seats 60/40 Volvo S60 offers a Swedish-modern alternative to BMW's 3 Series sedans. The S60 combines exciting performance and a stylish shape with Volvo's well-deserved reputation for outstanding safety. S60 feels like a tight European sedan. It rides smoothly, offers good acceleration performance and nice, precise steering.