Business Studies - Economy

 What Is the Economy?

An economy is the system for deciding how scarce resources are used so that goods and services can be produced and consumed. Resources are things like land, people (who can work or innovate through their ideas) and raw materials. They are seen as scarce because we have unlimited wants but there are not enough resources to produce the goods and services to satisfy these wants. The economy is important to all of us. What’s happening in the economy can affect us and the decisions we make. Our decisions can also influence how the economy is performing. Every time you choose to buy something (or not to), you are affecting the economy. 

Sectors Of the Economy

In the economy there are five sectors: Households sector, Firms sector, Financial Sector, Government sector and Overseas Sector. 

Household Sector

This sector is made up of individiuals in the economy.

• They provide their time and skills or ‘labour’ to firms in exchange for income (wages). 

• They are consumers who buy goods and services from Firms.

• They may borrow from, or save money with, the Financial sector. 

• They pay taxes to the Government. 

Firms Sector

This sector is made up of all businesses in the economy. 

• They produce output (goods and services), which they sell to consumers and receive revenue. 

• They may borrow money from, or save money with, the Financial Sector

• They pay taxes to the Government.

Financial Sector

This sector is made up of banks and other financial institutions in the economy. 

• They receive savings from Households and Firms

• They help households and Firms invest by lending them money. 

Government Sector

This sector is made up of all bodies in national, state and local governments

• They receive taxation revenue from Households and Firms

• They spend this money on public goods and services, such as roads, parks, schools and hospitals. 

Overseas Sector

This sector relates to New Zealand’s trade with other nations.

• New Zealand exports (sells) goods and services, produced by businesses in New Zealand, to other countries.

• New Zealand imports (buys) goods and services, produced by businesses in other countries. 

Injections and Leakages

In the circular flow model, money flows in and out of the economy. Think of a bathtub with the tap on but the plug out. Water is being added by the tap but also leaking out. It's important to get the balance right so the water doesn’t overflow or drain out completely. 

Think of all the exchanges taking place in the economy.

Some are putting money into the economy. These are injections. 

Some of these are taking out money out of the economy - the money is not being utiised elsewhere in the economy. These are leakages. 

The Financial sector plays an important role in facilitating business investment. Firms rely on banks lending them money so they can invest in things like new equipment, higher wages or additional staff, to increase production. 

Kristallnacht - Social Studies

 Kristallnact - 'The Night Of Broken Glass'

On November 9th, 1938, a wave of anti-Jewish violence and demonstrations took place

throughout parts of Germany and Austria. The assassinations of Ernest vom Rath, the third secretart of the German embassy, by 17-year old Jewsh refugee Herschel Grynszpan gave Hitler and his Nazi party enough amnunition to launch their full-scale annihilation of the Jewish population, starting with a single night of destruction known as Kristallnacht, or 'Night of Broken Glass'. This might was an integral step in fulfilling Hitler's Final Solution of the Jewish Question, by first destroying over 1000 synagogues, 7000 Jewish businesses, and deporting over 30,000 Jewish men to concentraion camps.

Significance of Kristallnacht

Kristallnacht highlights the overall intent and coordination behind the Holocast conducted by Hitler and the Nazi Party. The manipulation of events surrounding this night, as well as the organisation of violence and destruction communicates the dangers of a totalitarian regime and the true inflence that Hitler held over the German people. This coordination was a key factor leading up to the mass killing of Jews now considered a genocide, however it is only in retrospect that we can understand this.

Nuremberg Laws - Social Studies

 Nuremberg Laws

As part of our Holocaust learning in Social Studies this term, one of our task was to learn about the Nuremberg Laws. Below are some information about what the Nuremberg Laws are and how they affected society especially the daily lives of the Jewish People, and then are some question with my answers.

On september 15, 1935, the Nazi passed two new laws at their annual Reich Party Congress in Nuremberg, Germany. The Laws took German citizenship away from Jews and banned both marriage and sexual relationships between Jews and non-Jews.

The Nuremberg Laws did not idenitfy a "Jew" as someone with particular religion beliefs. Instead, the first amendment to the Nuremberg Laws defined anyone who had three or four Jewish grandparents as a Jew, regardless of whether that individual recognised himself or herself as a Jew or belonged to the Jewish religious community. Many Germans who had not practiced Judaism (the Jewish religion) or who had not done so for years found themselves caught in the grip of Nazi terror. Even people with Jewish grandparents who had converted to Christianity could be defined as Jews.

Why did the Nazis enact the Nuremberg Race Laws?

The Nazis enacted the Nuremberg Laws, because they wanted to put their ideas about race into law. They believed in the false theory that the world is divided into distinct races that are not equally strong and valuable. The Nazis considered Germans to be members of the supposedly superior "Ayran" race. They saw the so-called Aryan German race as the strongest, and most valueable race of all. According to the Nazis, Jews were not Aryans. They thought Jews belonged to a separate race that was inferior to all other races. The Nazis believed that the presence of Jews in Germany threatened the German people. They believed they had to separated Jews from other Germans to protect and strengthen Germany. The Nuremberg Laws were an important step towards achieving this goal.

Questions & Answers

1. Provide two examples of ways in which the Nuremberg Laws affected the rights of German Jews.

Due to the Nuremberg laws that German Jews were basically not human, they didn't have the equal freedom that everyone else did, such as they were no longer admitted to municipal hospitals, every human has a right to treatment for their health and Jewish university students were not allowed to sit for doctoral exams, I personally think that this is unfair and that is taking away education from someone.

2. What other actions were taken that discriminated against Jews in Germany?

In December 1935, the Reich Propaganda Ministry issued a decree forbidding jewish soldiers to be named among the dead in World War I memorials.

3. Why do you think that the Nazis passed these laws?

I think it's because they've been brainwashed with all this nonsense, and probably because the government needed someone or something to blame and therefore it has to be Jewish people.

4. If a New Zealand government passed a law that provided for different treatment of a named racial group in New Zealand, what do you think the reaction of most New Zealand people would be?

If the New Zealand government did pass a law like this, I think there would be conflit and war within the country, but luckily in a country like New Zealand there are many educated and understanding people that will oppose this law because it is wrong to treat other people differently.

5. Do you think these Nuremberg laws were racist?

I strongly believe that the Nuremberg laws were racist and showed discrimination against the Jews. Taking away human rights from someone is straight discrimination, not being able to ahve sexual relationships or be able to marry a Jew is racist, because your pointing someone out (or a group of people). Not giving them the right to basic living things such as education, careers, treatment for health is considered racist. For something to be racist it donesn't just have to be about their skin colour it can be how you treat them, how you consider them and in this case this is an extreme case of racism and discrimination.

Adapted from http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005681

NZ Food History - Home Economics

 NZ Food History

Feasts:

The early Maori had traditional feasts called Hakari. Feasts were used as a way to show who's boss to visitors. Tribes would compete with each other, over which one is the most hospitable. The Maoris would have Hakiri at various times of the year such as Matariki, a Tohi ceremony or a marriage Feasts were very common in the 19th century. The Pakeha settlers didnt approve of their culture. Back then the white people thought they were more upper class to the Maoris, nowadays white people realise how important the Maori culture is. Kids at school are encouraged to learn about the Maori culture - by learning the language or going to the local Marae for a sleepover and having a hangi.

Nutrition:

In Maori tradition the leaders ate first then the fighters and warriors and so on until the women and children who ate last. This was set up in a way so that the strong (fighters and warriors) would get the nutrition they needed, and in case there wasn't much food to go around, the women and children were the last to get because their need to be fed wasn't as important as the warriors because they were not going into combat etc.

What was eaten and how was it eaten?

Household guides in the 19th century included advice about serving meals, laying tables, folding napkins and table decorations. Traditionally Maori served food in baskets which were shared between small groups. High ranking people ate from their own basket. People ate with their hands. Basic habits passed from parents to children include washing hands before eating, holding utensils correctly, keeping elbows off the table, not talking with full mouths, not putting knives in mouths, leaving untensils together on the plate when the meal is finished and asking perimission to leave the table. Traditional foods included whitebait, the seaweed karengo, huhu grubs, pikopiko (fern shoots), karaka berries and toroi - a dish of fresh mussels with puha (sow thistle) juice. With the arrival of the europeans they had access to alot more vegetables which improved their nutrition but it also meant they had access to process food which brought on serious health issues like diabetics etc.

How did Maori preserve their food?

Maori preserved large quantities of food, to seave for leaner times or to trade with other tribes. Food could be dried in ember or, in the geothermal Rotorua area, spread on hot rocks. Meat, fruits and seeds were also dried. Fatty birds such as titi (muttonbirds) were preserved in their own fat.

Introduced Food:

Maori quickly adopted food sources introduced by Europeans, growing potatoes, gifting pigs to other

tribes, and developing large wheat plantations and mills. In the early 1800s, pigs and baskets of potatoes were used as currency.

• Food Plants
• Animals - Early settlers brought pigs, goats and hens.
• Potatoes
• TinFood
• Wheat

 The Great Depression

The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn that began in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. It was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced but the industrialized western world. Although the Depression originated in the United States, it resulted in drastic declines in output, severe unemployment, and acute deflation in almost every country of the globe. But its social and cultural effects were no less staggering, especially in the United States, where the Great Depression ranks second only to the Civil War as the gravest crisis in American history.

What was life like?

People played board games, puzzles, baseball, and listened to the radio (if they had one) to get their minds off the depression. Many farmers ran out of money and lost their farms. Those who didn't had to cope with the, "dust bowl", huge clouds of dust that flew across the great pains of American and Canada. These dust particles would enter the home and cause bad living conditions. many children left school to help their families by working. Children between the ages 10-18 worked in factories, mines, or farms. Women worked seasonal jobs, but usually had to quit because men were dominant.

Failures

The fall of the economy caused bank failures, many businesses to perish, and brought a rapid rise to the crime rate, suicide rate, and malnutrition rate. Birth rates dropped below the replacement level for the first time in American history. Divorce rates also dropped sharply since it was too expensive to pay legal fees and support two households. This caused many women to start working and husbands to leave their families.

Why was Germany hit the hardest during the Great Depression?

In 1929 as the Wall Street Crash led to a worldwide depression. Germany suffered more than any other nation as a result of the recall of US loans, which caused its economy to collapse. Unemployment rocketed, poverty soared ad Germans became desperate.

Explain what Germany had to agree to by signing the Treaty of Versailles?

The Treaty of Versailles is one of the most controversial armistice treaties in history. The treaty's so-called "war guilt" clause forced Germany and other central powers to take all the blame for World War I. This means a lot of territories, reduction in military forces, and reparation payments to Allied powers.

How was New Zealand affected by the depression?

In NZ, the effects of the crash were not immediate. But from 1930 export prices began to plummet, falling 45% by 1933. To a country overwhelmingly dependent on agricultural exports, this was devastating. By the end of 1930 urban businesses and manufacturers were feeling the flow-on effects. Demand for their goods and services fell, as did the prices they charged. Unemployment rose to 12% of the registered workforce in 1933, and those lucky enough to keep their jobs often found their wages slashed by as much as 20%.

What Does Music Mean To Me? - Music Term 3

 26th July 2021

What Does Music Mean To Me?

Have you studied music before? performed?

I took Music as one of my subjects last year in Year 9, I also did a group performance where my partner sang and I played the Piano.

What type of music do you enjoy listening to?

I like to listen to hip hop music because I like to dance to the music and it's popular nowadays.

Name 3 bands/singers you like a why?

Tupac Shakur - I like listening to Tupac's music because he's more than just a rapper. He could rap about love, hate, death, drugs, alcohol, pretty much anything and it was good. Also one of the main reasons why I like Tupac is because behind his songs he brings messages about life, teen and it's very inspiring.

Fia (The Artist) - Fia is a powerful singer/songwriter. I like Fia's music because it's very soothing and it bring happy vibes.

Six60 - I like listening to Six60 because I grew up listening to their music and their music is very inspiring.

What would you like to learn in Music this term?

This term in music I want to learn or extend my knowledge of playing the piano and learning house to read music.

Why did you choose music?

I choose music because I thought it was a fun subject to end the year with and to extend my knowledge of music.

 Protecting Our Planet

This term in Social Studies we have been learning about the environment, we have looked at things that are polluting and harming the environment, ways human beings contribute to the idea of trashing the planet and we have also been learning about ways to fix this problem and protect our planet and environment. For one of our Social Studies class we went around Hornby High School picking up rubbish and we were surprised by the amount of rubbish that was around the school. For our assessment this term we had to create a Prezi/Presentation that summaries what we were learning in Social Studies. Here is the Link to my Prezi presentation

https://prezi.com/view/1zTmJDKxH3tC9NSHKlCK/

  Social Studies - Causes & Effects Plastic Pollution

Action	Cause (Why did it happen?)	Effect (Short/Long Term) (What happened after?)
Littering	Construction People are lazy People do not care Attitude towards littering Immaturity Stubborn behavior Pack behavior Low fines Lack of education Not enough trash cans	Spread of diseases Injuries Social costs Social tensions Increased probability for fires Breeding ground for insects Soil pollution Water pollution Air pollution Decease in tourism Visual pollution Effects on life quality Effects on animals Effects on plants Effects on aquatic life Effects on birds Economic effects
Daily use of plastic	Plastic is Everywhere! Plastic is used across almost every sector, including to produce packaging, in building and construction, in textiles, consumer products, transportation, electrical and electronics and industrial machinery.	Plastic used in daily life are of extreme scientific and societal concern Plastics can be found in the environmental and food sources  Daily use of plastics can cause toxic impacts on environment and human health Additives are more toxic than monomers to human-beings and wildlife
Provide an example of GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL (Already done/can be done)	Government announces plan to tackle problem plastics and seven single-use plastic items Following the success of the phase out of single-use plastic shopping bags, the Government now has plans out more single-use and problematic plastics to reduce waste and protect the environment, Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage. The proposals are to phase-out: Some hard-to-recycle PVC and polystyrene packaging and oxo-degradable plastic products Seven single-use plastic items, including plastic straws, drink stirrers, produce bags, tableware (e.g. plastic plates, bowls, cutlery) and non-compostable fruit stickers.	There are going to be less usage of plastic in restaurants and more marine life animals will be saved.
Provide an example of POSITIVE SOCIAL ACTION	People bring their own bags when they go out shopping, taking their own non-plastic cutlery when dining out and taking their own drink bottle	Less plastic usage in restaurants and then less plastic rubbish in the environment and the oceans
Tonnes of rubbish being dumped in the ocean	Cargo Activity at the Ports Carelessness in Terms of Sewer and Industrial Waste Dumping Ignorance and Lack of Adequate Knowledge Spillage From Offshore Rigs and Oil Tankers Direct dumping of waste materials Mining of metal ores Lack of strict Regulations and Observations Acts Runoff from the Land Cargo related accidents	Marine Life Extinction Adverse Effects on Human health Poor Oceanic Scenery Destruction of the coral reefs Loss of livelihood of the small fisheries and fishermen Destruction of natural habitats of marine life Loss of the marine biodiversity

News Article: Eastern Pacific Ocean Plastic Pollution

Eastern garbage patch - Concentrations of marine debris have been noted in an area midway between Hawaii and California known as the North Pacific Subtropical High or the "eastern garbage patch." These patches contain a lot of our garbage because ocean currents have moved the waste to accumulate in these areas. Much of the debris is actually small pieces of micro plastic that are not immediately evident to the naked eye.

Why is there plastic in the ocean?

Human created plastic ends up in the ocean accidentally, on purpose, and by mismanaged waste practices. Some waste is from plastics pieces already made to be small: microbeads in face wash can be plastic. Some tiny plastic pieces were once longer plastic items which have just broken down to be small. "Plastic never really go away. They just break down over and over and over again until they become smaller and smaller from sunlight and other environmental factors (like) waves, big storms, those kind of things".

General Causes of Plastic Waste in Oceans

There are a variety of causes to plastics ending up in oceans but one thing in common with these causes is that most of them are controlled by human beings. Here is a list of those causes:

• Land Based sources
• Urban & storm runoff
• Sewer overflows
• Beach visitors
• Inadequate waste disposal & management
• Industrial activities
• Construction
• Illegal dumping
• Ocean based sources
• Fishing industry
• Nautical activities
• Aquaculture

Why is it bad to have plastic waste in oceans?

Some species of birds & fish eat the plastics because they look like food. There are chemicals in the plastics & these can absorb other chemicals floating around in the ocean while the plastic is in the creature's stomach, making them more sick. Debris found in any region of the ocean can easily be ingested by marine species potentially causing choking, starvation, and other impairments. Ocean ecosystems are extremely important to humans due to ecosystem services such as fishing, recreation and medicine. Harming ocean ecosystems is a huge economic and intrinsic loss to humans.

Science - Metal Reactions Blog

This week in Science we are learning about metals and it's different properties. Most of our experiments that we have done so far are to do with the reactants of metal and acid. Acids react with most metals and, when they do, a salt is produced. Instead we get hydrogen gas. It doesn't matter which metal or which acid is used, if there is a reaction we always get hydrogen gas as well as the salt. Below are the experiments that I got to do in class therefore I wasn't present for one of the experiments.

 Metal + Acid Experiment(s)

When a metal reacts with an acid, the same types of products are always formed. In this experiment the metal we are using is magnesium (mg) and the acid is Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4). We believe that if we mix these two reactants our products are magnesium sulfate plus + hydrogen.

Aim: To show that hydrogen gas is produced when a metal reacts with acid.

Equipment: A test tube, a boiling tube, Bunsen Burner, wooden splint, a bottle of acid, a piece of metal, safety glasses.

Method:

1. Light your Bunsen Burner.

2. Add your sample of metal to your test tube. Add 2mL of acid.

3. Carefully invert the boiling tube above the test tube containing the metal and acid (as shown in the diagram below)

 

4. Hold the test tubes together for a few minutes, allowing time for the inverted boiling tube to fill with gas.

5. When you think the tube is full. your lab partner should light a wooden splint.

6. Carefully, but quickly, tilt the boiling tube full of gas upwards and insert the burning splint into the mouth of the test tube.

Observations: Steam being produced when the metal was added with acid, when the flame came near, it made a pop sound.

Outline how you could tell a chemical reaction was occurring in the test tube: There was steam being produced and the metal was moving around, it was trapped.

Metals and Oxygen

When a metal reacts with oxygen it produces a metal oxide.

In this experiment we used magnesium + oxygen to form magnesium oxide. When a substance burns, the burning process is actually a reaction with oxygen. So when you burn something, you are adding oxygen to it.

Making a Metal Oxide

Aim: To make a metal oxide and observe the difference in properties of the product compared to the reactants.

Equipment: A piece of magnesium, Bunsen Burner, safety glasses, metal scissors tongs. 

Method: 1. Light your Bunsen Burner

                2. Hold your piece of magnesium in the scissor tongs. Ensure you are holding onto the                         very tip of the magnesium. 

                3. Place the other end of the magnesium into the Bunsen flame (at the top of the blue                           flame. 

               4.  When the magnesium begins to burn, do not look directly at it, as the light emitted                              can permanently damage your eyes. 

Observations: When the metal would connect with the blue fire, after it would light up it was as bright as a star but close up then it changed and became a white powder. 

Questions:

1. Describe the physical properties of the magnesium before the reaction?

    Silver, Lustre

2. Describe the physical properties of the oxide formed after the reaction?

   It was ashy and the powder colour was white.

3. Why you shouldn't you look directly at a piece of burning magnesium?

   Because it can harm your eyesight.

4. Complete the word equation for this reaction

    Magnesium + Oxygen = magnesium oxide

Metal Carbonates and Acid -Lime Water Test

In this experiment we used metal carbonate + acid to produce metal salt + water + carbonate.

Aim: To show that carbon dioxide gas is produced when a metal carbonate reacts with acid.

Equipment: Two boiling tubes, delivery tube and bung. Bunsen burner, test tube rack, wooden splint, a bottle of acid, small amount of metal carbonate, test tube tongs, safety glasses.

Method:

1. Light your Bunsen Burner

2. Add a 'pea-sized' amount of the metal carbonate into one of the boiling tubes. 

3. Place this boiling tube into a test tube rack. Ensure you have the bung and delivery tube ready.

4. Add 5 mL of acid to the boiling tube and quickly insert the bung and delivery tube into the mouth of the boiling tube. 

5. Holding the other boiling tube with your tongs, capture the gas produced as shown in the diagram below. 

6. When you think the tube is full, your lab partner should light a wooden splint. 

7. Carefully remove the boiling tube from under the delivery tube, taking care to keep it facing upright. 

8. Insert the burning splint into the mouth of the test tube. 

Observations

As we added acid into the carbonate, it started creating bubbles in the lime water boiling tube and as we added more acid the lime water turned cloudy and it was a successful experiment. 

Social Studies - Plastic Pollution/Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Social Studies

This term in Social studies our unit topic is based around the environment. So far we have learnt and explored about Plastic Pollution and Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Plastic are everywhere, in our home, school, work, playground, parks, and beaches. It is such a popular material because it is flexible, lightweight, moisture resistant, and inexpensive. Even if plastics are found deep inland, they eventually find their way to the sea or ocean through rivers and streams. The global consumption of plastic was 260 million tons in 2008. It is estimated to reach 297.5 million tons by 2015.

Bio-degradation is the natural break-down of organic substances. For example, dead plants and animals eventually decay. Plastic does not bio-degrade. Nature does not know how to break down plastic because of what plastic is made of.

Photo-degradation is the break-up of materials by the sun. When something is photo-degraded, it does not change its composition the way it does if it were bio-degraded. The only thing that changes is its size. Plastic can photo-degrade. In large periods of time, plastics break down into very small pieces of plastic that float around.

Landfill

In many developed nations, such as New Zealand, the final destination for the majority of our waste is the landfill, where it is typically crushed and buried. Landfill waste generated in New Zealand has steadily increased in recent years. We do not know exactly how much and what is in our landfill waste, as reporting is only required from 45 of the 426 facilities currently operating under a resource consent. These 45 facilities account for over 3.3 million tonnes of waste in the year ending 30 June 2016. Plastic represents approximately 12% of landfill waste as estimated by regional council surveys conducted between 2011 and 2017.

Plastic debris in the environment

Factors that can affect loss of

plastics to the environment include waste collection and management infrastructure; population density; regulations that apply to commercial and industrial sectors using plastics; import and export policies; and the social practices, priorities and values of the population. These in turn may depend on a variety of factors including national, regional and global policies and legislation, as well as the financial, human, and technical capital of the country. The lightweight and durable properties that make plastics so useful also means that plastics discarded into the environment are persistent, highly-mobile pollutants that are easily transported around the globe. Wind patterns and oceans currents can result in floating plastic debris travelling thousands of kilometres, where they may accumulate in areas far from their source. Researchers have detected plastic pieces in almost every imaginable place on Earth including air, soil, mountaintops, shoreline, freshwater, estuarine and marine environments. These extend to the deepest parts of the ocean, water surrounding Antarctica and frozen into Arctic sea ice.

How plastic affect human and animal health, and the environment

The majority of plastics produced

are still in existence in some shape or form and it is only in the past 15 years that researchers have begun to understand that complexity and scale of this issue. For example, plastics lost to the environment can have ecological effects by changing soil structure and affecting the microbes and plant life growing there. Plastic pollution may damage habitats, reduce biodiversity, and pose a threat to health and welfare. This threat will continue, and worsen, if the input of plastics into the environment continues to increase. the impacts on seabirds and marine animals are best understood. Many of the species affected are already rare and endangered, including some of New Zealand's marine birds and mammals. For Maori, understanding and connecting with the natural environment is integral to identity, whakapapa and culture. Plastic waste and debris can affect the mauri, or the life force, of the environment, which can therefore affect cultural heath and well being. Customary harvesting practices that may involve higher levels of consumption of raw fish, shellfish, and whole fish also give greater exposure to potential health risks. These factors, and the depth of cultural connection with the natural environment, mean that Maori will experience a disproportionate burden of of risk from plastic waste in Aotearoa New Zealand.

How can we reduce plastic pollution?

Policy makers, organisations, manufacturers and consumers can take action to improve the management of plastic waste and reduce the effects on the environment. Social attitudes, to plastics are evolving, with a gradual switch to practices that reduce plastic pollution. Plastic pollution is now not just seen as a nuisance or an eyesore, but a problem that causes extensive harm to our environment and poses potential risks to human health. Waste plastics that are not reused and recycled also represents a wasted resource from loss of material in the economy.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Far out in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean,

there are waters where few ever cross. It is called the North Pacific Gyre. It is filled with an estimated 1.8 trillion pieces of garbage. This littered stretch of ocean is called The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It's made up of debris, or garbage, such as old fishing gear, bottle caps, and plastic bottles. In the late 1980's, Alaskan researchers found relatively high amounts of marine debris in certain areas of the ocean. These areas are known as gyres. A gyre is formed when water currents move around in a kind of clockwise motion. The current catches and holds floating pieces of garbage. The Garbage Patch is estimated to be double the size of Texas. Most of this garbage comes from the Pacific Rim. This includes Asia and North and South America. The garbage gets funneled into this central location. Over time, the garbage breaks down due to the wind, rain, and waves.

Cleaning Up Concerns

Cleaning up this mess is not easy. Large plastics may be easy to clean up. However, microplastics make the task a bit more complicated. Many of these tiny particles are the same size as small sea animals. Nets that could be used to scoop up the garbage would also scoop up these tiny creatures. The sea creatures are essential to the ocean's food web. Getting rid of them could put the entire ecosystem at risk. The cost is another problem. Due to the size and location, no nation will take the responsibility or pay the massive expense of cleaning it.

Taking Action

What can we do to help? We can help by preventing more garbage from getting into our waterways. The most obvious way is not littering. Never throw trash out of boats or alongside roadways. Rain and wind can carry this debris into our drains and out into our waters. Another way we can help is by eliminating the use of plastic or recycling. Plastic is not biodegradable which means that they never completely break down over time. There are reusable and biodegradable materials that can be used instead, such as reusable straws and cups. Some cities are even banning the use of plastic straws for this reason. Finally, we can do our part by educating the people around us. Remind others to always throw away trash in the proper bins and to recycle used plastics. Taking care of our planet is important. Prevention is the first step towards a cleaner, more beautiful Earth.