I would like to thank President Bush for setting aside the largest amount of protected areas since the National Park system was created. President Bush mandated that a huge area of the Pacific Ocean be protected. This includes Palmyra, Rose, and Johnston atolls, Howland, Baker, Wake, and Jarvis islands, Kingman reef plus the Marianas and the Marianas Trench. These islands, reefs, and atolls will make up three National Monuments called Marianas Marine National Monument, Pacific Remote Island National Monument, and Rose Atoll National Monument. In May, 2000, President Clinton mandated that the Northwest Hawaiian Islands be protected and this year, President Bush made that area a marine national monument, now named Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. President Bush has protected more of the ocean than any other president or any other world leader.
No matter what his reasons, this conservation action is a good thing. Fishing and mining are limited or prohibited. The incredible diversity of these marine environments is now protected. Now we need to look at the condition of the ocean that is not protected, namely the areas that are collecting plastic debris such as the North Pacific Gyre. Marine plastic is killing seabirds, turtles, seals and many other sea creatures. It enters the food chain when fish consume it and is implicated in various health issues. Most of it is land-based litter that makes its way to the ocean via our watersheds. This issue is world-wide, not just in the Pacific. Hopefully, the next move for our government is to give us leadership in reducing the mountains of disposable plastic thrown away everyday. If the US deals with this problem, many other countries will follow. Many countries have already begun to deal with plastic debris by banning plastic shopping bags. It is time for the US to recognize the problem and deal with it. In the meantime, individuals must keep on limiting the disposable plastics in their lives and convince others to do the same.
For ways to eliminate disposable plastic from your life check out my Citizen Green blog.
