Garbage Patch Twice Size of Texas floating in the Pacific

Since the 1950's, currents and prevailing winds have been collecting trash and depositing it into an ever growing island in the Pacific between San Francisco and Hawaii. This floating island of trash weighs approximately 3 1/2 tons and is twice as large as the state of Texas.

There is currently no way to clean it up, but there are suggestions of things we can do to prevent the island from growing any larger:

Limit your use of plastics when possible. Plastic doesn't easily degrade and can kill sea life.

Use a reusable bag when shopping. Throwaway bags can easily blow into the ocean.

Take your trash with you when you leave the beach.

Make sure your trash bins are securely closed. Keep all trash in closed bags.