Hello, my friends! As you know, I live in the big, beautiful Mediterranean Sea. Usually, it's full of sparkling water and yummy snacks, but sometimes... well, sometimes it’s not so sparkly. Let me tell you about a big problem that makes my fins flutter with worry: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

The Ocean's Giant Rubbish Island!

Have you ever heard of a giant island made of rubbish floating in the ocean? It's real! We call it the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and it's a huge, messy problem. Some grown-ups even call it the "Eighth Continent" because it's so big! OK just to say, but the number of continents always confuses me, sometime they are 5, sometime more!!!

Imagine a place three times bigger than a whole country like France, just filled with millions of pieces of plastic and all sorts of rubbish. That's how enormous the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is! It's floating way out in the big Pacific Ocean, somewhere between sunny California and lovely Hawaii.

Where Does All That Rubbish Come From?

Well, the ocean has these amazing underwater rivers called currents that move water all around the world. Sometimes, they carry rubbish along with them. All that rubbish can end up spinning in giant, slow-motion whirlpools called gyres. There are five of these big rubbish whirlpools floating on the surface of Earth’s oceans! You can find them in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

A lot of this rubbish starts on land, like litter from cities, or waste from farms and factories. Wind and rivers carry it into the sea.

But not all of it comes from land: some comes from the sea itself. Things like:

• Lost or dumped fishing nets and ropes
• Old gear and plastic pieces from boats
• Spills from big ships

These bits float around and add to the mess!

A Mediterranean Mess!

Even in our beautiful Mediterranean Sea, where the beaches are so lovely, we have a problem too. There’s a floating patch of plastic that’s longer than several football fields lined up together! It floats between Corsica and Elba islands. The ocean currents push the rubbish into one spot, and sometimes it washes up on Corsica’s beaches. It doesn’t stay there forever like the giant Pacific patch, but it keeps coming back like a bad dream.

Cleaning Up is Hard Work!

Once plastic gets into these giant ocean whirlpools, it’s almost impossible to remove. Why?

• The middle of the whirlpools is thousands of kilometres from land.

• Most plastic sinks, so it’s hard to scoop up.

• A lot of the plastic breaks into tiny bits called microplastics, which are too small to catch in nets.

Some smart people are inventing ways to clean up the big pieces. But the best way to help is to stop using so much plastic in the first place!

Why Is It Such a Big Problem?

This giant plastic mess is hurting ocean animals and plants in many ways:

Getting Tangled: Animals like sea turtles and seabirds can get stuck in plastic nets or bags. It’s like being trapped in a sticky spiderweb.

Eating Rubbish: Some animals think plastic is food. But plastic doesn’t digest, so it fills their tummies and makes them sick.

Sick Ocean: All this plastic makes the ocean sick, from tiny plankton to giant whales.

Some sea turtles living near the Garbage Patch have tummies more than three-quarters full of plastic. And baby seabirds like albatrosses have almost half their body weight made of plastic. Oh, dear! And guess what? If we don’t change things, the amount of plastic in the ocean could become three times worse by 2040! Which would be nine time the size of France! 

The Hidden Plastic

Most of the plastic in the ocean doesn’t float: it sinks! Out of every 100 pieces of plastic, only one floats. The rest sinks to the ocean floor, where it's very hard to clean up. 

What Can We Do?

Groups around the world are:

• Making fewer single-use plastics (like bottles and straws).

• Cleaning up beaches before rubbish gets into the sea.

• Working with companies to design better packaging.

• Trying to clean up floating plastic in open oceans, though it’s hard because the ocean is so big! 

Be a Plastic Detective!

You can be a hero for the ocean. Here’s a fun challenge: For one week, keep a diary of every single plastic item you encounter or use.

• Plastic Diary: For one week, write down or draw every plastic thing you use, water bottles, food wrappers, toys, even your toothbrush!

• What Did You Find? Look back. What did you use most? Were there any surprises?

• Plastic Problem Solver: Chat with your family. What reusable things could you use instead?

• Take Action: Pick one or two things to change, like always bringing your reusable water bottle or lunch box.

Bonus Activities:

The Plastic Collage: Collect different types of plastic (bottles, bags, etc.). Cut them into shapes and create a collage to raise awareness.
Ocean Poetry: Write a poem or song about ocean pollution and its impact.
Recycling Club Champions: Start a recycling club at school to encourage classmates to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Present Your Findings: Create a presentation or poster to share your learnings with your class.
Become an Ocean Advocate: Write a letter to a local official expressing your concerns about plastic pollution and asking for action.
Remember: Even small changes can make a big difference! By becoming aware of our plastic use and making conscious choices, we can all contribute to a healthier planet.

I just love sharing the ocean's secrets with you!
Keep exploring, and let's protect our waves.