Half the word’s plastic trash ending up in the ocean comes down the Yangtze river. A Limerick.

There’s trash in the river Yangtze

It’s making its way to the Sea

For the Chinese pollute

and they don’t give a hoot

One wonder, how bad can it be?

How bad is it?

It turns out that 93% of all the plastics that reach the oceans come from just 10 rivers, eight in Asia and two in Africa. Of them the Yang-Tse river contributes about half. All other rivers combined from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Europe and North and South America contribute about 7% (Source Scientific American 2018)

Thanks, China!

 

 

 

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lenbilen

Retired engineer, graduated from Chalmers Technical University a long time ago with a degree in Technical Physics. Career in Aerospace, Analytical Chemistry, computer chip manufacturing and finally adjunct faculty at Pennsylvania State University, taught just one course in Computer Engineering, the Capstone Course.

2 thoughts on “Half the word’s plastic trash ending up in the ocean comes down the Yangtze river. A Limerick.”

  1. Dear Dr. Bilen, I’m a retired anthropology and environmental studies professor at the University of Washington, and I have a book coming out with UW Press on the Ecological history of modern China. I’m looking for a picture I can reproduce in my book (for an academic, not-for-profit press) of garbage on the Three Gorges Reservoir. I notice you had one on your blog of three little boys amidst garbage at Wuhu, which of course is not at Three Gorges, but illustrates a very similar problem. I wondered if it would be possible to use that photo in my book. I’m sorry I couldn’t pay you anything, but I would of course give you credit in the photo caption. If you think this is a possibility, please let me know, and I can send a formal permission request for you to sign. Thanks for considering this.
    Steve Harrell

    Reply

    1. While this is a great picture, it is not mine. I just googled images and this one had, at least at that time no copyright attribution, so I just copied it. While great, it is clearly staged, look how clean their clothes are! My guess is it could be from the Mekong river.

      Reply

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