Pollution

Man we humans are really disgusting. The ocean is so full of trash it makes me wanna cry. I was reading this article and man, we're doomed. Turns out all the ocean currents bring all the trash dumped all around the world in rivers and seas to what is called a Gyre in the middle of the Pacific ocean, where it all accumulates. Scientists who studied the composition of the waters "estimated the ratio of plastic to the regular components of seawater in what we were pulling up as 6 to 1. As we moved closer to the middle of the Gyre, the ratio got visibly higher, until we started pulling in samples that looked like they contained solely plastic". The problem with plastic is that it's not biodegradable. So we are altering the composition of the ocean, for good. Jellyfish become completely made out of plastic particles as they drift at the surface, dead. Then they get eaten by fish and then by bigger fish that we eat. And here comes the shit: the chemicals contained in these plastics were found to cause "an absurd suite of health problems including low sperm count, prostate cancer, hyperactivity, early-onset diabetes, breast cancer, undescended testicles, and sex reversal", on mice, in lab experiments.

So why do educated people still throw away trash on the street, or fail to recycle plastic bottles or even paper?

By the way, here's a video on this story. If you feel that you're being too brainwashed by The Economist sometimes, try this magazine, it's my second favourite. It also gives good fashion advice.