North Pacific Gyre

The North Pacific Gyre is an area of the pacific ocean located between Hawaii and Japan that circulates slowly because of little wind and high pressure systems. An estimated 100 million tons of garbage, mostly plastic, twice the size of the continental US float in this gyre.

Artist, Richard Owen has created the earth made from hundreds of plastic water bottles and strung with lighted wires to note continents, oceans and the gyre seen above in yellow.

I came across Richard and his creation as I rounded a building the other night in Santa Cruz and I was able to snap this picture. (fortunately I'd already given up my addiction to plastic water bottles and was carrying a reusable bottle at the time.)

The globe revolves with the wind and is an amazing sight in the dark. Apparently it was a hit at Burning Man this year too, although Richard says it was almost destroyed in the fierce Black Rock Desert winds. Fortunately he was able to "save the planet" and continue its tour.

For more about the North Pacific Gyre check out Richard's website: http://www.rich@gyrecleanup.org/.