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Plastic Ocean  By  cover art

Plastic Ocean

By: Capt. Charles Moore, Cassandra Phillips
Narrated by: Mel Foster
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Publisher's summary

A prominent seafaring environmentalist and researcher shares his shocking discovery of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean, which inspired a fundamental rethinking of the Plastic Age and a growing global health crisis.

In the summer of 1997, Charles Moore set sail from Honolulu with the sole intention of returning home after competing in a trans-Pacific race. To get to California, he and his crew took a shortcut through the seldom-traversed North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, a vast oceanic "desert" where winds are slack and sailing ships languish. There, Moore realized his catamaran was surrounded by a "plastic soup". He had stumbled upon the largest garbage dump on the planet - a spiral nebula where plastic outweighed zooplankton, the ocean's food base, by a factor of six to one.

In Plastic Ocean, Moore recounts his ominous findings and unveils the secret life and hidden properties of plastics. From milk jugs to polymer molecules small enough to penetrate human skin or be unknowingly inhaled, plastic is now suspected of contributing to a host of ailments including infertility, autism, thyroid dysfunction, and some cancers. A call to action as urgent as Rachel Carson's seminal Silent Spring, Moore's sobering revelations will be embraced by activists, concerned parents, and seafaring enthusiasts concerned about the deadly impact and implications of this man-made blight.

©2011 Captain Charles Moore and Cassandra Phillips (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A hero . . . Moore is the first person to have pursued serious scientific research by sampling the garbage patch." ( The New York Times)

What listeners say about Plastic Ocean

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Informative

Until this book I only knew that there was plastic in the ocean and that it caused harm to animals and now I know that not only is it in the ocean but it can be toxic and harbor toxic chemicals it can poison a whole food web including the human one and that plastic has already caused humans much harm and still is.

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An environmental eye opener

When you come to realize the sheer magnitude of our plastic problem it is overwhelming. I appreciated the research and statistics mixed in with the personal account of trips to the gyre (made me want to sail again)! Although the suggested “solutions” aren’t actionable overnight, this book does a good job of demonstrating how we can all be more conscious consumers while holding plastic producers accountable.

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Re evaluate your consumption

I am deeply inspired by this book & and have read it multiple times. It’s packed with scientific information and marine observations collected in a scientific matter displaying the impact of our growing plastic pollution. It is a great read or listen! I hope it inspires you to pick glass every over plastic everyday.

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A must read for those who want to save our planet

I loved it! Great story telling supported by solid science, while offering thoughtful solutions. You must hear it!

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Life changing and poignant. An important read!

This book should be a requirement for all human beings. We have one nature and we best treat her well. The plastic age is unsustainable, dangerous and killing what is vital to all life on this planet. As a species, we best change our act. It starts here.

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Eye opener for a major problem humans have created

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes I would recommend this book, on the simple fact that people really need to understand the problem of living in a generation that is very wasteful.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Plastic Ocean?

The moment that really caught my attention is when the author described the size of the plastic waste. Yes there are large pieces of plastic, but most of what is in the ocean is micro pieces of plastic. Also when the author talked about how fishermen dump their nets in the ocean to save on weight and space for more fish.

Did Mel Foster do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

He was a little monotone, but in general he was okay. I wouldn’t seek him out as a narrator, but I wouldn’t stay away from a book because of him.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The tagline should be the same as the book title; it is catchy and simple.

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interesting and educational

Where does Plastic Ocean rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

A great introduction to one of today's major environmental problems. The author smoothly intertwines a story about a personal research project with a history of the plastics industry in the U.S. and abroad. Well worth the purchase.

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