Tsunami washed away thousands of Albatross chicks, buried many Petrels

[Donna]

As if the human catastrophe weren’t enough, the tsunami that crossed the Pacific Ocean has swept over most of Midway Atoll, where it has washed away tens of thousands of albatross chicks and buried many petrels in their burrows.

http://birdsredesign.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/tsunami-displaces-thousands-of-albatross-chicks/

[valhalla]

Completely unrelated, but I see Midway and can't help thinking about the Battle of Midway.  I wonder what might be found after almost 70 years.  FYI - one of my favorite battles of WWII - Google it and find out why.

After the Dam burst at Johnstown, PA in 1889 the water, silt, mud, etc. made it's way to the Chesapeake and buried the crabs under too much mud and silt.  They didn't make it.  BAD Harvest.  The crabs rebounded and overfishing is beating them up again, but that is a different story.  Point is, nature will win. 

[midwayjourney]

Here is another link from US Fish and Wildlife on Midway.

http://www.fws.gov/midway/tsunami.html


I am heading over there in a few days to continue work on a feature documentary film about the Albatrosses on Midway Island. We are anxious to see the results of the tsunami. Apparently hundreds of thousands of the baby chicks died, along with many other birds, particularly the Bonin Petrels that nest underground.

Please feel free to follow our journey along at http://www.MidwayJourney.com where we'll post daily updates, photos and films.

Thanks so much.

[Donna]

Wow, good for you Jan. I'll definitely follow your journeys. Thanks and good luck. Poor birds! 

[Dumpsterkitty]

I saw a post on Birdchick yesterday with links to a blog Pete at Midway...

They were able to save some birds...

Good luck, Jan.  I look forward to following your story.

[Donna]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ri0RAsctYo#ws This is so very sad....Do NOT throw your bottle caps out. Please find someone who can recycle them, if you can't, send them to me. I know someone who does!  So terrible. Thanks Jan for the blog!

[MAK]

  Once again HUMANS the cause of death! 

[Donna]

Once again HUMANS the cause of death! 

Yup and to think of all the millions of bottled water we drink. The caps usually go in the trash. Just save them, even if you can't find anyone to take them. Put them in a box or bag until you find someone who will take them. I was guilty too a while back until I found a place that takes the caps. It will never stop but we can control our own!

[Dot_Forrester]

What a disgusting horror!  I have heard plenty about the plastics problem in the ocean, but seeing this really sad and frightening video made me realize that I had not even begun to recognize the enormity of how our plastic discards adversely affect wildlife.  Also I had no idea that adult albatrosses feed this stuff to their chicks.  Do you suppose the plastic was hidden in a fish or whatever they feed the babies?  This should be required viewing not just for every government official involved in the recycling process, but for all consumers.  In my area almost everything is recycled, even textiles and metal, but unfortunately not plastic bottle caps.  Like he said, it will take at least a decade to get rid of what's already in the water, let alone the amount of plastic added to it daily.  Really really awful!!!!

Dot in PA

[midwayjourney]

As I learned more about this plastic pollution issue over the past couple of years through the involvement in this project, I've learned that plastic is actually not even recyclable. It is a big myth and lie.  Due to the low melting point, a plastic bottle can never be made into a plastic bottle again. That would be re-cycling.  Yes we CAN do that with aluminum and glass.  Plastic is only down-cycled into other products such as carpeting, fleece fabric and plastic lumber.  All which will one day end up in the landfill. 

So really the only solution to this awful tragedy is to REFUSE this material in our daily lives.  The plastic straws, cups, take out containers, plastic bags, beverage bottles....  we can all do without these things.

Here is a great website with more info on this.
http://plasticpollutioncoalition.org/learn/common-misconceptions/

Thanks so much for all your feedback and support of this project.  We hope to keep the website and Facebook page updated while we are over there. We leave on Sunday morning.

Our goal is to bring awareness of this issue to the world.

Warmest regards,

Jan Vozenilek

http://www.MidwayJourney.com

[Shaky]

Thanks for the information, Jan. Good luck on your trip and welcome to the forum.

[Donna]

I know they can't be recycled but we have someone here at the Elementary School who uses them. (Bottle caps). We've had a big turn in on caps!

Found this:

http://www.nwguardian.com/2011/03/10/9709/program-recycles-bottle-caps-at.html  Very cool!

http://www.recapcompany.com/vacations.html Maybe even make your own doormat.

[Donna]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V3DGJGOalo#ws

http://www.midwayjourney.com/ Thought I would check up on the blog. Very informative.

[MAK]

  Thanks for educating us Donna! 

[Donna]

http://www.youtube.com/PlasticPollution#p/u/5/K8s7uIzmesINo words needed.