The Weekend Herald 20th July, 2010
Floating Garbage Patch!
In this candid interview with Pete
Scully, world-renowned marine
biologist Dr. Jonno Gilchrest speaks
out
about
an
environmental
catastrophe of epic proportions
affecting the world’s oceans.
Pete: What does the rubbish in our oceans
have to do with people like me? Surely your
message needs to be aimed at ocean-going
folk.
Dr. Gilchrest: People don’t realise that the
rubbish they drop on land can easily be
washed or blown into our gutters and
stormwater drains, and then end up in our
waterways that lead out to the ocean. In fact,
it is estimated that 80% of marine litter
originates on land! The message we have to
get across is to dispose of rubbish carefully
and recycle as much as possible. What do a
dolphin and plastic sandwich wrapping have
in common? The answer is very little, except
both can end up thousands of kilometres out
to sea. The dolphin, however, is meant to be
there!
Pete: So when did you first realise the
enormity of this problem?
Dr. Gilchrest: In 1988 I was on a research
boat in the North Pacific. We came across an
enormous island of floating garbage. To our
horror, we realised it was mostly recognisable
rubbish from land-based activities – plastic
toys, shoes, bottles, cans, plastic packaging –
it seemed never ending. I remember watching
the marine animals trying to feed off this
rubbish. We found dead birds with their
bellies full of plastic and fish with toxic levels
of chemicals in their bodies.
Pete: This had a profound effect on you.
Dr. Gilchrest: Yes, indeed. This amount of
garbage doesn’t just fall from the sky. It’s a
reminder of how every gutter, stream, creek
and river on the land connects to our oceans.
Dr. Scully pictured above on a research venture.
Pete: You are very passionate about your
work. What drew you to marine research in
the first place?
Dr. Gilchrest: I have always loved being
around water. As a kid, I remember playing
around the creek near my home in Bardon,
Brisbane, and losing all track of time.
Funnily enough, it was these innocent
activities that steered me towards marine
biology.
Pete: Really? How so?
Dr Gilchrest: There was a terrible incident
where my play very nearly destroyed my
playground. Let’s just say I made some
discoveries that forced me to see things
differently and now my life’s work is devoted
to researching and educating people about our
life-giving waterways and magnificent
oceans.
Pete: Is your message getting through?
Dr. Gilchrest: Slowly people are realising
what we could lose. I have great faith in the
younger generation to study the research and
make good choices.