It isn’t even on land.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a massive buildup of trash that’s floating in the Pacific Ocean. How massive? It has currently grown to be the size of Texas. The “island,” also dubbed “chemical soup,” has been one of the worst environmental disasters created by mankind for years–and it’s also been one of its best-kept secrets.

Many people don’t hear about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, simply because it hasn’t been covered by most news outlets. The Patch’s formation is due to A. human waste and B. the North Pacific Gyre. The North Pacific Gyre is a series of revolving currents located north of the Hawaiian Islands. Combined with weaker area currents, they serve to keep the ocean surface steady and calm–as well as to suck in oceanic debris with their high-pressure waves.

The problem, however, isn’t the waves: the problem is polymers–or, more specifically, plastic. Until its invention, the ocean was able to handle the buildup very well, simply using the materials that collected as nutrients for the creatures living in the icy blue depths. But plastic doesn’t dissolve, get absorbed, or get eaten; it just collects and floats–forming the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Researchers claim that up to 80% of the refuse originates from land, not ships or the ocean itself.

Last week, one of these tribes, the Bo tribe became extinct with the death of its last member, Boa Sr, age 85. She was the last living speaker of the tribe’s language, also called Bo, as well. The language was considered one of India’s most endangered languages.

As the last speaker, Boa Sr had lived out her last days without anyone to speak it with; her husband and children had already died years before her death. The woman was also the last tribe member to recall the tribe’s traditional songs, as well as the eldest member of all ten tribes.

Boa Sr, a survivor of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, died at a hospital in the Andaman islands.

According to Survival International, “The Bo are thought to have lived in the Andaman islands for as long as 65,000 years, making them the descendants of one of the oldest human cultures on earth.”

With Boa Sr’s passing, an estimated 52 Great Andamanese people remain living today. In 1858, prior to the British colonization of the islands, 5,000 of the people inhabited the islands. During this time, tribes were held captive in the “Andaman Home,” in which 150 children, none of which survived for more than two years, were born.

Of the tribes who remain, at least five are considered vulnerable to extinction. One group, the Sentinelese, is likely the world’s only surviving Paleolithic tribe. They have no contact with people outside their small island, never leave it, and are considered very hostile toward non-native people.

Some risk factors for these groups include alcohol abuse and dependence on the government for food and shelter.

You’re finally going on your dream safari to Serengeti Park but you haven’t thought about safari clothing. Wearing the right attire will not only keep you more comfortable but it will help protect you from very real health hazards. 

Tip # 1

Don’t wear strong or dark colors.  Light colors are best, except whites because they stain too easy.   

The African sun is strong! Both blacks and bold colors will suck up heat rays and keep you sweating.  Light-toned, loose-fitting clothing, on the other hand, will reflect the suns rays, protecting you from the sweltering heat.  Bold colors aren’t the best choice either. Because they stand out so much, they tend to make wildlife wary.

Tip # 2

Wear long-sleeved clothing.  Full-length sleeves that fasten tightly are definitely the way to go.  This will protect your skin not only from the hot sun but, as evening approaches, from blood-thirsty mosquitoes.  Some mosquitoes carry blood-borne diseases, so covering up is always a good idea.  

Tip # 3

Opt for breathable cottons over synthetic materials.  

Tip # 4

Wear a hat!  It sounds simple enough but sunstroke is far more common than one would expect.  The same rules should apply to your headwear that apply to the rest of your clothing – go with a light-colored hat made of materials that breathe.  It’s also important to get a hat with a wide brim so as to provide the maximum amount of protection.  

For about the last two decades, companies like 1-800-Got-Junk have taken the business of junk removal to new levels, creating a necessary niche by providing services that help people in need of junk removal as much as they help communities to increase their efforts to recycle and go green and decrease their overall waste levels.

Old furniture, appliances, construction waste, felled tree limbs, and broken electronic equipment can all be hauled away with a simple phone call. Many junk removal businesses have close relationships with charitable organizations and recycling centers. This often helps their customers to feel better about disposing of their waste by ensuring them the materials will be recycled or used to help people in need rather than rotting away in landfills and polluting the environment.

Junk removal has gone from a part-time hobby to a big time business; some larger companies have dozens of trucks on the road every single day of the week. 

What constitutes an organic product? Organics must be grown without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides and without the presence of either industrial or human waste.  Organic foods cannot be processed with food additives or irradiation.  In terms of meat and dairy products, livestock must be raised without the continual use of antibiotics or growth hormones.  They are also much more likely to be fed a healthy diet.  Most countries in the world with organic standards for produce also require that organic foods cannot be genetically modified.  

Researchers have concluded that organic produce contains significantly higher levels of the following:

• Chromium, which prevents Type 2 Diabetes and hardening of the arteries 
• Calcium and Boron, which prevent osteoporosis and build strong bones, especially in small children
• Selenium, which boosts the immune system and prevents heart disease and certain cancers 
• Lithium, an element commonly found in antidepressants and mood stabilizers
• Salicylic acid, an anti-inflammatory which prevents heart disease and eases aches and pains in the body
• Antioxidants, which fight free radicals, protects cells from damage, prevents cancer, and strengthens the immune system
• Magnesium, which prevents death in the case of a heart attack and also helps the body to absorb calcium
• Vitamin C, which is essential for a healthy immune system and for the absorption of other nutrients