courtesy of albatross.org.nz
There is no summer
across the swollen sea,
just the cold, distant sun–
an unfathomable loneliness between
the sky and waves,
a wind-blown expressway
for travellers lonely,
soaring, clipping currents
on giant wings,
no reason or rhyme
for these mariners of ancient time,
soaring with the grace and beauty
of a million generations–
voyagers of the endless sea.
(c) Darren Hawbrook
***
Unfortunately, due in large part to our relentless fishing practices and throwaway society, the albatross (whose family boasts the largest wingspan in the world) is in decline.
Albatross Chick on Midway Island (c) Chris Jordan
These magnificent birds need all the help they can get, and even though you may never see an albatross in the wild, it could be that one of your disposable lighters, or plastic-bottle tops might one day end up in the belly of a juvenile bird on the nest.
It’s important to raise awareness of the massive problem of plastic in the ocean. Plastic doesn’t go away. It isn’t bio-degradable. It ends up in the sea as tiny nurdles, then in the bellies of fish that mistake them for plankton, and then in the bellies of the larger predatory fish that eat the fish that eat the plastic.
So do you really need that bottled water? Or that plastic bag to carry your bottled water from the local store?
Little things can make a difference.
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Blurred Worlds 
Great article, Darren. The amount of plastic bottles I see people using is horrendous. If people just planned ahead, they could buy a reusable water bottle and fill it before leaving home or work. Not only is it helping the environment, but it’s helping the wallet too. So much more cost-effective over the long term.
Maybe for Dodo we can look at promoting companies that offer alternatives for plastic packaging?
Great idea!
We always assume as one person we can’t make a difference. But if everyone drank one less bottled water a week or took one less plastic bag, think of a difference that could make.
Thanks for visiting my blog. Much appreciated.
That’s so true. We can do so much just by addressing the little things. Likewise to you, thanks for visiting.