Moby-Duck

Moby-Duck

This is a rather longwinded title, which like the story is wordy but filled with fascinating information about our plastic polluted planet. Transfixed by the news account of a ship loss of 28,800 Chinese manufactured plastic yellow ducks, green frogs, red beavers, and blue turtles along its route from Hong Kong to Tacoma, Washington, the author took up this search. Obsessed to trace the fate of these floating toys as they were carried by ocean currents and deposited at different sites over the years, the author discovers that the toys along with mountains of plastic waste contaminate the seas, endanger marine life, and contribute to a vast garbage reservoir within the once boundless seas. While tracking the ducks, this quest leads him to Alaska, Hawaii, China, and the Arctic as he interacts with the researchers who work in these areas. In tune with his academic background the author-journalist, somewhat in the style of John Mcphee, meshes the historical, scientific, cultural, and ecological components into this odyssey. Clearly the author is a gifted writer and the message of a plasticized future is one that should be seriously noted. While filled with fascinating narrative, some maps and simple illustrations would have helped the reader to stay on course.

Moby-Duck