Message in Bottles

Gallery: Man & FaunaPosted May 20, 2011477 views6 comments

Andaman islands are a volcanic chain located between southern india and burma/thailand. This is a beach on an uninhabited island at least 20-25 km from the closest settlement. That does not spare it from trash drifting from elsewhere. May be we would think twice before such reckless dumping if we realize that the damage is not just local.

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Hank Pennington on May 20, 2011 at 4:33 PM

The low POV with a wide lens really makes this shot Anand. It makes the trash loom large, increasing its visual impact as viewers enjoying the paradise beyond.

And you're not overstating the problem in the least. Our son-in-law captained a ship in the Pacific for a few years, and as an annual event they stopped at uninhabited islands and pick up plastic trash and lost fishing gear. The ship's best "score" was over 35 tons from a single beach, and there wasn't an inhabitant within hundreds of miles.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 226 Posts, 1532 Comments

Comment posted by Herb Sennet on May 21, 2011 at 1:27 PM

As a seaman I passed these beautiful islands many times. Keep these images posting. People must be very much aware about the environmental impact caused by careless behaviour.
Herb

Registered on September 20, 2009, 87 Posts, 106 Comments

Comment posted by Nicolaus Wegner on May 24, 2011 at 10:54 AM

The Similan Islands have the same issue. They are about 60km east of the coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. My wife and I spent every morning picking trash off the local beaches during our time there. When we went snorkeling, we ended up picking up dozens of clear plastic bags underwater. Sea Turtles assume they are Jellyfish and end up suffocating on them. We did not even make a dent. And to top it off, I watched the trash barge leave the island the day we departed with bags falling off of it back into the water...how's that for irony. Next time I'll do as I do in the wilderness, carry my own trash out.

It's amazing that such beautiful areas suffer from such large volumes of trash..but it goes where the current takes it...there are actual floating islands of trash out in the middle of the oceans...wonderful stuff.

Registered on February 21, 2010, 133 Posts, 1509 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on May 25, 2011 at 12:11 AM

Amazing to see that we can trash any place, even if we don't live there. Wonderful commentary.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on May 28, 2011 at 6:52 PM

Very effective posting.

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on May 29, 2011 at 8:03 PM

Excellent technical image, as well as a very sad commentary.
Congrats on the WP!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments