The Cobra Effect Vignette 2

When I was writing The Cobra Effect, which is about #plastic pollution, I wrote a series of vignettes to present some ideas of how we sometimes unconsciously/unintentionally contribute to the problem of plastic pollution in the ocean. My original plan was to put one of these little stories at the start of each chapter, but my editor said that they made the book too long and distracted from the plot. I’m sure she was right, but nonetheless, I feel these snippets are important, so I’ve decided to publish one each week for a few weeks.

The vignettes are based on situations I’ve seen or experienced, and I’ve expanded all of them for the purposes of the blog. What do you think? Have you had an experience like this?

A day at the island

“So, what do you think of it? She’s a beauty, isn’t she?” asks Jack, as the salty water sloshes noisily around the edge of the boat.

Meg and Greg nod vigorously, their bodies rocking with the waves while Jane turns a few knobs, cranking up the music.

“It’s totally awesome,” says Meg. “Thanks so much for taking us out.”

“We’re just so glad the weather held out and you two could make it,” says Jane. “Jack and I have been wanting to have you guys out for like forever!”

“I know,” says Greg, “our schedules just never seem to work. I’ve been traveling so much.”

“But at least we’re out here now,” says Jack. A gull flies over, scolding loudly, and the salty tang of the bay fills their nostrils. Jack opens the blue cooler and reaches into the icy slurry, withdrawing a couple of plastic bottles of water.

“Thanks,” says Meg, accepting them and handing one to Greg. Something about being out on the water has made her very thirsty. When she finishes it, she replaces the lid and places it on the low bench, next to Greg’s empty one.

“How far to the island?” asks Greg.

“Oh, about 30 minutes. There, we’re out of the no-wake zone. Hold onto your hats, we’re going to kick this baby into gear here.”

The motor cranks into higher gear and soon everyone is grasping their sun visors with both hands, hair whipping around their smiling faces. As the boat picks up speed, the loose water bottles suddenly take flight, and before anyone can grab them, they are lifted up, out of the boat and deposited onto the surface of the water, where they bob in the wake of the widening wake of the boat.

Now the ocean owns them, even if it is tired of receiving so many of these “gifts.” 60 million water bottles are used each day, and only about half of these are recycled. Some of the rest make it to landfills, but many, thousands and thousands, are added to the ocean, often through negligence.

A plastic bottle takes 450 years to decompose.