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T he Great Pacifi c Garbage Patch, mentioned on page 26 of this issue, is not a myth, but a travesty. For An- gela Sun it was the fi rst stop in an in-depth exploration of not only ocean plastics, but the whole plastics cycle in our culture. With California's landmark single-use plas- tic bag ban stalled by manufacturers, it's a particularly apt time for this documentary. Plastic is unlike any other substance on earth. Manufactured from oil, it is virtu- ally indestructible. Nowhere is this more apparent than Midway Atoll, a tiny island midway between Japan and the western U.S. coast and plunk in the middle of the Great Garbage Patch. Tens of thousands of pounds of garbage wash up here every year, mostly items you'll recognize: computer monitors, truck tires, drink cups, nylon (polyamide plastic) fi shing nets—an estimated 640,000 tons of discarded fi shing nets destroy coral and wreak havoc in the oceans worldwide. Hundreds of thousands of fi sh and mammals, and millions of seabirds die by plastic. If nothing else, we should be concerned about our own health. You'll be shocked to see the amount of plastic in the belly of one fi sh, and much of it contains per- sistent organic pollutants (PCPs), such as DDT. Plastic hardening agent Bisphenol A (BPA), with its endocrine disruptor proper- ties, is also ubiquitous, and thermal paper receipts, the kind we're handed every day, are coated with it. BPA could explain the statistical increase in breast cancer and early onset of puberty. Sun's exploration makes it very apparent this isn't only a consumer problem; using expert sources and incontrovertible evidence she makes it clear we need regulations requiring manufacturers to have a disposal plan for the vast amount of plastic they produce. In the meantime, we use an estimated one million plastic bags a minute and 85 million plastic bottles every three minutes. The time to start educating the next generation is now. This gently presented but ultimately deeply concerning fi lm should be shown at every school in the country to spare the next generation from environmental death by plastic. We owe it to our kids to give them this information. (Bullfrog Films) —Abigail Lewis Plastic Paradise The Great Pacifi c Garbage Patch Written and Directed by Angela Sun Written and Directed by Angela Sun Written and Directed by Angela Sun Too busy to take up a meditation practice? You don't have to with this collection of short essays by Catherine Auman, LMFT. The reader will experience mindful awakenings about spirituality, relationships, love, tantric sex, and how to become a better person. Shortcuts to Mindfulness The transformational book by Catherine Auman, LMFT is now available! Get your print copy or ebook on Amazon or by visiting www.catherineauman.com. Reviews continued on page 39 LOOKING FOR HEALING SOLUTIONS? WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK. Our June issue will include alterantive healing methods, non-pharm answers for chronic pain, grounding to Earth's energy and lots more that mainstream press just doesn't think is important. GET YOUR AD IN NOW! • 310.425.3056 • sales@wholelifemagazine.com april/may 2015 33