Award-winning film shows the world’s oceans overwhelmed by plastic.
French documentary 『The Mermaids´ Tears: Oceans of Plastic』 takes the viewer into the 『plastic soup』 that our global seas have become. In particular, the film focuses on the pollution that is affecting countless marine animals.

In the Netherlands, for example, scientists who were looking into the decline of the nation’s fulmar bird discovered plastic in ９５％ of the deceased birds’ stomachs, while in California, USA, dolphins and whales have been found to have died in extreme agony, with their digestive tracts completely blocked by plastic debris.

The phrase 『mermaid tears』 refers to the small pellets of plastic resembling fish eggs or even smaller that have been spilled in the transport of raw plastic materials, or have been broken down as granules of waste over the years.

With every square kilometer of ocean now containing an average of ７４,０００ pieces of plastic, these so-called mermaid’s tears are nearly impossible to clean up.

Directed by Sandrine Fevdel of France, the film’s thoughtful look at the destructive effects of plastic pollution has earned it numerous awards, including Best Environmental Film at the Prague Festival and the Greek Public Television Broadcasting Award at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival ２０１０. 

Our heartfelt thanks, Ms. Feydel for this documentary, which makes clear the plight of marine animals in the face of human contamination of the oceans. May we all move rapidly to reverse these harmful effects and restore the health of our planet and oceans.

Ever-concerned for the balance of life on Earth, Supreme Master Ching Hai has often spoken of ways that humanity can show more care for the beings that depend on our actions for their survival, as during a May ２００８ videoconference in South Korea.


 http://www.viadeCOuvertes.fr/pages/fr/reference.php?id=86
 http://www.javafilms.fr/spip.php?article268
 http://www.indiewire.com/article/eyes_takes_thessaloniki_doc_fests_top_prize/#
 
Extra News
Despite recent rains, India’s Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal states have declared drought conditions across several districts, with the government preparing to provide assistance to farmers due to the extent of crop losses.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Entire-Bihar-is-drought-hit-Nitish-Kumar/articleshow
/6314720.cms#ixzz0wflVwuH9
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Entire-Bihar-is-drought-hit-Nitish-Kumar/articleshow/6314720.cms

Australia’s Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones commends participation in the 『１ Million Women』 campaign, which seeks to address global warming through women’s pledges to reduce a collective million metric tons of co２, and has received the commitment of over ２６,０００ women thus far.
www.mysunshinecoast.com.au/articles/article-display/queenslanders-join-1-million-women-to-fight-climate-change,18285

 Scientists from Malaysia and Germany discover a pea-sized species of frog living in and near pitcher plants on the Southeast Asian island of Borneo, making it the tiniest amphibian of its kind across the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe.
http://www.physorg.com/news201975562.html
http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/z02571p052f.pdf

Rice production is forecast to fall by ２２％ this year in Cambodia due to record low water levels caused by drought as well as delay of the rainy season, which has also impacted fish populations by destroying the spawning grounds of many species.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Resource-Wars/2010/08/26/Low-water-a-concern-for-Cambodia
/UPI-93951282819039/
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=90291