Great Pacific Garbage Patch

A friend recently informed me of a Texas-sized garbage patch that is floating in the Pacific Ocean. I didn't believe him and had to research it for myself. Turns out that there is a garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean approximately 1000 miles West of California that is a result of global pollution and oceanic currents. The garbage pile is mostly made up of plastic and other items and is in fact estimated to be larger than the state of Texas.
While this garbage patch is tough to measure because much of it is below the surface and because the patch is constantly moving, it is known to be very large and deep.
For additional information, I found the following helpful articles. I think its safe to say Im going to reduce the amount of plastic I use.
References and Additional Information
http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Ocean/Pacific-Garbage-Patch30oct07.htm