Plastic started to flood into people's lives. It replaced lots of other materials too. Also, it would be transformed into new objects. Children would play with plastic putty. This shows us that plastic is really popular, but the cost of being popular can harm our environment. People use plastic materials in their modern life. Plastic offered other conveniences such as disposable items like plates, cups, napkins. Although they're all meant to be thrown away after use.
Plastic trash began to accumulate in waterways. This caused waterways to be polluted and non-safe drinking water with diseases. For example, Ohio's river was so polluted with chemicals it caught on fire. causing to catch the attention of government leaders. The federal clean water act added rules in 1972 on industrial plants along waterways. That said waterways continued to trash accumulating a bit in reason of wind sweeping plastic and other non-disposable items.
I'm not sure if this is correct if Trash Vortex is about plastic and pollution, but I'm glad I helped. :)
Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement developed in the USA in the 1820s, which focuses on the kindness of people and nature, as well as on people's independence and ability to depend on oneself. It was born in opposition to the intellectualism and spirituality of the time. Consequently, Thoreau's quote reflects his conscious and intentional decision to move to the forest in order to discover the meaning of life and his own independent self.
