Why does the text make a comparison to the state of Texas? to provide a perspective of the square mileage of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with a recognizable area of comparable size

to enable a clear understanding of the expansive size of Texas by using the Great Pacific Garbage Patch as a model

to develop the focus of the information with an awareness of the particular geographic region around the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

to show how far the Great Pacific Garbage Patch extends below the surface of the ocean by demonstrating its depth