the plastic ocean project

 

“Far and away the most abundant, troublesome, persistent,   deadly debris in the sea is composed of plastic.”

Dr. Silvia  Earle, The world is Blue

North Pacific Gyre

A vortex of wind and current, a gyre is much like our blood stream. Moving water, nutrients (and plastic) from one part of the ocean to another.  The center is less active or becalmed.  Debris has a reputation of accumulating in  these areas.  There are five notable gyres in our world ocean..

 

 

 

What started out as a curiosity to know if plastics  accumulate in the North Pacific gyre  became a passion to share my findings with the world.  I have been to distant parts of the North Atlantic and North Pacific sampling the ocean for quantities of plastic.  In November, I have an opportunity to sample the South Atlantic, but I need your help.  Without the research its just a rant. We need the research to support change. We need your support for the research. 

 

Why should we care? Besides the fact that millions of marine life die each year from our floating plastic, I have witnessed prestigious island beaches where fragments of plastic, beaten down by the ocean, wash in as children swim.  If we don’t stop plastic trash from entering our oceans, all of our beaches will share the same fate.  Of all the environmental issues our oceans are facing, this one is the easiest one to fix and it starts with research in order to promote awareness and inspire change.

the North Pacific has become a passion to share my findings with the world.  I have been to distant parts of the North Atlantic and North Pacific sampling the ocean for quantities of plastic.  In November I will sample the South Atlantic.  Why should we care? Besides the fact that millions of marine life die each year from our floating plastic, I have witnessed prestigious island where the fragments of plastic beaten down by the ocean wash in as children swim.  If we don’t stop plastic trash from entering our oceans, all of our beaches will share the same fate.

Bonnie Monteleone

Office 304 B

4210 Wilshire Blvd

Wilmington, NC 28403

To contact us:

Phone: 910-616-6766

Fax: 910-962-3013

E-mail: blm@theplasticocean.org

 

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AMRF, 5Gyres, and Pangaea Voyages - a consortium of non-profit organizations that rely heavily on individual donations to continue necessary  research and outreach on this growing problem.

 

 

 

 

 

What is a gyre?