Plastic trash in the ocean is a serious concern. By 2020 there will be an estimated 230 million tons of plastic in the ocean, most of it inside gyres like the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch". We recently spoke with a filmmaker on our podcast who painted an all-to-clear picture of the devestating consequences of these trash vortexes:
That's why we'll be watching with interest a project that aims to tackle the problem. A team of engineers have developed a boat that could support 38 researchers for 90 days at sea to both better understand the problem and test out solutions for collecting the debris. They’re not alone. Some commercial fishing vessels are encouraged to collect marine litter, and the Scottish fleet alone has collected 600 tons of marine litter since 2005. Commercial shipping could also be part of the solution, for example by registering observations of marine debris and operating collection technologies during their voyage.
Want to be part of the solution? Start at the source and cut out plastic. Though once you start paying attention, it's disconcerting how big a role plastic plays in our lives. Hear Veronica Simmonds recount her attempt at living a week plastic-free on our podcast: