5 Gyres - Understanding Plastic Pollution Through Exploration, Education, and Action

Back on land, back in the US of A and there is no rest for the wicked. Expeditions are marvelous, and The 5 Gyres Institute plans maintain a constant presence at sea for two reasons---one, it's important for us that plastic pollution is constantly monitored in all parts of the world because seeing is believing and someone has to do it. Two, because we take people from all over the world out into the plastic wilderness to see firsthand what this plastic pollution really looks like. There is a lot of myth dispelling about how plastic in the gyres manifest and we need legions of advocates to set the story straight. That's why we will always be on expedition.

But at home, on terra-firma, my mind shifts a bit from discovery to community engagement.  Oregon, my home state, is currently considering a bag ban in the state legislature and we're facing a vociferous plastic lobby trying to stop it.  I've heard reports that in Salem, Oregon's capital, that there are no fewer than 21 lobbyists working to stop a ban. That's an incredible amount for the size of our government.  But thanks to countless selfless and passionate people, we've got a good chance at making a historic policy make it on the books.  And we've also got Boulder, Colorado on the radar now, too.  And we're tracking countless others. 

(Gordan MIllar on his way to raise hell in Edinburgh. photo via Telegraph UK) 

5 Gyres thinks global, all the time, because the ocean knows no boundaries. A bag ban in Australia is good for the ocean in Uruguay. But focusing, I'm excited for Thursday in Edinburgh, where our pal and comrade in arms, Gordon Millar, will be making his case for a bag ban there. Good luck Gordo. We're with you!

Yesterday, I was interviewed for a story on 5 Gyres by a local paper and one of the questions was, "What's so bad about the plastic bag?" I love this question.  I'm not going to go into every talking point that wants to come whizzing out of my head right now but I'll close with a story from one of our expeditions--

In Recife, Brazil, our captains were trying to set the anchor at night in a fairly dodgy situation. The anchor wouldn't grab.  This is very rare for Sea Dragon.  The captains pulled the anchor up to investigate the problem.  Bags.  Plastic bags--1,000s of them sitting on the floor of the ocean in such quantity that they had become the floor of the ocean.  The anchor was full of them. And so they cleaned it off, and tried again.  And again, the same result.  Finally after a handful of attempts the hook held.  

This is what the plastic lobby is protecting.  Why?  Sure, there is some short term money to be lost, but when are we going to start thinking about long term economic security?  Why not put some of that money into research in development for a cradle to cradle strategy for your products?  Or develop waste management infrastructure to deal with it in the places where the products are imported?  Or both?

People often ask me how I emotionally deal with traveling the globe and seeing the same thing everywhere-- 63 days at sea seeing plastic in every sample. And big stuff floating by.  Here's what I can say.  Sometimes it's tough.  But I also see good work being done. Cynically, I believe that no matter what, the truth will come to light because it will become undeniable soon enough.  Everyone likes the beach, and every beach has plastic on it.  There ain't no hiding that for much longer.  And that's precisely why as an NGO, 5 Gyres is lean, mobile, and out in the world. Because the story is out there.  We're working to narrate it.  Help us on our journey.