Imagine sailing across the vast Pacific Ocean and seeing plastic waste everywhere. Some experts predict that by 2050, the ocean might have as much plastic as fish! But where does all this plastic come from, and is there really a giant ‘garbage patch’ floating out there?
Marcus Eriksen, an environmental scientist, is dedicated to tackling the issue of marine plastic. This problem is global because plastic gathers in large circular ocean currents called gyres. Items like straws, bags, bottles, and cup lids are used once and then tossed away. A plastic bottle from California can travel to Japan in three to five years, caught in these spinning gyres where it gets trapped.
Scientists use boats to collect and count plastic particles in the ocean. By working with ocean modelers, they create maps showing how much trash is out there and where it is concentrated. However, understanding marine debris is more challenging than it seems.
The story of the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ began in 1990 when a ship accidentally spilled 61,000 sneakers into the ocean. Curtis Ebbesmeyer and James Ingraham Jr. from NOAA coined the term after realizing these sneakers would remain in the ocean’s vortex. Captain Charles Moore later observed this area, describing it as a vast spread of microplastic particles, not islands of trash, but more like a smog of tiny plastic bits.
Plastic doesn’t break down like metal, wood, or paper. High-density polyethylene, used in products like soap bottles and toothbrushes, is common in the garbage patch. Most of the plastic produced since 1950 still exists today.
Dr. Sarah-Jeanne Royer and her team at the University of Hawaii are working to track ocean trash. They often find bottle caps, as the bottles themselves sink. Despite the large amount of plastic seen by researchers, 99% of ocean-bound plastic is still unaccounted for. Sarah’s team collaborates with organizations like the Swim Expedition to tag and track waste.
The Swim uses two methods: visually surveying debris from their vessel and attaching GPS buoys to track larger objects. This helps scientists improve models of trash movement and focus cleanup efforts. They also use special techniques to identify plastic types, hoping to develop satellites to measure plastic in the ocean.
The entire lifecycle of plastic is harmful. Its production uses toxic chemicals, and once in the environment, it absorbs more toxins, spreading them widely. Plastic can also affect the ocean’s ability to absorb CO2, worsening climate change. With 90% of habitats in the ocean, the idea of it being 50% plastic and 50% fish in 30 years is alarming.
Despite the challenges, there is hope. Organizations are creating innovative solutions to clean up ocean plastic. Scientists are developing new packaging materials, and consumers are making smarter choices. By refusing single-use plastics, everyone can help protect their local environment and the ocean. With the UN and companies committing to zero waste, there is optimism that we can solve this problem.
For more updates and to follow Ben Lecomte’s journey, visit Seeker.com/TheSwim. Stay informed and watch more videos about the science happening onboard Seeker. Don’t forget to subscribe for the next episode. Thanks for reading!
Imagine you are a plastic bottle that has been discarded in California. Create a map showing your journey across the ocean to Japan, highlighting the gyres you would encounter. Use online tools or draw your map by hand, and include notes on how long the journey might take and what happens to the plastic along the way.
Design a poster to educate your community about the impact of plastic waste in the ocean. Include facts from the article, such as the prediction about plastic and fish by 2050, and suggest ways people can reduce their plastic use. Use images and creative slogans to make your poster engaging and informative.
Perform a plastic audit at home or in your school. List all the single-use plastic items you find and think about alternatives. Share your findings with your class and discuss how you can collectively reduce plastic waste. Consider creating a plan to implement these changes in your daily life.
In a small group, use a large container filled with water to simulate ocean currents. Add small pieces of plastic to represent debris and use fans or your hands to create currents. Observe how the plastic moves and discuss how this relates to the formation of garbage patches in the ocean.
Research one innovative solution to the ocean’s plastic problem, such as a new cleanup technology or biodegradable material. Prepare a short presentation for your class, explaining how this solution works and its potential impact. Encourage your classmates to ask questions and discuss the feasibility of implementing such solutions globally.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Scenes like this are a daily reality for the crew of Seeker on their Pacific trek. Some estimates hold that by 2050, there could be as much plastic as there are fish in the ocean. But what is all this waste, exactly? Where does it come from? And is it really concentrated in a giant ‘garbage patch’ somewhere out there?
Marcus Eriksen is an environmental scientist who has made it his life’s mission to solve the problem of marine plastic. It’s a global issue because plastic accumulates in gyres, large circular currents that thread through the world’s oceans. The single-use packaging—like straws, bags, bottles, cup lids, and stir sticks—are all items that we use once and throw away. A plastic bottle leaving California can reach Japan in about three to five years and then return across the northern half of the North Pacific. That spinning mass of water is a gyre, where plastic trash migrates and gets trapped.
We take boats out into the middle of the ocean, drag our net behind the boat, and count the plastic particles that are floating. Working with ocean modelers, we can create regional maps of how much trash is out there, what it is, and where it is. However, answering even these basic questions about marine debris has proven to be surprisingly challenging.
In fact, everything we know about the proverbial ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ started in 1990 when a container ship spilled 61,000 sneakers into the ocean. Realizing that many of these sneakers would never come to shore and would remain in this vortex, Curtis Ebbesmeyer and James Ingraham Jr. at NOAA coined the term ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch.’
Captain Charles Moore is often credited with the first observations of the patch, describing it as a constellation of microplastic particles that captured the public’s imagination. He noted being in an area roughly twice the size of Texas while conducting his transects, which garnered significant media attention. However, there aren’t islands of trash; it’s more like a smog of microplastic particles—billions of them—spread over a wide area.
Even when plastic becomes brittle and breaks apart, the pieces persist. Unlike metals, wood, or paper, plastics are designed to resist natural decay. High-density polyethylene, commonly used in consumer goods like soap bottles and toothbrushes, is prevalent in the garbage patch. If we consider all the plastic produced since 1950, much of it is still present on the planet.
Dr. Sarah-Jeanne Royer works with Dr. Nikolai Maximenko and his team at the University of Hawaii to tackle the problem of tracking trash. Often, they find only bottle caps, as the bottles made from PET sink due to their higher density compared to seawater. Despite the significant amount of plastic encountered by the crew of Seeker, estimates suggest that 99% of ocean-bound plastic waste remains unaccounted for. That’s why Sarah’s team collaborates with the Swim Expedition and the Ocean Voyages Institute to tag and track the waste they find.
The Swim uses two different protocols. The first is a visual survey of all marine debris observed from the vessel. When they find a sufficiently large object, they take pictures and gather information to trace its origin. The second protocol involves attaching a GPS buoy to marine debris to track its movement in the ocean.
Once activated, the tracker enables scientists to improve models of how trash travels in the ocean and identify where to focus cleanup efforts. While Sarah and her team often cannot immediately determine the source of a piece of plastic, they look for other clues. They utilize FTIR or micro-Raman spectroscopy to match the spectrum of the plastic to a library, identifying its type. Scientists aspire to develop satellites and new instrumentation to quantify the amount of plastic floating at sea.
The entire life cycle of plastic is harmful. Its manufacturing process relies on toxic chemicals, and when released into the environment, it absorbs additional toxins, transporting them widely—including into our bodies. Plastic can hinder the ocean’s ability to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change. While only 10% of habitats are on land, 90% are in the ocean, much of which remains unexplored. The idea that the ocean could be 50% plastic and 50% fish in just 30 years is alarming.
However, the situation is not without hope. Organizations are developing innovative solutions to clean up ocean plastic. Materials scientists are focusing on new packaging solutions, and consumers are making more informed choices every day. By refusing single-use plastics, individuals can positively impact their neighborhoods, local watersheds, and the ocean. With the UN addressing the issue and companies committing to zero waste, there is optimism that we can solve this problem.
Be sure to visit Seeker.com/TheSwim for daily updates from Ben Lecomte, track his progress in real time, and watch more videos about the science happening onboard Seeker. Click here for the next episode, and don’t forget to subscribe. Thanks for watching.
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This version maintains the original content’s essence while ensuring clarity and professionalism.
Plastic – A synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers that can be molded into shape while soft and then set into a rigid or slightly elastic form. – Plastic waste in the ocean poses a significant threat to marine life.
Ocean – A vast body of salt water that covers almost three-quarters of the Earth’s surface. – The ocean plays a crucial role in regulating the Earth’s climate by absorbing carbon dioxide.
Marine – Relating to or found in the sea. – Marine ecosystems are diverse habitats that include coral reefs, kelp forests, and deep-sea environments.
Debris – Scattered fragments, typically of waste or remains. – Ocean currents can carry debris across vast distances, impacting remote marine environments.
Gyres – Large systems of circular ocean currents formed by global wind patterns and forces created by Earth’s rotation. – The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an area of marine debris concentrated by ocean gyres.
Pollution – The presence or introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment. – Pollution from industrial activities can lead to the contamination of air and water resources.
Environment – The natural world, as a whole or in a particular geographical area, especially as affected by human activity. – Protecting the environment is essential for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem health.
Waste – Unwanted or unusable materials, substances, or by-products. – Proper waste management is crucial to reduce the impact of human activities on the environment.
Climate – The weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period. – Climate change is causing more frequent and severe weather events around the world.
Solutions – Means of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation. – Innovative solutions are needed to address the challenges of plastic pollution in the oceans.
