Who knew that a product produced 65 years ago would be a leading cause of polluting our ocean? Since the time plastic was globally mass-produced, the amount of plastic we use has skyrocketed. So has plastic pollution. The staggering overconsumption of this material has a devastating effect on the environment with our oceans suffering the worst by far.
It has been estimated that 8 million pieces of plastic pollution find their way into the ocean every day, which adds up to the 5.25 trillion pieces that are currently there.
To tackle the problem, the Ocean Voyages Institute pulled more than 100 tons of marine trash hauled from the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
It was an expedition for 48 days.
Crews unloaded the trash — 103 tons of it — from the ship, heralding it as a record amount ever to be collected from within the depths and surface of the Great Pacific ocean (Garbage Patch).
Mary Crowley, the group’s founder and executive director said –
“I am so proud of our hard-working crew. We exceeded our goal of capturing more than 100 tons of toxic consumer plastics and derelict ‘ghost’ nets—and in these challenging times, we are continuing to help restore the health of our ocean, which influences our own health and the health of the planet.”
Ocean Voyages Institute
Known as the ‘Ghost Net Buster,’ Mary Crowley is renowned for developing effective methods to remove significant amounts of plastics out of the ocean. She has removed 48 tons (96,000 lbs.) of plastics during two ocean clean-up voyages in 2019, including one that scooped up nets that had trapped garbage around the Hawaiian islands.
“Even though beach cleanups are the most efficient way to collect trash, ocean cleanup—intercepting it before it comes to the shore—is very important,” Dr. Nikolai Maximenko of FloatEco told GNN during a Zoom press briefing. “Nothing can replace the effort in the ocean.”
The team has been using GPS satellite trackers since 2018, designed with the help of engineer Andy Sybrandy, of Pacific Gyre, Inc. Crowley’s theory proved successful that one tracker can lead to many nets.
The ocean frequently ‘sorts’ the floating debris so that a tagged fishing net can lead to other nets and a density of debris within a 15-mile radius.
“We are utilizing proven nautical equipment to effectively clean-up the oceans while innovating with new technologies,” said Crowley.
“Ocean Voyages Institute has been a leader in researching and accomplishing ocean clean-up for over a decade, granted with less fanfare and attention than others, but with passion and commitment and making meaningful impacts.”
With the help of shipping and logistics experts, Matson, the debris collected, including large piles of ropes and fishing nets and discarded consumer plastics, will be sent to West Coast destinations to be transformed into fuel and repurposed into building insulation.
Most people don’t realize how closely our own health is tied to the health of the ocean. The ocean really produces two out of the three breaths we take. So we need to keep our ocean ecosystem healthy to help us stay healthy and to help the whole planet stay healthy.”
You can follow the project on Facebook, or donate by check, PayPal, or another method on their website.
Image credits: Ocean Voyages Institute
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