What specific event or experience triggered your passion and interest to get involved with the plastic pollution problem?
In 1996 I tracked a loggerhead sea turtle 7,000 miles over the course of 368 days across the North Pacific Ocean. It was the first animal ever tracked swimming across an entire ocean basin. The turtle swam through one of the most remote parts of our planet and I became very interested in finding out more about this little-studied area. Each day the turtle swam a little further and I learned a little bit more from oceanographers. What they told me was surprising and concerning: the turtle’s route was straight through a region they called the “garbage patch”. From that moment on I’ve worked to increase awareness about plastic pollution in the ocean and promote responsive actions to both clean it up and stem the flow.
What is your current involvement? (community level and/or global level)
I work with a number of strong, tireless people at international, national, regional and local organizations as an advisor or board member. I also participate in research on the lethal and sub-lethal impacts of plastic pollution on ocean wildlife. Every sea turtle--all of them--by the way, interact with plastic during their lives and it’s almost always a bad outcome. More and more I work with media on a variety of outputs including films, articles and public speaking events. Our family participates in many beach clean-ups and awareness events and we vote with out wallets. I always feel like I could be doing more. The problem will get worse globally before it gets measurably better.
If pushed, I offer simple advice: “Get in the water.”
Dr Wallace J Nichols
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