Perreault Magazine - 109 -
What is your current involvement? (community level and/or global level)
For my part, I have just returned from Chile, where the US Embassy had me getting Chileans ready for the Head of States Conference on Ocean Health in Santiago next month. US Scty. of State, John Kerry will be asking them to commit to specific actions to stem the deterioration of the marine environment, including stopping plastic pollution. While the Ocean Conservancy is putting its muscle behind “effective waste management,” I do not believe that will ever be achieved, as the natural cycle we strive to emulate knows not waste. I am allying myself with the Zero Waste movement and am giving a keynote at the World Resource Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Oct. 12. Prior to that I will tour northern Italy with a group of Zero Waste activists from the US, and promote our work in the ocean with the Italian translation of my book, Plastic Ocean (L’Oceano Di Plastica). My organization, Algalita Marine Research and Education wants to hold a symposium late next year and include practical methods to remove debris from the open ocean. I believe that the situation in the Eastern Pacific Garbage Gyre is so critical that something must be done to remove the thousands of tons of debris accumulated there that is ruining this once pristine habitat as far from human civilization as it is possible to get on earth, before we have even begun to study its ecology. Algalita is also working on a local initiative that involves Research on what plastic pollution looks like along the Long Beach coastline and implementing a Prevention program (a collaborative effort) within our local community.
In order to educate, inspire and empower individuals worldwide, we need to provide the tools for them to engage. What are the tools you / your organization are offering for people to be part of the solution to plastic pollution?
The main toll we offer is our research which shows the magnitude of the problem, from quantities of plastic in the ocean to what is eating the plastic and the implications for human health. We produce a science curriculum which includes a “debris science investigation” (DSI) kit that gives students the chance to experience the plastic pollution problem first hand and study its implications. We also conduct an “International Youth Summit” for students from around the world to create projects for their home area and polish their activism by consultation with successful student project organizers from previous years as well as adult advisors. We also conduct trash audits of primary schools to make students aware of the amount of single use plastics in their lifestyles and help their schools begin to eliminate them.