Surfline just posted this article about Project Kasei (which is a team of scientists, environmentalists, and surfers who study the debris rapidly collecting in our ocean) on their 3000 mile research journey. They set out to specifically investigate the debris piling up in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a giant garbage dump floating smack dab in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Discovered by Captain Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, the patch has grown to double the size of Texas. The patch is composed of tiny plastic pieces that act like a sponge soaking up dangerous chemicals. These plastics pieces also attract marine life who mistake the debris for food.
Unfortunately this is affecting our home breaks. For example, on Kamilo Beach, prior to clean up efforts, 8- to 10-foot piles of plastic used to line the shore. Worse the debris would also form a plastic sand that exceeded the beach's volume of natural sand. This debris is coming from us whether it be bottles that fall into storm drains or cups that blow off the land. To combat this Surfrider set up Rise Against Plastics to reduce our consumption of single use plastics (shopping bags, cups, Coke bottles, etc.). Rusty is trying to help the situation with a line of boardshorts made out of recycled plastic bottles. Check out our Global Cooling Series here.
