Stop plastics

The results of a groundbreaking study commissioned by nonprofit organization Common Seas showed 8 in 10 of us have microplastics in our blood. So how did we get here?

What does the shocking discovery that microplastics are in our blood mean for our bodies, our planet, and our future?

A community cleanup team is building a plastics recovery station and saving our ocean from 350,000 kilograms of inorganic waste by 2026.

Waste management experts are using the latest tracking technology to recover 50,000 kilograms of ocean-bound plastic.

Voice Above Water is the story of Wayan Nyo, a 90-year-old Balinese fisherman who can no longer fish because of the amount of plastic piling up in the ocean. Wayan instead uses his fishing boat and net to collect trash from the ocean in hopes of one day being able to fish again. The story is a glimpse into how one human is using his resources to make a difference and a reminder that if we all play our part we can accomplish something much greater than ourselves.

The Bahamas is internationally recognized for its stunning seascapes and wealth of fauna and flora. However, this paradise is polluted by plastic — the marine litter concentrations for The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean are nearly three times the global average. Kristal Ambrose is a Bahamian marine and environmental scientist, also known as “Kristal Ocean.” After sailing across the Pacific Ocean to study an oceanic “garbage patch,” she returned home to inspire the government and local communities to move toward a plastic-free Bahamas, creating a nonprofit called Bahamas Plastic Movement. Through her unique, joyful approach to education and activism, Kristal connects Bahamian youth to the ocean and empowers them to use their voice to protect the natural environment. Together, they are the Plastic Warriors.

The petrochemical industry and the pollution it creates disproportionately harms people of color and low-income communities. The need for a comprehensive and systemic policy to address the plastics crisis has never been greater.

The pervasive poisoning of our world’s waters not only draws parallels to the toxicity of systemic racism — both further one another. An ocean explorer and the first Black woman to host a science series on television, Danni Washington wants you to know that there is no remedying one without the other.

For Argentine photographer and filmmaker Camila Torres, living within touching distance of the ocean is what gives her peace. She spoke to us about her determination to free our seas from plastic.

Underwater, landscape, and travel photographer Kelsey Williamson — who is based on the island of Oahu, Hawaii — is passionate about raising awareness of ocean issues. She spoke to us about ways people can help stop plastic from flowing into our ocean.

Our “throw-away” culture first developed during the 1918 pandemic, when disposable items were sold as the safe option to protect against disease. Today, in the face of another global pandemic and rampant plastic pollution, the plastics industry is taking advantage of the crisis, putting profits over people and the planet.

A 2018 Ocean Heroes Bootcamp Champion, Dyson Chee goes into schools to raise awareness of the issues of a plastic-filled ocean. Here he shares his experience of helping successfully pass Bill 40, a landmark comprehensive ban on single-use plastics in his home state of Hawai‘i.