Dr.'s Orders - No Plastic Toys, Balls, Bowls

My dear friend Butch, an electrician, was working at a friend's house when he noticed this very tender rash on this dog's mouth.  When he asked what it was, the owner explained that these sores around the dog's mouth are a mystery.  The vet has been treating this condition for some time and came to the conclusion that it is a reaction to plastic.  "No more plastic toys, bowls, or balls for this dog."  The vet is convinced it has to do with something in the plastic.

I gave a talk at the Wilmington Audubon Society meeting in January and described research that has been connecting some health problems to plastic additives such as BPA and phthalates.  Afterward an older man walked up to me and thanked me.  He said, "I had a cat that loved to lick plastic bags.  It died of jaw cancer. I never made the connection."  

We need to make these connections.  According to laboratory tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group, 9 out of 10 Babies' Umbilical Cords Tested Positive with BPA.  Studies I've read done by the chemical companies report that BPA is flushed out of the body within two hours of ingestion and doesn't bio accumulate.  So how do they account for finding it in the lifeline to unborn children?  

BPA is not found in glass so to avoid one of the ways of getting BPA in our bodies, try not to eat or drink out of plastic containers.  

Where is the Human Interest?

Roz Savage is having a time.  She rowed the first 350 nm across the Indian Ocean when her single-woman rowboat was "a-salted."  She wasn't stranded, or in need of rescue, rather she was playing it smart by doubling back in order to fix her leaky hatch that allowed salt water to drip down on her desalinater that caused it to break.  Salt water is benign in most cases except when you have to sit in it for long periods of time (I experienced that in the South Atlantic-ouch), or if it gets into electrical/metal equipment.  As she was being towed in (taking a free ride - who wouldn't) the press was hovering like turkey vultures over fresh roadkill. She wrote,"Why do they focus on the “human interest” stories when the really big news is, I suppose, the ultimate “human interest” story – what should we be doing in the best interests of the entire human race?" Roz posted this in her blog frustrated because the real story is our ocean in crisis.  Between over fishing, acidification, plastic pollution, oil spills, chemical pollutants, and cover-ups, it is in sad state of affairs.  Roz has taken matters into her own hands, literally, by rowing around the world to bring awareness to the problems facing our world's ocean.

Roz is among some of my favorite ocean warriors like Charlie Moore - Algalita Marine Research Foundation, Kurt Lieber - Ocean Defenders Alliance, Marcus Eriksen and Anna Cummings - 5Gyres.  I've had the privilege of working along side these groups.  But most recently, I have been given the opportunity to talk about my work with Algalita and 5Gyres Saturday April 30th at a reception with Chris Aguilar, a lifelong surfer, fundraiser, and filmmaker.  Chris is involved in a film project illustrating Jenny Kalmbach and Morgan Hoesterey, paddle boarders, and activists who paddled the Hawaiian Islands raising awareness to plastic pollution and money for Algalita Marine Research Foundation.  He is also raising money for victims of the Japan tsunami and is touring with his movie project.

More later,

Bonnie Over the Ocen

It's Been A While . . .

Since my last post, I have been in Hawaii for the International Marine Debris Conference, returned to Kamilo Beach (one of the dirtiest uninhabited beaches in the world), defended The Plastic Ocean Project for my Masters, and connected with old friends as well as met some new ones.  So where do I start?

Because one of the highlights over the past few weeks was meeting Roz Savage, I'll start with her. Roz has already rowed a one-woman row boat across two oceans and is on her third at this very moment.  She is rowing across the Indian Ocean.  One of the most dangerous oceans due to pirating.   I admire her for her efforts in bringing attention to the global issue of plastic marine pollution by taking on such feats.  Not only that, she has written a book about her experiences and it came in handy when dealing with a rash from sea water I experienced while out in the South Atlantic.  I'm keeping an eye on Roz as she blogs from sea!

Jean-Michel Cousteau is yet another ocean celeb I got to meet.  What wonderful stories he had to share about his father Jacques.   Since Jean-Michel has been on and in the ocean since he was a small child and in many different parts of the world, he has witnessed the SEA change/destruction.   He shared with us in a personal interview how fish are being replaced with plastic.  I paraphrase - These days, chances are better seeing plastic than seeing marine life.

    While at Kamilo Beach with Ron and Noni Sanford, I stood on the shoreline watching the plastic roll in.  Fragmented plastics that are much more difficult to pick up than the large items they once were.  Another good reason not to let plastic get into the ocean.  Imagine swimming in floating toothbrush parts!

I also got to see some of my favorite people while in Hawaii, besides Ron and Noni Sanford, like Chelsea Rochman, and Jo Ruxton.  Jo is the producer of a full -length documentary on the problems and solutions of plastic pollution.

Returning from Hawaii, I slept an average of 4 hours a night finishing up my GLS Final Project paper as well as putting my defense together.  I defended on my birthday April 15 since The Plastic Ocean Project started on that very day three years ago when I gave a thank you speech in front of 250 people.

Danielle Richardet and Gabrielle Steele

The largest audience I presented in front of was on my birthday a year ago at Terre Theatre.  Amazingly enough, my defense had a record number of people show up for a GLS defense.  The reason?  Not because I'm a wonderful speaker, it's because of the topic.  Just as I became curious about plastics accumulating 100s of miles away from land, it affects others the same way.  I attribute it to the fact that we live on an "Ocean Planet" and we are "Ocean Beings."  Seventy percent of the earth is covered with water and about the same percentage of oxygen comes from the sea.  We are born out of ocean-like water.  We cry ocean tears, even our blood shares the same elements.  I'm glad to be done with the degree, but I will never be done trying to get people to change their plastic use.  And that includes me.

Shirley Holden and me

Yesterday, I joined Danielle Richardet, her family, and Gabrielle Steele from the American Lung Association, to do a 20 minute beach clean-up at Wrightsville Beach.  I brought my 83-year-old mother and she helped.   She's a testiment that we can all help whether we are the ones who create  litter or not.

More later.

Bonnie Over the Ocean

Turtle Tasting Plastic

I've been meeting some very impressive people while here in Hawaii including a hawksbill sea turtle who was so curious about my plastic underwater housing he tried to taste it.  Here is the actual footage.

I'm on the run to the next event.

More later on the fantastic people here at the International Marine Debris Conference, revisiting Kamilo Beach, and much, much more.

Bonnie

Texas Teens Take on Plastic Marine Pollution

Coyle Middle School's science teacher Jim Manley was selected to be a team member for lead scientist Maureen Conte, the Ocean Flux Program. He earned this experience via the TXESS Revolution through the University of Texas at Austin. What he didn't foresee was meeting the Plastic Ocean Crew while learning about the Ocean Flux Program off the coast of Bermuda.  Together the two teams of researchers steamed around the North Atlantic for five days last summer.  What Mr. Manley learned from his experience he took back to the classroom. 

The Ocean Flux Program studies sediments on the ocean floor and is the longest open-ocean sediment research - roughly 40 years.  Plastic pollution in the marine environment has over 450 scientific peered reviewed papers published and started about the same time.  Our findings last summer revealed plastic fragments in every sample.   Witnessing this first hand, (literally countless hours of handpicking plastic from sargassum) motivated Mr. Manley to educate his 7th grade students on this issue.  As a group project, Mr Manley encouraged each of his seven science classes to research the problems with plastic in the marine environement.

I had the privilege to Skype to each class telling them about my research and then answer their excellent questions.  Here are the results of their research and their unique way of communicating their findings.

1st period
Group1- Rylie Wreyford, Ashton Simons,and Summer Alonzo do a great job at answering questions related to plastic pollution AND their website will JUMP out at you.
http://marinepollution4science.webs.com/

2nd period
Group 1-Jessica Davis ,Ashlie Byland, Diana Torres, Kangwa Chisanga. This link gets my "seal" of approval! (I mean sea lion)
http://plasticproblem.yolasite.com/

Group 2- Michael Guerrero, Lance Key, Alyssa Buller, Allison Hood.We hope our website is able to provide plenty of information to all who would like to learn and study the plastic ocean thank you for everything- Michael Guerrero!

www.Wix.com
The email is cowboysfreak97@yahoo.com the password is 4617@m


Group 3- vance,blake,malik,ka’juan,angel. This website makes a huge splash! Great design.
http://plastickillstheocean.webs.com/

4th period
1st group
AUBRIE MCINTOSH ,NICOLE JONES,MELISSA HARE,MIA JOHNSON  Simply stated "Pick up that plastic!"  It really is that simple! Great use of color!
 http://pnk20110304125441-7706777.webstarts.com/index.html


5th period
1st group  These students put some time into this one - "Teens of today's generation are the ones who make a difference in today's world."  And you, Kayla Trzupek, Renee Kermes, Morgan Cater, and Gabby Maldonado are doing just that!. Check it out!
www.plasticoceanawareness.webs.com


2nd group
"Its very important for our generation to turn this around and fix it!" Great line students! Go to http://marineecos101.webs.com/  to learn more.  Way to go Courtney Pryor, Lindsey Pikulinski, Cody Richards, Hunter Rollins
4th Group
Umul Lalee, Auqustina Omenihu, Abigail, Catera Farlough - this is probably the coolest website I've ever seen- you guys rock!  Sound and cool transitions are sweet.  www.wix.com/brunettes_beauty/savingmarinelife

5th Group
Facebook Page Name (The Plastic Oceans) These students came up with the idea of Questions and Answers as a way to educate.  Brilliant!  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Plastic-Ocean-Project/183747538335706?sk=wall&filter=2#!/pages/The-Plastic-Oceans/193144610719078
By Logan Bonner, Paige Carrera, Rene Cristales, Leah Nguyen, Aundre Glenn
 
7th period
Team1
Rachel Conachen,Melanie velazquez, sarah honza, Abigail Osborn - Factual and full of info - awesome way to educate people on the problems with plastic (I have a special place in my heart for the name too!)
Facebook : The Plastic Ocean Project  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Plastic-Ocean-Project/183747538335706?sk=wall&filter=2

Team 2
www.wix.com/itich3/plastic-polluters
Though there is some creative spelling, the message is not lost in translation.  You'll get some insight into the problems with plastic with this link.
by : Leelise Hiticha, Mariah Alaniz, Victoria Patterson, Alden Gartrell


Team 3
Go to this site and VOTE if you think plastic is a problem in the ocean!
Go to- http://www.deathbyplastic.weebly.com/
Team members: Caleb Darnell, Bailey Aleo, Ronny Herrera, Jack Conely, Luke Pearson

Team 4
http://theplasticproject.webs.com/  Learn how the abiota and biota are affected by plastic.
Team members: Will Plunk, Ryan Tayara, Danny Clegg, Blake Allen

Team 5
"Helping get rid of the plastic is VERY easy. All you have to do is once a day pick up ONE piece of trash ANYWHERE" to read more good quotes like this one go to:
http://teamnarwhal.weebly.com/
Team Narwhal Members: Lauren Morrow, Kiara Bess, Savannah Shults, Allison Judd

Team 6
"The ocean covers 72% (and rising) of this small planet and is home to most of the globe's biomass, or living matter, and biodiversity" and this is reason enough to protect our oceans - good stuff Team 6!
http://cleanoceans.weebly.com/
Team Members- Rebeca Volosen , Delyla Halil ,Thuy Nguyen, Denxel Briones, Alante Montgomery

Team 7
Last but not least - the quotes on this website say so much about human impacts on many levels.  But my favorite is "If each of us did just one thing to help the environment, we could change the world.” Jean Beasley—Sea Turtle Hospital
http://theperilsofpollution.webs.com/
Team Members: Jocelyn Sanchez, Hayle Mackey, Amanda Lo, Tori Goodwin

Of all the posts I've ever done, this one is filled with hope of the future for our planet.  Thank you Jim Manley and all your students who contributed to this page.

Best,

Bonnie

Why Plastic in the Ocean Sucks for Marine Life

A little over a year ago, I reported on my witnessing a sea lion who was nearing decapitation from one strand of fishing line.  It took her 6  months to heal and will forever be scarred.  She was released in March '09  and I found this picture on SeaWeb Photobank and I'm confident its her in the wild judging by the huge scar around her neck and large scar patch above her left flipper.  She's a success story.  See how thin she was in a video from a previous post. http://theplasticocean.blogspot.com/2009/11/more-on-segway-sea-lion-fishing-line.html


James Dean in recovery from eye wound

Check out her and James Dean's, her boyfriend, in the linked below.  James Dean was another victim to fishing line only he lost one of his eyes.  See how thin they got and how well they regrained their size thanks to the awesome team at the Pacific Marine Mammal Program in Southern California.  Check out the link below of their release.  They will move you. 

          

James Dean, Segway, and friend being released back to the sea.





Here is another story of a rescue and how litter has become a death trap for many marine animals.

 Seal pup saved after horror injury as litter fears worsen

Feb 27 2011 Exclusive by Mike Merritt, Sunday Mail

AN injured seal has had a miracle recovery as experts warn they are under threat because of a rising tide of litter off the Scottish coast. Specialist vets say they are shocked at the increasing number of life-threatening injuries caused by balloons, discarded fishing gear and plastic bags.

In the latest incident an eight-week-old seal pup narrowly escaped death after his neck became tangled in a discarded fishing line. The pup - nicknamed Ringo by staff at the Highland Seal Hospital in John O'Groats- suffered the injury as he ventured inshore looking for fish.

Hospital manager Jamie Dyer said: "Marine litter and discarded fishing tackle is a real problem. Balloons are also now a big issue as well - we've found a lot in seals' stomachs."Discarded plastic bags are a growing problem - turtles eat them thinking they are squid or jellyfish.

"We save about 30 seals a year and some have terrible injuries. Ringo is lucky to have his head still on.

"We are hopeful he can pull through. In addition to the neck wound, which is healing, he also has liver and gall bladder problems. He'll be with us for while."  Ringo was found exhausted and close to death by ferry terminal worker Marion Jack at Gills Bay in Caithness.

He had a gaping 14in wound, 2in wide and nearly 2in deep, just a fraction from his spine.  He was given his name by hospital staff because of the almost circular wound around his neck.  Ringo has been given ultrasound scans, antibiotics and pain-killing injections to help him survive.

Jamie added: "He's very lucky - the wound was close to severing the tendon by his spine. He then would have lost motor control and the ability to keep his head out of the water.

"I have never seen such injuries before where a young seal has survived. The fishing line almost decapitated him.  "But he is making steady progress. The wound is very nasty but hopefully he will recover fully."



Ginger Taylor named Town of Wrightsville Beach volunteer of the year

Staff photo by Joshua Curry

Most of the time, it's what you get passionate about is what makes you feel alive.  I mean that from the simplest sense.  Caring about things outside of yourself can be the most rewarding, and sometimes those rewards come back.  I have met Ginger Taylor a few times and was thrilled to see that she has been acknowledged for your passion.  Like Danielle Richardet, a local person who has been taking plastic pollution head on and earned her a film in the recent Sundance Film Festival, Ginger is equally committed.  Below is her story in the local Lumina News and is a feel good story from my blog for a change.

by Marimar McNaughton
Thursday, February 17, 2011

Nancy Faye Craig is a tough act to follow any day of the week. Since 2003 when the Town of Wrightsville Beach named its Volunteer of the Year award in Craig’s honor, many individuals have followed in her footsteps.
This year’s recipient, Ginger Taylor, Wrightsville Beach Sea Turtle Project volunteer and author of the seasonal weekly blog-style newsletter, "Trashy Talking Turtlers," was the board of aldermen’s unanimous choice.

Taylor, taken by surprise, was presented with a plaque at the Feb. 10 meeting of the BOA.

"I certainly feel so appreciative of receiving this award and just had no idea that I would ever be considered—a true honor to be associated with Nancy Faye Craig," Taylor said.

"I want to share this award with all of the other volunteers who have worked so tirelessly in keeping our beach clean and raising awareness. These volunteers include the WBSTP and the Cleaner Greener Committee and others who often work with no recognition whatsoever. I really feel I have been carried on the backs of the WBSTP volunteers and others because without their work, input and enthusiasm I would have never been able to do all that I have."

Taylor said she also appreciated the board of aldermen for being willing to hear her thoughts and express her opinions and for giving issues like litter awareness its consideration.

"I am proud that WB is working toward improving on what most would describe as an already beautiful beach," Taylor said.

You deserve it Ginger and thank you for all that you do.