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Pepsi Pollutes . According to BreakFreeFromPlastic’s 2019 brand audit, PepsiCo is the third largest plastic polluter behind only CocaCola and Nestle. As top ranking polluters in both 2018 & 2019, little more than promises have been offered as solutions and even those commitments are mostly greenwashing. . PepsiCo has stated that it will make all its packaging biodegradable, compostable, or recyclable by 2025 but making something that can be recycled doesn’t mean it will be recycled. In fact, only 9% of plastic ever created has been recycled, and biodegradable and compostable plastics are also problematic. . Many people believe that biodegradable plastic will decompose in the landfill, but this is not the case because the high heat and humidity requirements are rarely met. In addition, very few municipalities provide industrial composting facilities with the conditions necessary for composting plastic. Both biodegradable and compostable plastic items will more than likely either end up being hauled away to a landfill where they will emit methane or littered and left behind to harm the natural environment. The best solution is to ditch disposables and switch to reusable/ refillable containers—and big polluters like @pepsi must act to make truly sustainability options readily available to consumers. Until then, please refuse single-use items, including plastic beverage bottles, take-away cups, utensils, stirrers, and take-out containers. Choose to reuse instead. . #pepsipollutes #plasticpepsibottle #ditchdisposables #refusesingleuse #reuserevolution #breakfreefromplastic #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweepThe balloons were really blowing today! #balloonsblow . By now, most people know that when they are released, balloons pollute the environment and can injure or kill wildlife, but many don’t realize that there is a helium shortage that is also causing problems. . A lack of helium not only puts a strain on party supply stores, it impacts medicine, industry, technology, and science. In fact, Tom Welton, a professor of sustainable chemistry, stated “When you see that we're literally just letting it float into the air, and then out into space inside those helium balloons, it's just hugely frustrating. It is absolutely the wrong use of helium." . Instead of wasting helium in harmful party balloons, it should be reserved for essential purposes. Did you know that helium is used for MRIs and respiratory treatments? It also used in hard drives and makes high speed internet possible. In addition, helium is used in fiber optics for telecommunications—and the list goes on. . For a fascinating look at the helium shortage, watch the video linked in my profile. . #balloonsblow #mylarballoons #balloons #helium #heliumshortage #balloonsaregarbage #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweepVery belated happy holiday wishes! I found this oversized ornament on the beach on January 5, 2020—over ten years after it was dedicated to “Andy + Maggie.” Every winter people decorate a tree on the bluff overlooking the coast, and my guess is that this ornament once hung from one of its branches. #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #ornament #happyholidays #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #planetorplastic #plasticisforever #marinedebris #shoresweepThe Trashy Way Galaxy* . Space might be infinite but “the orbits around the Earth are not inexhaustible.” Currently, there are 3,000 decommissioned satellites and millions of other pieces of debris orbiting our planet. Traveling more than 17,000 miles per hour, something as small as a fleck of paint can cause critical damage to a spacecraft. In fact, an ever-increasing amount of debris could threaten the satellites that make so many things possible here on Earth. . Innovative cleanup technology is in development. In fact, a mission by Swiss startup ClearSpace set to launch in 2025 will use “a four-armed robot to latch onto debris before diving back down to Earth, where both machine and junk will ‘burn up in the atmosphere....’” . However, cleaning up is only part of the solution. Preventing satellites from becoming debris in the first place is essential. Companies are beginning to build satellites that will drop toward Earth and burn up upon re-entry at the end of their usefulness. However, it’s up to individual organizations/governments to set their own guidelines because international regulations do not exist. . Sadly, space has been treated much like the ocean has been, and neither can continue absorbing our trash without causing irreparable harm. . For a brief overview, watch “Attack of the Cosmic Space Junk!” from the It’s Okay to Be Smart series produced by PBS. . *The Trashy Way Galaxy was created with plastic pieces of marine debris found on North County San Diego beaches. . #spacedebris #marinedebris #planetorplastic #protecttheplanet #protecttheocean #plasticpollutes #trashyway #milkyway #galaxy #orbitaldebris #spacejunk #shoresweep #shoresweep #spacesweep #clearspace1Happy New Year, everyone! I am optimistic that the next decade will be a time for even greater activism that will lead to healing for the planet—and humanity. I resolve to continue fighting for environmental and social justice through art, advocacy, and education, and I am grateful for all the warriors, both near and far, who are fighting right alongside me. Thank you to all my litter-picking, beach-cleaning, art-making, photo-taking, kid-teaching, community-organizing, rabbel-rousing friends and colleagues who inspire me and give me hope. . The “fireworks” were made with nurdles, biofilters, and other pieces of plastic all found on San Diego’s North County beaches. To learn about one way plastic is harming the environment, please watch a short animated film called The Nurdles Quest for Domination—and let’s all keep working together to reduce plastic pollution in 2020 and beyond! . #happynewyear #fireworks #microplastics #nurdles #resolve #artivism #advocacy #education #socialjustice #environmentaljustice #plasticpollutes #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #planetorplastic #shoresweepInvasive species: tropicalis fishius plasticus . #plasticfish #nurdles #pladticinvasion #invasivespecies #plasticpollutes #plasticpollutes #planetorplastic #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweepA hairy surfboard fin, a Christmas tree ornament, and other scary stuff. #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweep #surfboardfin #christmastreeornament #plasticwaterbottle #plasticbag #pickuponemillion #vo5 #plasticpollution #plasticpollutes #planetorplasticWrack Wreath #4 . Check out the beautiful wreaths posted with the #wrackwreath hashtag and be inspired to make your own. . #wrackwreath #biofilters #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #microplastics #marinedebris #planetorplastic #plasticisforever #shoresweepHappy Winter Solstice! (revisiting my snowflakes made with marine debris, including plastic flossers, bio-filters, and the tops from Kool Aid Bursts all found on North County San Diego beaches) ❄️ Even though remote mountain tops appear pristine in scenic photos, microplastics have been found in snow samples taken from the Sierra Nevada, the Alps, and the Pyrenees—and 90% of samples collected in the Rockies contained microplastics. ❄️ There are things we can do to help. We can reduce our use of single-use plastic items, and we can rethink polyester clothing, which sloughs off micro-fibers when washed. Micro-fibers are actually one of the most ubiquitous micro-plastics found in snow samples taken around the world. ❄️ Visit the link in my bio to watch an interesting video and read about a citizen science snow sampling project being developed by Columbia University. #snowflakes #snowflake #biofilters #koolaidbursts #flossers #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #marinedebris #microplastics #microfibers #planetorplastic #litterati #take3forthesea #2minutebeachclean #shoresweepSharks have been around for 400,000,000 years and have survived several mass extinction events of the past, and now, we must ensure that they live beyond the Anthropocene (human-influenced era). . Sharks are facing many threats, including overfishing, poaching, shark finning, and accidental by-catch. They are also being impacted by plastic pollution and biomagnification, the process by which toxins become increasingly concentrated as they move up the food chain. Microplastics “attract and absorb persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as PCBs and DDT,” and those chemicals can be absorbed into the tissue of animals that consume them. Consequently, microplastics can end up being most toxic to predators at the top of the food chain, including sharks—and humans. . There are simple things everyone can do to help protect sharks, including avoiding products that include shark oil and/or cartilage, reducing overall consumption of fish, and refusing single-use plastic items and unnecessary plastic packaging. . #sharksighting #plasticshark #shark #shark #shoresweep #litterati #take3forthesea #2minutebeachclean #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #plasticchemicals #marinedebris #microplastics #biomagnificationTraditional holiday wreaths represent eternity with no beginning and no end. Wrack Wreaths made from plastic pollution represent the fact that plastic is eternal. It doesn’t biodegrade; it photodegrades, breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits that will pollute the environment forever. . This wreath was made with nurdles collected on San Diego North County beaches. Nurdles are preproduction plastic pellets used in the manufacturing of plastic products. They escape during manufacturing and transportation and enter waterways. Watch the short animated TED-Ed video called "Nurdles Quest for Domination" for more information, and please also view the CBS news segment about everyday heroes who are fighting nurdle pollution in the Gulf of Mexico (linked in my profile). . Would you like to become a nurdle hunter? Join me for a beach cleanup on Saturday, December 21. Send me a DM for details. . #wrackwreath #nurdlehunter #nurdles #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweep #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #planetorplastic #marinedebris"It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags. Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas means a little bit more." —How the Grinch Stole Christmas . Wishing you peace, love, joy—and all the beautiful things that don’t come from the store—this holiday season! Merry Christmas!! . #christmasdoesntcomefromastore #christmasmeansalittlebitmore #peacelovejoy #howthegrinchstolechristmas #christmastree #marinedebristree #litterati #justgrabbits #shoresweep #microplastics #marinedebris #plasticpollution #plasticpollutes #planetorplastic #trashmastree #wracktreePerfect conditions for practicing the meditative art of styrofoam stacking: a lull in the storm, low tide, no breeze—and plenty of polystyrene foam. . #foamstacking #fightthefoam #polystyrene #polystyrenepollutes #styrofoamsucks #styrofoam #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #plasticisforever #planetorplastic #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #marinedebris #shoresweepWrack Wreath #2 . Everything I needed to create an impromptu #wrackwreath was right at my feet at the beach this afternoon. Green and red microplastics were sprinkled along the strandline and nurdles were everywhere. . Check out the creative posts with the #wrackwreath hashtag and be inspired to make your own. . For information about nurdles, watch the short animated film called “The Nurdles’ Quest for Domination.” . #wrackwreath #wreath #microplastics #nurdles #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #microplastics #marinedebris #planetorplastic #shoresweepUpcoming Events
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Winter Solstice Snowflakes
Winter Solstice Snowflakes were made with marine debris, including plastic flossers, bio-filters, and the tops from Kool Aid Bursts all found on North County San Diego beaches. Even though remote mountain tops appear pristine in scenic photos, microplastics have been … Continue reading
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Juul Caps
When I recently started finding these caps on the beach, I thought that they were from USB drives. However, a recent headline about the life-threatening consequences of vaping made me realize that they are caps for Juul e-cigarette products. In … Continue reading
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Be Disposable Free
Plastic cutlery is often among the top ten items found during shoreline cleanups, and I have certainly collected my fair share while walking at the beach. Plastic knives, forks, and spoons are not recyclable in most waste systems, because they … Continue reading
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The Butterfly Effect
The butterfly effect theory comes from meteorologist Edward Lorenz and the idea that the development of a tornado can be “influenced by minor perturbations such as the flapping of the wings of a distant butterfly several weeks earlier.” In other words, … Continue reading
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Sea Turtle
More than half of the world’s sea turtles have ingested plastic, and sadly, they are especially susceptible to its harmful effects. According to Sea Turtle Conservancy, their anatomy prohibits the regurgitation of debris, and the accumulation of plastic in their … Continue reading
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An I Spy Challenge
The marine debris that makes up Into the Current includes many unrecognizable pieces of plastic, but it also includes familiar things, and many aspects of modern culture are represented. Bottle caps, toys, grooming products, kitchen items, and much more are curated by the tides. … Continue reading
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Teaching Resources
Videos Ocean Today’s Trash Talk Special Feature How Much Plastic is the Ocean? It’s Okay To Be Smart by PBS What Is Marine Debris? | A Cartoon Crash Course with Jim Toomey Two Minutes on Oceans w/ Jim Toomey; Marine … Continue reading
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