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#breakfreefromplastic

Some of you (or all of you) know that I have strong feelings about plastic marine debris and its impacts on the ocean and the organisms that call the ocean home. It's heartbreaking and sad to see animals tangled in plastic line, eating plastic bags and nurdles, enduring injuries, starvation, and harmful chemical exposure. I wish I could go out and untangle every seal and stop every turtle from eating a plastic bag or albatross from scooping bottle caps out of the ocean, but that's not an easy thing to do (don't think I haven't considered it!). So what can be done to help reduce the impacts of plastic pollution on the environment?

Cleaning up plastic litter and debris is a place to start. The International Coastal Cleanup is this Saturday - if you live near a beach there's a chance folks are gathering to clean it up. Check out the Ocean Conservancy for info about it. If you don't live near a beach you can always pick up whatever litter you see in your neighborhood so that it is not washed into the local waterways.

You can also make choices that reduce the amount of plastic you consume. It's not easy to live a plastic-free life, and I am the first to say that I haven't reached a plastic-free lifestyle myself (and some of you have put up with me complaining about just how difficult that is!), but there are small steps you can take to reduce your plastic consumption, and being part of the movement means you are helping protect the planet and the organisms that call the planet home from further plastic pollution. Check out the link below to be part of the #breakfreefromplastic movement but also check out the Plastic Pollution Coalition, Algalita Marine Research Foundation and NOAA Marine Debrissites for some more advice about how to reduce your plastic consumption.

Good things are happening around the planet to reduce the amount of plastic pollution in the world because there are amazing people and organizations dedicated to the cause. I'm honored to even call some of those folks friends :) I'm hopeful we can overcome this issue down the road...

Here's the link for Break Free From Plastic:

Break Free from Plastic

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About This Project

Plastic debris is choking our ocean ecosystems, including the Bering Sea. In this region, the seabirds and their prey mistake plastics for food, resulting in exposure to harmful plastic-associated chemicals like phthalates. We do not know the extent of phthalate exposure nor their effects on seabird health. We aim to build knowledge of phthalate exposure in Bering Sea seabirds to understand effects on reproduction, survival, and ecosystem health.

Blast off!

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