Oceans of Plastic

The plastic pollution of earth's oceans is an unrecognised environmental catastrophe. Captain Charles Moore, founder of Algalita Marine Research Foundation, talks about the plastic wasteland that converges in the North Pacific Central Gyre. He describes an ocean he had never known, "there were shampoo caps and soap bottles and plastic bags and fishing floats as far as I could see. Here I was in the middle of the ocean, and there was nowhere I could go to avoid the plastic." The immense amounts of plastic, that are a part of our daily lives, washes into the seas from far inland. This plastic does not degrade, but breaks down into tiny particles that are infesting the ocean food chain. Presented by Surfriders, surfers dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. 30 min. Download.