Mentor/s
Dr. Brian Stiltner & Dr. Charles GIllespie
Participation Type
Paper Talk
Abstract
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest trash site on the planet. It is in the North-Central Pacific Ocean and is twice the surface area of Texas. It also outnumbers sea life in the region six to one. This phenomenon is the name for a mass of debris that has accumulated over time due to intersecting ocean currents that move in a swirling motion leaving all the plastic waste that is trapped in the more stable middle section of the currents, therefore creating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This trash accounts for 100 million marine life deaths and causes more than 100,000 animals to die yearly from getting entangled in plastic waste, yet “thisis just the creatures that we’ve found." The marine life in the Pacific Ocean alone is slowly perishing due to the lack of action taken on humans’ part, with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch being significant blame. Plastic takes anywhere from 500 to 1000 years to degrade completely, and currently, almost 80% is being sent to the ocean; Only 9% is getting recycled. A proposed solution for this phenomenon is not to take all the plastic out of the ocean at once, but to lessen the amount and size of plastic waste that we throw away. In doing this, we will not kill off any marine species that have become accustomed to the plastic in their environment and we can utilize upcycling and multiuse products to save our oceans for generations to come.
College and Major available
Interdisciplinary Studies BA/BS
Location
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building
Start Day/Time
4-29-2022 1:00 PM
End Day/Time
4-29-2022 4:00 PM
Prize Categories
Best Multidisciplinary Research or Collaboration, Most Scholarly Impact or Potential
Plastic Pollution Effects on Pacific Marine Life
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest trash site on the planet. It is in the North-Central Pacific Ocean and is twice the surface area of Texas. It also outnumbers sea life in the region six to one. This phenomenon is the name for a mass of debris that has accumulated over time due to intersecting ocean currents that move in a swirling motion leaving all the plastic waste that is trapped in the more stable middle section of the currents, therefore creating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This trash accounts for 100 million marine life deaths and causes more than 100,000 animals to die yearly from getting entangled in plastic waste, yet “thisis just the creatures that we’ve found." The marine life in the Pacific Ocean alone is slowly perishing due to the lack of action taken on humans’ part, with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch being significant blame. Plastic takes anywhere from 500 to 1000 years to degrade completely, and currently, almost 80% is being sent to the ocean; Only 9% is getting recycled. A proposed solution for this phenomenon is not to take all the plastic out of the ocean at once, but to lessen the amount and size of plastic waste that we throw away. In doing this, we will not kill off any marine species that have become accustomed to the plastic in their environment and we can utilize upcycling and multiuse products to save our oceans for generations to come.
Students' Information
Amanda Celentano- Interdisciplinary Studies major- Honors student, 2023