Why?

Looking at these pictures it is evident that I am having quite the adventure, but do you really know why or how I ended up here? Well pull up a seat, it's story time.


Over the course of three days in early February, Dr. Marcus Eriksen of the 5 Gyres Institute (www.5gyres.org) visited my place of employment The Cape Eleuthera Institute (www.ceibahamas.org) to host a mini conference on the impacts of marine plastic pollution. I was fortunate enough to attend a presentation given by Marcus and was instantly captivated. His approach to marine plastic pollution and marine debris sparked a flame that lead me on a path to reinvent the plastic mindset of The Bahamas. 


For weeks I worked on a proposal; Refusing, Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling plastics within The Bahamas, that would allow me to  take part in this research trip. After being in circulation for nearly two months my proposal began to catch dust until Dr. Eriksen and his team invited me to take part in this expedition. 

Although world travelling seems like 'a jolly ole time', this trip will serve as my formal training experience to tackle the plastic pollution and marine debris issue within my country. Most of what we eat, drink or use in any way comes packaged in petroleum plastic- a material designed to last forever yet used for products that we use for as little as thirty seconds then throw away. Plastic creates toxic pollution at every stage of its existence: manufacture, use, and disposal. This is a material that the Earth cannot digest. Every bit of plastic that has ever been created still exists, including the small amount that has been incinerated and has become toxic particulate matter. In the environment, plastic breaks down into small particles that release toxic chemicals into the environment. These particles are ingested by wildlife on land and in the ocean, contaminating the food chain from the smallest plankton to the largest whale. To address the plastic dilemma within The Bahamas; I have proposed several items that are listed below:


1) Starting on the island of Eleuthera we would create a research project at the Cape Eleuthera Institute that would explore:


a. Depolymerising plastic debris in an effort to produce crude oil to be refined into petroleum  products; essentially gasoline and diesel fuel to run vehicles


b. Using plastic debris to create an alternative resource for building materials


c. Correlation of plastics in the Exuma Sound gyre and its effect on filter feeding fish within the sound and surrounding areas of the Atlantic Ocean


d. Organize marine debris cleanup summer camps for middle school/high school students


e. Initiate plastic awareness campaigns throughout The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean through community outreach and public service by offering  seminars and workshops

                                             In Majuro, Marshall Islands some stores have already began taking     necessary steps to reduce plastic use.