Trash Talk

Marine debris is one of the biggest pollution problems facing the world's oceans and waterways today.

It’s not a floating island of trash, like a garbage dump or a landfill. It’s also not the only patch. They exist all throughout the ocean, and the Pacific Garbage Patch just happens to be the most famous.

Marine debris comes from many different sources and enters the ocean in many ways. Intentional littering and dumping are a big cause of marine debris. Sometimes the trash goes directly into the ocean, like when beachgoers don’t pick up after themselves.

Would you want to swim at a beach littered with trash? Of course not. And the animals who live in the ocean don't either - the difference is they don't have a choice.

There are marine debris solutions, and together, we can prevent litter from ending up in the ocean. So what can we do? Well, the ultimate solution is prevention, and we need to keep that as our highest priority.

The 5 most common items found during the International Coastal Cleanup are plastic cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastic beverage bottles, plastic bottle caps, and plastic straws & drink stirrers. Notice anything in common with those things? It's a lot of single-use, disposable plastic.

If you wish to be part of the solution to marine debris and are ready to do more than talk trash, watch our new TRASH COUNTS video featuring a citizen science project that is making a difference, one data entry at a time.

This webinar provides fun activities that you can organize to engage people in museums, zoos, aquariums, learning centers and schools.