Conservation

These Companies Have Found Innovative Ways To Turn Ocean Plastic Into Apparel

We have previously written about the ways scientists are trying to fight back against the rising tide of ocean plastic. Robots are being tested that can collect ocean waste and bring it back to shore, but what then? Luckily, corporations have taken note of the worldwide problem with plastic pollution and have developed processes to turn ocean plastic into new products.

Adidas

In 2015, Adidas partnered with Parley for the Oceans in an attempt to turn plastic pollution into sportswear. The partnership has been a resounding success, with Adidas expecting to produce 11 million pairs of shoes made with recycled ocean plastic in 2019. For an item to be released in the Parley collection, it must be made from at least 75% marine trash, as well as meet all the same performance and comfort standards of Adidas’ other products. Currently, more than 40% of Adidas’ apparel uses recycled polyester, although they plan to replace all virgin polyester with its recycled counterpart by 2024. You have likely already seen items from this line without realizing it; Parley apparel is currently used in college sports, the NHL, the Australian Open and more.

Patagonia

Patagonia began manufacturing fleece made from recycled plastic bottles way back in 1993. Since then, they have continued to be a leader in using recyclables in new products. The company currently sells rain jackets made from Econyl, a 100% recycled nylon that utilizes discarded fishing nets as well as other refuse. In addition to their use of recycled materials, Patagonia also contributes to the environmental charity, 1% for the Planet.

Bureo

Bureo was specifically created to develop solutions to our oceans’ environmental crises. Using derelict fishing nets, the company produces a material called NetPlus, which they use in a wide array of products from sunglasses to skateboards. So far, Bureo has diverted over 6.8 million square feet of fishing nets from the coastlines of South America. Patagonia took note of Bureo’s efforts and invested heavily in the company. Currently, Patagonia is collaborating with Bureo to integrate NetPlus into all of Patagonia’s hard goods and textiles.

United By Blue

The impact of United By Blue’s efforts to create ethically sourced apparel cannot be understated. For each item sold, they remove about a pound of trash from the ocean. Their board shorts alone call for 11 plastic bottles per pair. It’s no surprise that United By Blue has helped remove over 1.5 million pounds of trash from the world’s oceans and coastlines.

Girlfriend Collective

What could possibly be better than a comfortable pair of yoga pants? How about a comfortable pair of yoga pants made from recycled ocean plastic? Girlfriend Collective’s original leggings are made from 25 recycled water bottles each. In addition, their new LITE collection utilizes recycled fishing nets because, as their website states, “old water bottles and fishing nets look better on you than they do clogging landfills and polluting oceans”.

Finding new and exciting uses for discarded plastic is a great tool in the fight against plastic pollution. However, it’s not just corporations that can make an impact. Everyone can help by joining a beach cleanup, foregoing plastic bags in favor of reusable ones, or donating to one of the many nonprofits that focus on ocean pollution.

Conservation

The 5 Biggest Threats To The World’s Oceans – Awesome Ocean

Overfishing

Humans have subsisted on fishing for millennia, however, technological advancement has broadened the scope of our nets with disastrous results. Fisherman focus on catching large species like cod, swordfish, and tuna. Business wise, this makes sense, a bigger fish will be worth more. However, over the last 50 years, the number of large predator fish like tuna has dropped by 90%. The good part is that overfishing can be prevented with better management systems. In places like Belize, Denmark & the United States, the implementation of fishing rights has transformed struggling fisheries. In the Gulf of Mexico, red snapper populations are three times what they were in 2007 after fishing rights were introduced. Marine life is good at bouncing back, but only if humans take the necessary steps to give them a fighting chance.

Coastal Pollution

We have previously written about the massive dead zone that is wreaking havoc in the Gulf Of Mexico. Human runoff increases the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water. These two chemicals cause Cyanobacteria to bloom, and since plankton and animals can’t eat Cyanobacteria, it quickly spreads to epidemic levels. When it dies, bacterial degradation consumes the oxygen from the water creating a state of hypoxia, or lack of oxygen. While some fish can escape, many are rendered unconscious too quickly to take evasive action. One of the major issues with dead zones isn’t the fish that are dying; it’s the fish that aren’t. Jellyfish can thrive in dead zones and the absence of predators attracts massive blooms of them. The mucus and waste produced by the jellyfish lead to major changes in the food webs in the ocean.

Habitat Destruction

Wetlands are filled in to accommodate urban development, runoff wreaks havoc on reefs and coastal areas, and inland dams decrease nutrient-rich runoff. These are just a few of the ways marine habitats are being destroyed. The effects of this destruction have serious implications both in the oceans and on land. Salmon, for example, are struggling to complete their migration in the face of water diversions, dams, and logging. But this isn’t just a problem for the salmon, it’s also a huge problem for the bears that need to eat the salmon in order to bulk up before their winter hibernation.

Warming

As Earth’s temperature rises, the excess heat is primarily absorbed by the oceans. The increased temperature melts ice caps, kills coral and forces species to move into new territories. This also has significant effects on humans. The altered distributions of fish can pose a serious threat to food security and people’s livelihoods worldwide. It also leads to more intense hurricanes that can cause widespread disaster. Warm water is the primary source of energy for hurricanes, so the increasing ocean temperatures have resulted in more frequent and more intense hurricanes in recent years causing massive destruction and loss of life.

Acidification

The ocean absorbs about 30% of the carbon dioxide that’s released into the atmosphere. When absorbed by seawater, the CO2 causes a series of chemical reactions that result in increased concentrations of hydrogen ions, making the water more acidic and decreasing carbonate ions. This is significant because carbonate ions are crucial building blocks for seashells and coral. More acidic waters also affect some species’ abilities to detect predators and find safe environments.

Conservation

How Japan’s Return To Commercial Whaling Might Help Whale Populations

Featured Image: Fox News

In July, Japan resumed commercial whaling for the first time in 31 years. While whaling in all forms is horrible, this could actually be a step in the right direction for Japan. Although Japan has officially left the International Whaling Commission (IWC) after 6 months notice, the transition may result in fewer whale deaths each year.

In 1988, Japan switched to “research whaling” after commercial whaling was banned by the IWC. Even though Japanese whaling boats were pulling in hundreds of whales each year, it was classified under “research” activities. The meat from these “research” whales was sold in the markets of Japan. With that obvious link to commercialism, the “research whaling” faced intense criticism for years. Additionally, it was losing money for the Japanese government.

Most of this “research whaling” took place in Antarctic waters which are a hotspot of biodiversity for whales. It is a region that is absolutely critical to the success of global whale populations.

With the switch to commercial whaling, Japan will be limiting it’s harvest to 227 whales this year and all will be harvested in Japanese waters. Although it is still horrible to kill whales under any circumstances, the new location and decreased number of captured whales may help the overall global whale population, but only time will tell. In the meantime, pressuring for the end of all commercial whaling is all that we can do.

Conservation

Southern Resident Killer Whales Have Disappeared From The Salish Sea

Southern resident killer whales are typically easy to spot in the Salish Sea at this time of year. This year, however, the whales are proving very difficult to find. In fact, researchers think they have disappeared from the area completely. Without a sighting in over 2 months, everyone is wondering where the whales have gone.

According to Michael Weiss, a researcher with the Center for Whale Research, “The lack of Southern Resident in the Salish Sea for the entirety of June reflects a fundamental shift in the behavior of this population. Dramatic changes in the distribution of Chinook salmon, particularly due to the ongoing decline of the Fraser River stocks, have increasingly forced these whales to abandon an area that was once their core habitat.”

Without a stable food source, the orcas are forced to leave their home in search of other food. The director of Whale Scout, Whitney Neugebauer, says, “the absence of Southern Residents tells us that the ecosystem is out of balance. We should be listening and responding appropriately. If the whales can’t make a living in our inland waters, we, too, are in trouble.”

Human activities have rendered the waters unsuitable, leaving the whales no choice but to leave in search of more hospitable environments. It will take drastic action for these whales to return to their home on a regular basis.

Conservation

Researchers Investigate The Long Term Effects Of Coral Bleaching On Fish Populations

Featured Image: Vox.com

It is tragic to bear witness as coral bleaching leeches the color from once vibrant ecosystems. However, sometimes the reef is able to recover and support a new community of aquatic life. Unfortunately, a new study has found that after a bleaching event, the community of fish on the coral reef can be altered dramatically and permanently.

The study found that bleached reefs had fewer predators like groupers, and more plant-eating fish like parrotfish. James Robinson, the leader of the study, said, “other reefs have reported the recovery of fish communities within 10 years, so we really didn’t expect Seychelles fish to get stuck in these new state.”

The study looked at the surveys conducted on coral reefs between 1994 and 2017. Analysis shows that the diversity of fish species on reefs changes dramatically when the reef recovers from bleaching. The change seems to stick around for at least 15 years. Unfortunately, the timespan between bleaching events has decreased to less than a decade in many parts of the world, meaning many reefs don’t have time to fully bounce back before another bleaching event occurs. Nick Graham, a professor of marine ecology at Lancaster University, points out, “The new normal for coral reefs will be reef fish communities which have fewer species and are dominated by herbivores and invertebrate feeding fish. This will alter the way coral reefs function, and the fishery opportunities for coastal communities adjacent to coral reefs.”

Scientists continue to search for ways that active management can help to rebalance these struggling ecosystems.

Conservation

Study Shows How Environmental Protections Can Save The Great Barrier Reef

Featured Image: abc.net.au

In areas across the Great Barrier Reef, coral is declining at a devastating rate. However, all hope is not lost. The recent discovery of an island with amazing coral growth has given scientists some hope for the future.

The study took place on One Tree Island after a severe lashing by Cyclone Hamish in 2009. After the storm, the coral population took a rough hit in growth and declined by 75%. But then, between 2014 and 2017, the trajectory of the reef changed. A team of scientists watched the coral calcification process increase by four-fold.

Kay Davis, a Southern Cross University researcher, says, “we found that the coral ecosystem has completely recovered from this cyclone event after eight years. Not only is the calcification of the reef recovering, there was a visible increase in the amount of coral as well; with coral cover increasing by 30 to 40 percent.”

The reef in the area has been thriving as a result of restrictions that protect the waters from harvesting of any kind. A marine biologist that works in the area, Rachael Jones, says, “We haven’t had any significant bleaching or coral disease because we’re on the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef. I just keep seeing diversity of life here every day because we are in a green zone- you can’t fish, you can’t take anything, everything’s protected by law. That’s when you see ecosystems thrive.”

It is a ray of hope for coral reefs battling against rising ocean temperatures and acidification.

Conservation

Poachers Continue To Harm Turtles Protected By The Endangered Species Act

Late last month, a dead sea turtle was found in a National Park in Florida. The turtle had a spear shaft through its head that was obviously put there by a poacher. The park authorities of Biscayne National Park found the animal’s body and are now searching for the person responsible.

All species of sea turtles in the United States are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. They also have additional protections under the Florida Marine Turtle Protection Act. If anyone harms an animal that is protected under the Endangered Species Act, they risk a fine of up $50,000 and up to a year in prison. The perpetrator could also face civil penalties.

Unfortunately, this is not the only sea turtle incident that has occurred this summer. One woman was arrested after she was seen stomping on a sea turtle nest in Miami Beach. She was jabbing the sea turtle nest with a wooden stake while inside an area that was closed to the public due to sea turtle nesting.

Human-animal interactions are a part of life in the Miami area. However many incidents do not end well for the animals. If you see someone abusing wildlife in your area, please make sure to report it to the local authorities.

Conservation

40 Tons Of Trash Removed From Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Featured Image: Forbes.com

Earlier this week, an ocean clean up group removed 40 tons of plastic after an intense cleanup effort. Ocean Voyages Institute led the cleanup effort, which was conducted in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch between California and Hawaii.

The majority of the 40 tons removed came from fishing nets, plastic furniture, toys, and other trash. It was an amazing effort by this team to remove the trash that is harming our sea life.

However, the 40 tons removed is small in comparison to the entirety of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is currently about twice the size of Texas. The garage patch continues to grow as humans dump their trash into the oceans. Unfortunately, this is not the only area in the world with large concentrations of trash in the water. It is a global problem that needs to be faced as a global community.

As a citizen of this planet, it is important to do your part to reduce plastic waste. Start by removing single-use plastic from your life. Continuously dial back your plastic consumption and ensure that your waste is not ending up in the ocean. If you can, make it a point to clean up your local community. Most of the trash on the ground ends up in waterways that dump into the ocean.