Plastic Peril

By far, when I ask COASSTers if they have had any “exciting finds” on their beach, the most common response is the Black-Footed Albatross. This large seabird nests primarily on the Hawaiian islands, but spends the rest of the year out on the open seas of the Pacific Ocean. From time to time, they turn up on COASST beaches as well. When they do, I hear, they are quite an impressive sight to see, especially the amazing wingspan of these birds. Estimates suggest that nearly 40% of the world’s population of Black-Footed Albatross nest on an island called Midway Atoll, located at the far northern end of the Hawaiian archipelago. Midway is also home to other Albatross species, including the world's largest population of Laysan Albatrosses. Once a Navy Airforce facility, it is now a National Wildlife Refuge. Photographer and filmmaker Chris Jordan has visited Midway to photograph the beautiful birds of the area, and as a result, has discovered a phenomenon many COASSTers have become familiar with as well; a growing plethora of plastic marine debris. It is an issue I have heard repeatedly when speaking with COASST volunteers over the past several weeks. Despite the valiant efforts of COASSTers to remove such debris from their beaches, the junk just keeps coming. It is a serious problem, requiring creative solutions. But the first step involves understanding what we are dealing with. Chris Jordan and his team has set out to aid in that process. Documenting the peril of plastics in photographs and with an upcoming film, he hopes to “make the crisis real” to those of us who might be able to take actions that address the problem. His work is quite sobering indeed. I’ve posted links to two short videos about this work, one (top) a brief trailer for his upcoming movie about Midway, the other (bottom) a fifteen minute clip that includes more information from Chris about his work and the history behind his project. Fair warning – these films can be graphic.