Dr. Marcus Eriksen and Anna Cummins, pioneers of ocean plastic pollution research and co-founders of The 5 Gyres Institute, will deliver groundbreaking research on plastic pollution in U.S. National Parks at Outdoor Media Summit 2022, scheduled for Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in North Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Their most recent project, Plastic-Free Parks study, will be the most extensive community science-based study on single use plastic in national parks, to date. Outdoor Media Summit attendees will be the first to hear findings from the report.
Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz mobilizes volunteers nationwide to document plastic pollution in U.S. National Parks. From July 1 to September 30, volunteers will collect plastic trash in National Parks and document each piece of trash using the TrashBlitz web app.
This data will be compiled into a report that highlights which plastic trash items are most found as well as which companies are responsible for producing those plastic items. These findings will be used to support legislation to reduce single-use plastic in protected spaces.
“Plastics are a global issue and the solutions lie in better design, industry engagement and policy change,” Cummins said. “Outdoor Media Summit’s leadership can play a crucial role in driving positive change.”
For more than a decade, 5 Gyres has led research and advocacy for plastic pollution issues. The couple has directed 19 research expeditions in all five subtropical gyres (the ocean currents where plastic swirls into large garbage patches) as well as many of the world’s lakes and rivers.
“The conversation around plastic pollution largely went under the radar during COVID and it’s time to restart that conversation,” said Yoon Kim, founder of Outdoor Media Summit. “In my opinion, plastic pollution is one of the most critical issues to the health of the planet, and I hope our partnership with The 5 Gyres Institute can help create solutions to this global issue.”
For more information, visit outdoormediasummit.com.
