The Plastic Ocean Project addresses global plastic pollution through education, research, outreach and involving younger generations.
WILMINGTON -- This weekend's Earth Day events take place around the globe, celebrating and showing support for environmental protection. One local group plans to involve locals in a coastal cleanup.
The Plastic Ocean Project (POP), a Wilmington-based nonprofit, addresses the global plastic pollution problem through education, research, outreach initiatives and involvement of younger generations “to create a more sustainable future.”
On Sunday, April 22, POP plans to host a total of six coastal cleanups in the Atlantic Ocean, one spot in particular being a nationally recognized Hope Spot.
Hope Spots, which are designated by the Mission Blue Sylvia Earle Alliance, are “special places that are critical to the health of the ocean.” In order to become a Hope Spot, POP wrote a proposal for why this location is invaluable with exact coordinates for the location of the spot.
Hope Spot Cleanups will take place at Fort Fisher, Wrightsville Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, Offshore Cleanup in Beaufort, Morehead City and Nags Head.
One important spot that POP highlights is the Outer Banks, a 200-mile string of narrow barrier islands off the central and northern North Carolina coast.
The Outer Banks and its offshore areas offer a biodiversity of marine life and essential fish habitats, like Sargassum (a free-floating brown algae). The Outer Banks are a foraging site for numerous federally protected whales including: sperm, North Atlantic right, humpback, sei, fin and blue whales. The canyon off Cape Hatteras is also a nursery area for fish and crustaceans, and the beaches regularly rank among the highest in sea turtle nesting activity.
Plastic pollution threatens marine wildlife worldwide and locally.
“It really is one of the biggest pandemics of our time,” Executive Director Bonnie Monteleone said.
Learn more about the Plastic Ocean Project and the Hope Spot Cleanups at www.plasticoceanproject.org.
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