The proposed rollback of federal Clean Water Act protections by the Trump Administration potentially impacts millions of acres of wetlands and thousands of miles of waterways across the U.S., endangering wildlife and their habitats. Pesticide runoff, industrial waste and other pollutants that are prohibited would now be allowed to contaminate certain wetlands and waterways. “NY/NJ Baykeeper strongly opposes the Trump administration’s proposal today to roll back Clean Water Act protections,” said Greg Remaud, NY/NJ Baykeeper CEO. “This will cut back crucial protections of wetlands and waterways currently protected by the federal Clean Water Act, and set back progress water quality Read more →
1. Plastic Paradise: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Did you know that nearly all receipts are coated with BPA (a chemical used to make many plastics) and that BPA can quickly contaminate your blood when you handle your receipts? This is just one startling fact I learned from Plastic Paradise: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a 2013 documentary directed by Angela Sun. Sun digs deeper into our reliance on convenient, single-use plastics and the startling threats they pose to ecosystem health, as well as humans. Sun offers ways you can take action now by simply voting with our wallets, buying in bulk, using reusable materials, and getting involved in our communities. You can watch Plastic Paradise here or on Netflix.
At lot of folks have a common misconception that the garbage patches around the world are tangible islands of trash. In actuality, the situation is more accurately described as plastic smog. Rather than an island, tiny bits of microplastics are floating within our ocean gyres. The Smog of the Sea clears the air about this myth and offers ways we can all do our part to refuse plastic in our everyday lives. The documentary features our friends at 5 Gyres and Jack Johnson! You can watch The Smog of the Sea by clicking here.
– Sandra Meola, Communications and Outreach Associate
