Christina Norris
The engine hums quietly as we cut through the pre-dawn waters off the coast of Hawaii. I’ve been with the university's marine biology team for twelve years now, and at 59, my days are a mix of wonder and worry. Today, we’re heading out to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a massive collection of debris about three times the size of France. It’s become an all-too-familiar destination for us.
The first light of day reveals the floating expanse of plastic waste, a grim spectacle that never fails to unsettle me. Our boat is equipped with the latest technology, and we lower our sampling nets into the water, collecting microplastics, ghost nets, and household trash. These tiny plastic fragments are particularly concerning, as marine creatures often mistake them for food, leading to unknown consequences for the entire food chain.
Our research today involves attaching GPS trackers to some of the larger debris pieces. This will help us map their movements and understand the ocean currents that gather and transport this garbage. As I secure a tracker to a piece of plastic, I think about how this waste primarily enters the ocean through rivers. Microplastics, produced by washing polyester clothing, are especially pervasive.
Back on shore, I walk along the beach, which is strewn with trash. The amount of waste we encounter both at sea and on land is staggering. It’s a wonder any marine life survives in these conditions. Studies suggest that all fish could disappear from our oceans by 2048, possibly even sooner if our consumption patterns don’t change and if we don’t develop better cleanup methods.
In the evenings, I analyze data and write reports, often feeling a sense of futility. Plastic takes around 500 years to decompose, and I can’t help but think that humanity might collapse long before the plastic does. My view on the future is sobering, lacking much hope.
Yet, each day I return to the sea. Despite the bleak outlook, I hold on to the slim chance that our research will lead to solutions. Maybe, just maybe, our efforts will spark the necessary changes to save our oceans and, in turn, ourselves.