News from the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a coalition of citizen groups on the American side of our Great Lakes
On Tuesday, August 26th at 7:00 pm, the Alliance for the Great Lakes will host a panel discussion focusing on plastic pollution and the Great Lakes at the Lake Erie Seaway Trail Center at 4968 Lake Shore Rd, Hamburg, NY in conjunction with the Plastic Waters: from the Great Lakes to the Oceans exhibit.
Marcus Eriksen along the Lake Erie shores in the Cleveland Ohio area, holding plastic polluting‘nurdles’ in his hand. He is currently holdng a plastic waters exhibit in the Buffalo, New York area. Photo by Hyle White, for the Great Lakes alliance.
The panel discussion will address the impacts of plastic debris found in the Great Lakes and potential solutions to this problem. Speakers will include:
Dr. Sherri Mason, Professor of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences Program Coordinator at the State University of New York at Fredonia, whose ground-breaking research initially brought attention to the issue of micro-plastics in the lakes.
Brian Smith, Associate Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, has been actively in engaged in the proposed legislation to protect New York’s Great Lakes’ waters from plastic microbeads found in personal care products.
Helen Domske, Education Coordinator with New York State SeaGrant, has worked to educate communities across New York on Great Lakes issues, including plastic pollution and marine debris.
In addition to the panel discussion, Tuesday evening will be the final opportunity to explore the Plastic Waters exhibit. Combining art and science, Plastic Waters is a unique and sometimes surprising display that tells the story of our plastic-filled waters.
The collection, compiled by the Alliance for the Great Lakes and the 5 Gyres Institute, consists of artifacts gathered from sailing expeditions around the world to research plastic pollution. An ocean-crossing raft made from plastic bottles, a 500-pound mass of tangled fishing nets and line, and a 35-pound mass of plastic bags pulled from the stomach of a camel are among the items travelling with the exhibit. Additionally, the exhibit tells the story of the thousands of volunteers who participate each year in the Alliance’s Adopt-a-Beach™ program to remove trash — much of it plastic — from shorelines around the lakes.
The exhibit will be on display from Aug. 2 through Aug. 26 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
For more information about the Alliance for the Great Lakes and the panel discussion, contact Nate Drag, ndrag@greatlakes.org, 716-261-9393.
Also go to the Alliance’s website, www.greatlakes.org AND sign our petition to Rescue Lake Erie.
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This is not a well known or understood type of pollution and its impact on the ecosphere should be better understood.
Plastic microbeads bypass conventional waste treatment plants and end up in the water, so even advanced filtration and containment measures are ineffective.
From what I understand most of the major cosmetics companies have pledged to phase out the use of this current generation of non-degradeable plastic microbeads from consumer products. So there is hope.
Great article to raise awareness.
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