Program on the Environment

As a rule of thumb, you can assume that where there are people, there will be trash. But what is unique about the marine environment is that all oceans are connected. When trash enters the ocean, it could travel anywhere around the world via currents, and items like plastic will not just disappear or biodegrade. Reducing marine litter poses a challenge because trash can float at all levels of the water column and currents can carry it out to the open ocean in days. A better solution is to reduce litter before it is swept into the ocean. I worked with the Trash Free Waters program to help create a protocol that will begin pooling data on how much trash has escaped the United States waste stream. The protocol will help to determine what types of trash are out there and in what quantities. I drafted the Escaped Trash Assessment Protocol (ETAP) to categorize and sort litter retrieved at cleanup events. Volunteer organizations are currently piloting the ETAP and providing our team with feedback on the methods and usability of the protocol. Data will be stored in a database for the public to access and use as evidence to prompt mitigative action such as increased signage, trash receptacles, and future cleanup events. The protocol gives citizens the tools to take initiative on the escaped trash that affects their communities.