Watch recordings and see shared resources from Public Lab’s past research area review events here.

2020 Research Area Review events

September 23, 2020: Microplastics research area review

In this call that wrapped up Public Lab’s research area review on microplastics, twenty people spanning seven time zones gathered to talk about microplastics monitoring in their communities. We shared stories, asked and answered questions, saw a quick overview of accessible ways to get started in microplastics monitoring, and built connections with each other.

Joining us to share their experiences in microplastics research:

• Jace Tunnell, leader of Nurdle Patrol and Director of the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, University of Texas Marine Science Institute.
• Dr. Winnie Courtene-Jones, Lead Scientist for the Round the World research missions at eXXpedition and Research Fellow at the University of Plymouth, UK.
• David Boudinot and Daniel Brendle-Moczuk of the University of Victoria and Surfrider Foundation of Vancouver Island.

Check out this summary post of the event for more information on stories, questions, and topics that came up during the call, and this summary of the microplastics research area review that led up to it.

Resources shared:

• National Estuarine Research Reserves: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ecosystems/nerrs/
• Nurdle Patrol: https://nurdlepatrol.org/Forms/Home/
• How the Ocean Cleanup Array Fundamentally Misunderstands Marine Plastics and Causes Harm: https://discardstudies.com/2015/06/05/how-the-ocean-clean-up-array-fundamentally-misunderstands-marine-plastics-and-causes-harm/
• Operation Clean Sweep: https://www.opcleansweep.org/about/
• US EPA report, Plastic Pellets in the Aquatic Environment: Sources and Recommendations: https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=20004Y95.txt
• Story of Plastic: https://www.storyofplastic.org/
• Research team at the University of Plymouth: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/marine-litter
• Find ways to be part of the solution to plastic pollution with a free online platform: https://shift.how/
• Solidified Oil Spill campaign, Surfrider Foundation of Vancouver Island: https://vancouverisland.surfrider.org/solidified-oil-spill/
• Science journal cover story on plastic pollution: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6510/1455
• Upcoming open access journal on microplastics and nanoplastics: https://microplastics.springeropen.com/
• Diane Wilson and San Antonio Bay Estuarine waterkeeper's work: https://waterkeeper.org/news/report-shows-plastic-pollution-a-threat-to-texas-gulf-coast/
• Impacts of Plastic summit videos available inside the Campaign Network: https://bit.ly/impactsofplastic
• Map of reports of "plastic" to the US Coast Guard, USA, National Response Center, courtesy of Skytruth and the Gulf Monitoring Consortium: https://alerts.skytruth.org/issue/186-plastic (also check out this post from @eustatic for more details!)