NOAA Marine Debris Program e-Newsletter | November 2019

Cover of the newsletter that says NOAA Marine Debris Program Turning the Tide on Trash Newsletter.

Microplastics come in a variety of shapes and sizes (Photo: NOAA).

In This Issue

2019 Accomplishments Report is Out!

NOAA Marine Debris Program Launches a Redeveloped Marine Debris Clearinghouse

Marine Debris Tracker App Reaches a Data Milestone!

Partners in Oregon and Washington Work Together to Reduce Marine Debris

Annual Art Competition Closes Nov. 30

An Intern's Reflections on Working with the Marine Debris Program

The Scary Truth About Party Balloons

Quick Links

Marine Debris Website
Marine Debris Blog
MDMAP Toolbox
ADV InfoHub
Clearinghouse

Marine Debris Tracker Mobile Application

Tracker App Logo

Make a difference by using the Marine Debris Tracker app to record debris items you find.

Upcoming Cleanups

Gulf of Mexico

November 9
Mobile Bay Keeper

Alba Middle School
Bayou La Batre, LA

November 16
Annual Mississippi Coastal Clean-up

Locations across MS in Jackson, Harrison, or Hancock County
Address: see website for locations


California

November 9
I Love A Clean San Diego

San Luis Rey Bridge
Vista, CA

November 9
Orange County Coastkeeper
Huntington State Beach Tower Number 2
Huntington , CA

November 16
Heal The Bay
Dockweiler State Beach
Playa Del Rey, CA

November 17
Surfrider San Francisco Chapter
Ocean Beach Stairwell 17
San Francisco, CA

November 23
Pacific Beach Coalition
South Jetty Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay, CA

November 23
Save Our Shores
San Lorenzo River Levee at Water St.
Monterey, CA


Pacific Islands


November 9
808 Cleanups
One’ula Beach Park/ Hau Bush
Ewa Beach, HI

November 9
Surfrider Foundation - O'ahu Chapter
James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge
Kahuku, HI

November 16
808 Cleanups
Kahuku Golf Course Parking area
Honolulu, HI

November 24
Sharktastic
Kukona Place
Maui, HI


Great Lakes

November 9
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Montrose Beach
Chicago, IL

November 16
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Evanston Dempster-Greenwood Beach
Evanston, IL


Florida and the Caribbean

November 9
Volunteer Cleanup
The Fort Lauderdale Beach Hub
Fort Lauderdale, FL

November 9
Volunteer Cleanup
Bill Baggs State Park
Key Biscayne, FL

November 9
Volunteer Cleanup
Clarington Island Via Coconut Grove Sailing Club
Coconut Grove, FL

November 10
Volunteer Cleanup
12th St. Beach, Ocean Drive
Miami, FL

November 24
Volunteer Cleanup
Boca Raton South Beach Pavilion
Boca Raton, FL


Mid-Atlantic


November 9
Potomac Conservancy
Fletcher’s Cove
Washington D.C.

November 9
Keep Islip Clean
Hawthorne Ave. Great River Train Station
Islip, NY

November 9
NYC Parks
South end of the Calvert Vaux Parking Lot
Brooklyn, NY

November 17
Keep Islip Clean
Spur Drive North and Carleton Ave.
Islip, NY


Southeast

November 9
Cape Fear River Watch
Burt Mill Creek at end of Shirley Road
Wilmington, NC

November 10
Tybee Clean Beach
Marine Science Center
Tybee Island, GA

November 17
Tybee Clean Beach
Marine Science Center
Tybee Island, GA


Northeast

November 9-10
Keep Massachusetts Beautiful
Multiple Locations
Mansfield, MA

November 9
Blue Ocean Society
Jenness State Beach
Rye, NH

November 9
Clean Ocean Access
Weaver Cove Beach Cleanup
Portsmouth, RI

November 11
Save the Bay
Sabin Point Park
Riverside, RI


Pacific Northwest


November 6
Puget Sound Keeper
Northwest Outdoor Center
Seattle, WA

November 16
SOLVE
Maddax Woods
West Linn, OR

November 16
SOLVE
Medford Parks and Greenway
Medford, OR

November 16
SOLVE
Sheridan High School Parking Lot
Sheridan, OR

 

Can't make it to a listed cleanup? Organize your own and use the Marine Debris Tracker!

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Website & Blog

The 2019 Accomplishments Report is Out!

Cover of the 2019 Accomplishments Report.

Check out the link below to read the Accomplishments Report (Photo: NOAA).

Once a year, we like to take a moment to reflect on our Program’s mission to investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris, and to celebrate the progress that has been made with national and international partners. This past year we’ve supported and elevated marine debris efforts through coordination on local, national, and international levels.

Learn More


NOAA Marine Debris Program Launches a Redeveloped Marine Debris Clearinghouse

The homescreen of the Clearinghouse shows a map of the world on the right half of the screen.

The redeveloped Marine Debris Clearinghouse allows you to easily query for information (Photo: NOAA).

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to share the redeveloped Marine Debris Information Clearinghouse. The Marine Debris Information Clearinghouse, first launched in 2013, is designed to provide direct access to the marine debris community on projects completed or underway that can inform and improve their work. The Clearinghouse allows researchers and other active or interested partners to find projects and the results based on different project attributes, including location, project type, time frame, partner, or debris type. With many new groups joining the marine debris community and interest growing rapidly, collaboration and coordination are more important than ever in sharing successes, identifying gaps, and confirming best practices. 

Learn More


Marine Debris Tracker App Reaches a Data Milestone!

An image of the categories of marine debris that can be selected to include. Some category examples are plastic bags and bottle cap.

Download the latest version of the app and start tracking debris today (Photo: NOAA).

Did you know that the Marine Debris Tracker App recently logged 2 million pieces of litter and debris from all over the world? This app has been around since 2010 as a joint initiative between the NOAA Marine Debris Program and the Southeast Atlantic Marine Debris Initiative (SEA-MDI).

Learn More


Partners in Oregon and Washington Work Together to Reduce Marine Debris

Two people “high five” each other while wearing very heavy backpacks full of collected marine debris. They have full, plastic garbage bags.

Cleanup volunteers packing out debris near Lake Ozette, WA (Photo: NOAA).

The coast, rivers, and lakes of the Pacific Northwest are beautiful and versatile, and yet, they all share a common feature: the presence of marine debris. From large debris to tiny microplastics, marine debris is present in bodies of water worldwide and requires a comprehensive approach to prevent it, research its attributes, and reduce its impacts.

Learn More


Annual Art Competition Closes Nov. 30

A drawing of an octopus holding up a plastic bag that says "thank you" six times on the bag.

Students, get ready to create some art (Photo: Ava E. 6th grade, California).

Help the NOAA Marine Debris Program raise awareness about marine debris and submit artwork for the 2021 calendar!

Learn More


An Intern's Reflections on Working with the Marine Debris Program

A young person sits in front of a large statue that is shaped like a hand.

Zola at NOAA Silver Spring Office (Photo: NOAA).

Last month I began my two-month internship, funded by the National Science Foundation, with the NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) Communications Team in Silver Spring, Maryland. I was drawn to MDP because their expertise would provide me with the opportunity to (1) augment my current academic research training with non-academic internship and training opportunities, and (2) allow me to pursue new activities centered around acquiring professional development experience that will help prepare me for multiple career pathways after graduation, such as potentially working for a federal agency.

Learn More


The Scary Truth About Party Balloons

A balloon that says “happy birthday” rests on a sandy bottom that is located deep in the ocean.

Happy birthday mylar balloon (depth of 1,116 m) seen on Dive 16 of ROV Exploration of the Northeast US Deepwater Canyons 2013 expedition (Photo: NOAA).

My high school graduation was anything but joyful as I begged my peers not to release the balloons they held. I’m Laura Anthony, otherwise known as the overenthusiastic marine biology student telling people not to use plastic cups at parties. This summer, I was a NOAA Hollings Scholar in the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program assessing the impact of anthropogenic (human created) debris on deep-sea coral and sponge habitats.

Learn More