Journey to the Center of the Trash

I am posting this note because I have seen some increased desire from people who want to get involved with conservation issues, if you fall into this category then please continue reading.

What I am posting is a call to help regarding an issue that is not only growing in epidemic proportions, but it affects us all, regardless of where we live or what we do for a living. I am speaking of the Pacific Garbage Patch problem that is now undergoing its 10th year of scientific study.

In short, every piece of plastic trash that has ended up in the Pacific Ocean and didn’t wash back up on shore is now circulating in regions of swirling ocean currents known as Gyres.

First discovered in 1997 by Capt Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, I was on fortunate enough to be on board the ORV Alguita in 2002 to witness the plastic first hand in the area known as the Northern Pacific Gyre, and it was appalling. Click here to read my crew report.

http://www.algalita.org/breaking_news/v02a_wheeler.html

This is an area once believed to be larger than the state of Texas but recent studies have indicated that it has grown to be larger than the mainland US.

Last year’s voyage discovered that the plastic, originally found “mixed with” and “ingested by” plankton in 2002, is now being found in the stomachs of fish large enough to be harvested for potential human consumption. This proves without a doubt that the fears from 7 years ago have materialized and the plastic “IS” in our global food supply.

(Watch GMA video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLrVCI4N67M)

Currently the Algalita Marine Research Foundation is preparing for this summer’s voyages to sample the Northern Pacific Gyre and to sample a new area of the Sub-Tropical Gyre northwest of Hawaii.

I am fortunate enough to be signed on as Videographer/Crew/Correspo

ndent aboard the ORV Alguita for the 2009 voyages in order to videotape document the current conditions, assist in the research, report back to a variety of media outlets from Ship to Shore Blogs, Facebook networking to mainstream media (Good Morning America).

I will be producing a full length documentary of the voyage to be aired in segments on web-base programming and whatever other programming network wants to air it in its entirety.

The documentary will be a personal view on every aspect of the voyage from preparation to final results. I want to tell this story from an “Average Joe” perspective. This is not something that just anyone can do…the maximum crew size is 6, so for me to already be secured as crew for legs 1 & 2 of the 3 leg voyage is a huge opportunity to tell a very unique story with global implications.

Right now the biggest way people can help is funding. I am fundraising for 2 areas of this project; my documentary and the voyage itself. I am seeking funding for the equipment and necessary supplies to make this documentary possible and once those supplies are secure, remaining donations will go directly to Algalita Marine Research Foundation for future voyages. I am looking into Non-profit tax exempt status , but for now, I am accepting personal contributions as sponsorship for the documentary.

If you are able to, and would like to help, either with direct donations to support the documentary or connecting with those in a position to donate, please contact me via email dwheeler@scubadrewvideo.com or phone 808-721-8639.
If you wish to donate to the overall voyage, go to www.algalita.org

I am asking anyone and everyone to support me in this quest to tell the story of this growing problem.

Please take the time to follow the links and learn more about this issue and how we all can help to find a solution before all of our seafood becomes too toxic to eat.
Mahalo,
Drew Wheeler
ScubaDrew VideoWorks