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The Ocean Cleanup wants to collect plastic from the ocean's surface, but a new study shows it could be a blood bath. The device will hit 0.8–40 billion small animals HOURLY. And by the company's own omission, they're "likely to be KILLED"
Study: https://bit.ly/31VKoFa
#DailyJelly
Study: https://bit.ly/31VKoFa
#DailyJelly
According to a new study, The Ocean Cleanup could encounter and kill roughly 100 billion animals PER DAY. And the scientists have concluded that there is no way that risk outways the benefit: "In the worst case, we risk doing more harm than good" https://sputniknews.com/environment/202008311080324455-lost-cause-norwegian-research-sees-little-merit-in-cleaning-seas-of-floating-plastic/
There is a whole ECOSYSTEM at the ocean's surface. We cannot ignore these amazing animals. https://twitter.com/RebeccaRHelm/status/1296223213769424903
We already know The Ocean Cleanup is collecting animals: their own PRESS RELEASE photo showed this: https://twitter.com/RebeccaRHelm/status/1179861389575245824
Plus, there are MUCH LESS invasive ways to clean up the ocean. Focusing on rivers and the coast is excellent. And other organizations that are HAND COLLECTING plastics have already had amazing results. https://twitter.com/RebeccaRHelm/status/1276932823249637376
There is no reason to release UNMONITORED NETS in the ocean for years at a time, to collect small amounts of plastic, with potentially massive environmental impacts, especially when we already have better methods. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/01/ocean-cleanup-project-could-destroy-neuston/580693/
Cleaning up the ocean's surface is not the solution to our problems. And it will create a whole host of new ones. We need to focus on PREVENTING plastics from reaching waterways in the first place. https://www.ecowatch.com/marine-plastic-waste-2646992655.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1
UPDATE #1: The source of the quote in the second tweet was not the original source, and it has been brought to my attention that the outlet is problematic (thank you—I did not know). The original source (I'm pretty sure) is in Norwegian & can be found here https://www.nrk.no/nordland/bortkastet-a-rydde-havet-for-soppel_-sier-forskere-fra-lofoten-i-nordland_-men-strandrydding-hjelper-1.15138866
UPDATE #2: Mr. Slat, the CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, has replied. You can see his reply and thoughts here (in his original reply I also provide a point-by-point response, which I will link below): https://twitter.com/RebeccaRHelm/status/1301984762874277888
UPDATE #2 (continued): My point-by-point response. https://twitter.com/RebeccaRHelm/status/1301985496718094336
