On Saturday, May 3rd, Environment America Research & Policy Center, USPIRG Education Fund, Student PIRGs, Environmental Action, Nurdle Patrol, Waterkeeper Alliance, and 5 Gyres are hosting the first annual International Plastic Pellet Count– and we’re looking for volunteers across America & beyond to look for plastic pellets in local waterways.
Plastic pellets, also known as nurdles, are tiny beads of plastic made from gas or oil. Plastic pellets are the building blocks of plastic production, and they’re shipped across the world to be melted down and molded into water bottles, plastic bags and countless other items. Lightweight and numerous, they often spill during manufacturing and transport, inevitably ending up in our environment, especially our waterways. It’s estimated that 10 trillion plastic pellets enter the oceans every year. Once in the environment, these tiny pellets can cause big problems.
The International Plastic Pellet Count is a chance for individuals and organizations across the country and beyond to go to their local waterways, look for plastic pellets and record what they find, so we can all have a better understanding of where this pollution is happening. This coordinated day of action will raise awareness about the prevalence of plastic pellets in the environment, especially our waterways, and help catalyze action.
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Kelly advocates for a world with less plastic pollution. Kelly lives in Denver with her family, where she enjoys hiking, botanical illustration and traveling.
As director of Environment Oregon, Celeste develops and runs campaigns to win real results for Oregon’s environment. She has worked on issues ranging from preventing plastic pollution, stopping global warming, defending clean water, and protecting our beautiful places. Celeste’s organizing has helped to reduce kids’ exposure to lead in drinking water at childcare facilities in Oregon, encourage transportation electrification, ban single-use plastic grocery bags, defend our bedrock environmental laws and more. She is also the author of the children’s book, Myrtle the Turtle, empowering kids to prevent plastic pollution. Celeste lives in Portland, Ore., with her husband and two daughters, where they frequently enjoy the bounty of Oregon’s natural beauty.
