Troubled Waters: How Microplastics Are Impacting Our Oceans and Our Health

Microplastic pollution is an issue that’s easy to overlook, but it’s deceptively threatening to both ocean and human health. Microscopic plastic particles are now found in nearly everything on the planet—from the deepest parts of the ocean to inside the cells of living beings.

Troubled Waters: How Microplastics Are Impacting Our Ocean and Our Health, will dive into the growing crisis of microplastic pollution and what we can do about it. Join us for a fascinating discussion with the people working at the front lines of this issue: Dr. Britta Baechler (Director of Ocean Plastics Research for Ocean Conservancy), Christy Leavitt (Plastics Campaign Director at Oceana), Emily Penn (ocean advocate and skipper), and moderator Madeline Kaufman (Program Director at Debris Free Oceans).

We’ll cover how microplastics have littered marine ecosystems and are impacting the health of wildlife, with potential human health consequences as well. We’ll also cover what we can do—individually and collectively—to address this insidious environmental challenge.

During this 75-minute, online event we’ll cover:

• Marine Pollution and Ecosystem Disruption – How microplastics accumulate in oceans, impact marine species, and threaten biodiversity and ecosystem function.
• Pathways to Human Exposure and Health Effects – Exploration of how microplastics enter the human body through food, water, and air, and the potential implications for our health.
• Prevention, Policy, and Public Action – Discussion of current global and local policy responses and steps individuals and communities can take to reduce plastic pollution.