TTN #558 The Impact of Plastics & the Pathways to a Responsible Future – with Marcus Eriksen

Dr. Marcus Eriksen // Author // Junk Raft // Founder & Executive Director // 5 Gyres // Founder & Executive Director // Leap Lab

Dr. Marcus Eriksen is the author of Junk Raft, founder and executive director of 5 Gyres, and founder and executive director of Leap Lab. 20 expeditions across the world’s oceans to study ocean plastics have led to a handful of research publications to better understand this new environmental catastrophe, but the first voyage was a homemade raft, JUNK RAFT, floating on plastic bottles crossing the Pacific Ocean in order to get the world talking about plastic. Science, adventure and art, are integral to big societal shifts, and he firmly believes that collaborations on all three fronts can move us in the right direction.

5 Gyres has traveled the world’s oceans to research plastics and turn science into solutions.

JUNK RAFT chronicles an adventure at sea aboard 15,000 plastic bottles that floated a Cessna aircraft from Los Angeles to Hawaii, no motor or support vessel, to bring attention to the plastic crisis in our oceans. 88 days, 2600 miles, and 20lbs lighter, both Marcus Eriksen and Joel Paschal arrived in Waikiki. The expedition launched the 5 Gyres Institute – to study the impact of plastic pollution on people and the planet.