Algalita Marine Research And Education

TO PROTECT THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND ITS WATERSHEDS THROUGH RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND RESTORATION. THE ORGANIZATION'S MAIN FOCUS IS ONTHE ISSUE OF PLASTIC POLLUTION AND ITS EFFECT ON THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM AND POTENTIAL RISKS TO HUMAN HEALTH THROUGH THE TRANSFER OF TOXINS FROM INGESTED PLASTIC DEBRIS BY FISH AND THROUGH THE FOOD CHAIN. THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL IS TO DEVELOP A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OF PLASTICS ON OUR MARINE ENVIORNMENT BY EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE ECOLOGICAL VALUE AND VULNERABILITIES OF OUR OCEANS AND HOW INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS INFLUENCE THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM AND HUMAN HEALTH.

EDUCATIONTHIS YEAR, ALGALITA CONTINUED TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR THE STORY OF PLASTIC FILM, WHICH WON AN EMMY THIS YEAR! OUR NEW ONLINE EDUCATION PLATFORM, WAYFINDER SOCIETY, REACHED OVER 700 TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THIS YEAR. WE ALSO SAW MAJOR SUCCESS WITH THE WFS SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY WE OPENED UP FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, AND COLLEGE STUDENTS. BY THE JULY 14TH DEADLINE, WE HAD RECEIVED 52 APPLICATIONS FROM 15 COUNTRIES! AWARDEES INCLUDED STUDENTS FROM THE US, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, AND SOUTH AFRICA. A FEW OF THE PROJECTS INCLUDE A VIRTUAL YOUTH SUMMIT, EFFORTS TO REVERSE AN AZ STATEWIDE PREEMPTION LAW, LAUNCH OF A NEW COMMUNITY COMPOSTING NON-PROFIT, CREATION OF A CAMPUS BEVERAGE CONTRACT INVESTIGATIONS GUIDE, AND THE LAUNCH OF A COMMUNITY FOOD SHARING PROGRAM FOR LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE. IN 2021, OUR EDUCATION TEAM DISTRIBUTED OVER 150 FREE TEACHING KITS TO PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. 1,826 KITS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO DATE! THIS YEAR, ALGALITAS' 12-WEEK COLLEGE-LEVEL COURSE WENT VIRTUAL YET STILL COVERED EVERYTHING FROM ANALYZING THE SOLUTION SET AND LOCAL IMPLICATIONS TO ZERO WASTE CULTURE AND OUR WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS.

RESEARCH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR NEW SISTER ORGANIZATION, MOORE INSTITUTE FOR PLASTIC POLLUTION RESEARCH, OUR RESEARCHERS CONTINUED TO ANALYZE SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM ALGALITAS STUDY AREA IN THE NORTH PACIFIC GYRE. RESULTS FROM THE STUDY WILL BE USED IN THE WORLDS FIRST SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATION FOCUSED ON LONG-TERM PLASTIC POLLUTION MONITORING EFFORTS IN THE NPG. THIS YEAR, ALGALITA ALSO SUPPORTED MIPPR IN THEIR EFFORTS TO BECOME THE FIRST NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AUTHORIZED TO TEST FOR MICROPLASTICS IN DRINKING WATER.

PREVENTIONEARLIER THIS YEAR, WE JOINED IN THE RELAUNCH OF THE FIRST-EVER NATIONAL PLASTIC POLLUTION LEGISLATION, THE BREAK FREE FROM PLASTIC POLLUTION ACT. OUR ZERO WASTE REFILL STORE, BUILT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BYO LONG BEACH, REOPENED AFTER BEING SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC. 2021 ALSO SAW THE RETURN OF OUR LB WATERBIKE CLEANUP PROGRAM AND OTHER CLEANUP COMMUNITY EVENTS.