Video: Team Surveys Bermuda Plastic Pollution

A video released by the Plastic Tides crew — a team that works to bring awareness to the issue of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans — highlights their recent 10-day expedition around Bermuda, during which they surveyed local waters for stray plastics, using specially designed manta trawls to collect samples of surface plastics. The video depicts the crew arriving in Bermuda by airplane, before showcasing their journey on paddleboards.

Plastic Tides Bermuda – Episode 1:

The team’s work intends to expose the “rampant plastic pollution” that threatens Bermuda and the unique ecosystem of the Sargasso Sea in general; the video points out the fact that, of the more than 200 million pounds of plastics produced around the globe each year, about 10 percent of it ends up in the world’s oceans.

Besides surveying, the team also took the time to visit local schools, using games, talks, and the organisation of beach clean-ups in order to bring awareness of the issue to Bermuda’s children.

Christian Shaw, the team leader of the Plastic Tides effort, said, “We have a really unique approach to this whole plastics issue, and we really want to combine our love for adventure and water sports with research and conservation efforts.

“There are a few different reasons that we chose Bermuda. Firstly, it’s actually located within the North Atlantic trash gyre in the Sargasso Sea, and so it’s one of the only land masses – if not the only land mass – actually located within one of these oceanic gyres.

“A gyre is basically circulating currents that create a massive whirlpool, and so marine plastics get trapped and concentrated in that area. Unfortunately, Bermuda takes the brunt of a lot of trash that didn’t originate here.”

Plastic Tides team leader Christian Shaw describes the crew’s plans:

“We’re hoping that our young team out there adventuring and creating a compelling story is going to draw in folks that wouldn’t typically be turned into these issues.”

The video, produced by Quiet Sun Productions and edited by Method Media Bermuda with footage assistance provided by Burnt House Productions, is a precursor to a longer documentary about the crew’s exploits, planned for a later release.

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