Focus: Southeast Asia

Tired of single-use plastics screwing up the planet? It’s #PlasticFreeJuly so join us as we push solutions to stop plastic ending up in the wrong places and causing harm to people and the planet. This past month we sat down with other plastic pollution experts at the U.N. in Thailand and also traveled to Sweden for the Volvo Ocean Race "Ocean Summit." We spoke with executives, scientists, policy makers and ocean conservationists — including the Crown Princess of Sweden. Volvo has committed to ending single-use plastics in all its operations, and to sourcing 25% recycled content in all vehicles by 2030. Our work with the U.S. State Department to mitigate plastic waste in Southeast Asia is helping drive success in neighborhood-size zero waste facilities across Indonesia and the Philippines. We’ll visit some of these partners during our Coral Triangle expedition later this month. Change is happening! But our work is nowhere near done. While single-use plastics are banned in the U.N. building in Bangkok, a block away I walked into a 7-Eleven and saw bananas individually wrapped in plastic bags!   So we need you to do your part and be vocal about your intolerance of single-use plastics. Tell your school, office, and city council to go plastic-free. 5 Gyres is committed to ending the suffering of wildlife, families living on/near landfills, and we're tired of seeing tax dollars subsidize the cleanup and management of single-use plastics.   WE — you and I — can get this done. Happy #PlasticFree 4th of July!   Co-founder and Research Director of 5 Gyres We set sail in one of the world’s most biodiversity rich regions—the Coral Triangle—this month on our#5GyresExpedition2018. It's our 18th expedition raising awareness around plastic pollution and the most effective mitigation strategies. Track our discoveries on social media with the hashtag#5GFieldNotes  How can we control plastic going into the ocean if we can't measure it? Dr Marcus Eriksen is part of the United Nations expert GESAMP team that met last month in Bangkok, Thailand to standardize how we measure ocean plastics anywhere on the planet. It’s all part of the U.N. Environmental Programme’s #CleanSeas campaign which has declared war on ocean plastic. Nearly 600 people have visited our new Science Research Hubso far. You should too! The hub is an easy-to-use resource allowing you access to the most relevant studies on today's plastic pollution emergency. It also showcases a series of Policy Briefs focusing on the worst types of plastic pollution and what we can do about them. If you're in Southern California, join us at the Waterman's Ball on August 4th at the Ranch in Laguna Beach. The event brings together 500+ surf industry executives and local business leaders for a night of auctions, cocktails and dinner. 5 Gyres is a beneficiary.   We will be at Topanga State Beach on July 15th for the 4th annual beach cleanup with Surfrider LA and Rosenthal Wines. At 9am we clean the beach, at 11am we toast! RSVPhere. Feeling generous? Want to do something GREAT for #PlasticFreeJuly? Donate to 5 Gyres today and we will work our butts off to make a planet free of plastic pollution possible. Thanks for joining us in the movement against plastic pollution! Fight on! #Team5Gyres

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