Harvest Goes Into the Blue
Exploring the South Pacific Trash Islands
In an effort to better understand the problem of pollution in the ocean so that we can begin to get a better idea of how to fix the problem we decided we needed to get a first hand look at the issue. Thru the Harvest Blue Ocean Initiative we will begin sending regular correspondents and researchers into the heart of the problem. Their findings and reporting will be used to not only raise further awareness about this issue but also hopefully help discover ways to solve the problem.
Our first soldier we will be sending into the battlefield is Santa Barbara native and Harvest ambassador JP Garcia. JP developed a love for the ocean growing up surfing and graduated from UCSB with a degree in environmental science. His passion for the ocean and dedication to preservation make him the right man for the job.
JP will give us a full debrief of the mission upon his return in a couple weeks. Below is a brief bio on JP and his mission objective. Stay tuned for his findings….
JP Garcia
I am a resident from Santa Barbara California and an active member of the waterman community here. I have mentored some outstanding athletes that include the Coffin brothers, Lakey Peterson, Matt Becker and the Curren boys. I co-founded the Santa Barbara Seals Surf School in 2000 and in 2005 began coaching the SBHS Surf team. It was through these programs that I learned how many gifts the ocean has to share with its participants. The trip to the gyres will be not a personal goal, but also serve as a cornerstone for change in our communities. For instance, in Santa Barbara right now, an ordinance was overturned to ban single use plastic bags. Plastic bags and water bottles are perhaps some of the worst villains in this plastic problem. It is believed that "only 1 of every 7 particulates in the ocean is biological, the other 6 are plastic." Sir Francis Bacon said, "Knowledge is power". If knowledge is power, then I will be empowering people when return.
Objective
I will be traveling to the great blue South Pacific to get hands on experience participating on a research vessel named the "Sea Dragon". This where I will call home for the 6 days I am out at sea, traveling from Papeete to Rarontonga. While on this ship, I will document the presence of non-biodegradable plastics in remote areas of the South Pacific. I will be taking photo and video documentation that I will share when I return in late May. The research team is comprised of Dale Selvam (skipper), Emily Penn (first mate), Sara Close (5 Gyres), Chad Koll (Dive Instructor), Linda (sailor/environmentalist), Anne-MArine (green business), Pete (environmental educator), Staj (artist and Chaco comp winner) and a few others still TBC. While aboard the Sea Dragon we will be trawling for plastics, running sensors, collecting other samples, lots of land based work.
To learn more about the plastic problem and what we can do to help visit 5gyres.org
