Algalita Marine Research and Education

EDUCATORS: During the entire month of April, you can join classrooms across the globe in a collective effort to sustain environmental learning as part of the Earth Month Classroom Challenge! ?? All educators (and their classrooms) who complete the challenge will be entered into a raffle for a $500 cash prize to spend on their classroom and environmental projects! *Participating educators in the USA will also receive a “Teach the Change” Wayfinder Society t-shirt. Interested in participating? ?? Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gv9JN2VW Sign up: https://lnkd.in/gdMRJeSF

It's not too late to sign up for our next student panel event this Wednesday, March 19 - College Perspectives: Tackling Plastics through Community Organizing ? Click the link below to RSVP ?? https://lnkd.in/gYKe8BBX

Humans are using more plastics than ever. This is a problem, because over 90% of plastic waste is not recycled and instead destined for the landfill, incinerator, or environment. There is a common misconception that all plastics are the same, and that they are all recyclable. In fact, this is far from the truth. In the FREE lesson plan, Can It Be Recycled?, students will collect plastic items from home or the cafeteria to examine real-world examples and discover why less than 10% of plastic actually gets recycled. Associated Standards: NGSS 5-PS 1-3 Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties. Click the link below to access the PDF downloadable worksheets and everything else you need to bring this engaging resource into your classroom! https://lnkd.in/gusTXVnF #wayfindersociety #plasticpollution #recycle #classroomresources

Congratulations to our latest Educator Mini-Grant awardee: Ms. Christina Torres! ? As a first-year teacher and Wayfinder Society Educator Ally, she’s inspiring the next generation to think critically, take action, and become advocates for a healthier planet. Click the link below to learn more about how she is bringing real-world STEM and environmental education to life in her first year teaching! #wayfindersociety #educatorally #stemeducation #teacherswhoinspire Read Spotlight: https://lnkd.in/dWPTG9qW Mini-Grant Info: https://lnkd.in/gH3BbsGG

Join us for our next event in our "College Perspectives" series on Wednesday, March 19 at 4pm PT. Discover how college students around the globe are driving change and empowering their communities through the power of organizing. In the second event of our "College Perspectives" series, we’ll showcase the inspiring stories of three student leaders who are raising awareness, fostering education, and creating culturally specific solutions to address the plastics crisis. Meet the panelists: ?? Diego: Originally from Mexico and currently attending college in Canada, Diego co-founded Green Speaking, an organization that plans conferences and events with the goal of empowering youth to become climate action leaders ?? Pius: Founder of Greenify Global, Pius is a college student in Malawi organizing local workshops and conferences for youth as part of a larger United Nations program. ?? Sulaiman: Based in northeastern Nigeria, Sulaiman organizes community events and culturally specific handouts to raise awareness about plastic pollution in his rural community Join us for this engaging panel discussion to discover how community action can spark meaningful change! REGISTER: https://lnkd.in/gbSen8-u

Our sister nonprofit, the Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research, was interviewed by Spectrum News. Click the link to hear more from Executive Director Shelly Moore about their pioneering work testing for microplastics in drinking water!

EDUCATORS: Ever wonder what happens when plastic pollution enters the ocean? Get familiar with the science involved in studying its impacts and the solutions being developed to address it during our next Educator workshop hosted in partnership with Cabrillo Marine Aquarium! What: Plastic Soup with Algalita Marine Research and Education When:?Saturday, March 22nd, 9am - 12pm? Where: the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro, CA ~ Learn about how microplastics impact our ocean and what educators and students can do about it! ~ Try our hands-on "Plastic Ocean" and "Synthetic Sand" classroom investigation kits! ~?Both connected with NGSS MS-PS 1-2 Synthetic Materials Cost: FREE *LAUSD P.D. Hours are available Space is limited and registration required. RSVP below ?? https://lnkd.in/gBYwePBb

In 2023, we experienced a poignant moment in Algalita’s history—the sale of the Oceanographic Research Vessel Alguita. This vessel, once the heart and soul of our scientific expeditions, played a pivotal role in advancing global awareness of the plastic pollution crisis. Captain Charles Moore, Algalita’s founder, trusted the Alguita to carry out groundbreaking research, inspiring countless individuals and communities to take action. But as time passed, it became clear that the vessel’s time had come to an end. Captain Moore, with great care, made the difficult decision to sell the vessel, knowing that its legacy would live on in a new way. To honor the ORV Alguita’s incredible history, we created a special mini-documentary with help from the incredibly talented Cole McCarthy. It captures not just the vessel’s charm and personality, but also the profound impact it had on the world. Some of the proceeds from the sale of the Alguita were used to fund an endowment for Algalita’s sister organization, Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research, ensuring that its legacy will continue to support vital research and education long into the future. The boat, much like a giving tree, has now become a catalyst for further change. Watch here: https://lnkd.in/g5zRaiPG #orvalguita #plasticpollution #oceanographicresearch #minidoc

?? REMINDER: Join us tomorrow, February 19 from 4-5pm PT, for the first event in the College Perspectives Spring Panel Series! Tomorrow’s panel features three incredible college students and recent graduates who are addressing plastic pollution through innovative and interdisciplinary research. The panelists include: ?? Hannah Sherrod: Master’s student studying Marine Vertebrate Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter in England ?? Chloe McKenna: Recent Master’s graduate from the University of Edinburgh, whose thesis explored the socio-ecological and cultural impacts of marine plastic pollution on Scottish island communities ?? Trina Miller: Recent graduate with a BS in Biology. Her research was focused on monitoring marine debris in the rocky intertidal zone in San Pedro, CA. From ecological studies to cultural analysis, this panel will highlight how science and sociology intersect to address the global plastic crisis. Join us to discover how interdisciplinary research can be an important tool in understanding plastics and their impact on communities at a deeper level. Register below ?? https://lnkd.in/gYKe8BBX #studentresearch #plasticpollution #studentstories

The brains of digital machines are getting healthier, that is, better at thinking human thoughts using currently available technology. The brains of animals, including humans, are NOT.?Why? Plastic does not affect digital brains. It affects animal brains. Recent studies reveal how. A study by Mattsson et al. established in 2017 that the smallest plastic bits known as micro and nanoplastics enter the brain of fishes and interfere with feeding behavior. The fish didn’t swim as far or spend as much time looking for food as controls. Today, in 2025, microplastics were found to block blood flow to the brain in mice and in autopsied humans there was more microplastics in the brain than either the liver or the kidneys, with Alzheimer's patients being a sort of sponge for them(Nihart et al.??2025) The contrast between levels of brain activity in machines and living brains is bound to become more dramatic as all indicators point to increased levels of these largely non-electricity-conducting plastic compounds increasing dramatically. Who will monitor this increase in microplastics that get transported throughout the biosphere (Moore 2019), and how will enough data be collected to move markets? For 30 years, my team at Plastic Intelligence, Inc. and the Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research have taken on this challenge. With the incorporation of Plastic Intelligence, Inc., we have entered a new phase where we create the instruments to make microplastic monitoring in air, soil and water accessible to all.?With our first introduction, the Tap Trap, microplastic levels in tap water can be monitored by anyone with a sink.?The unit will be priced to include FTIR analysis of?3 20-micron screens that have trapped microplastics in the drinking water sample inside the unit that attaches to the sink spout and measures the amount of water passing through. Beta testing will begin soon and we will be recording a youtube instructional video at the end of February.?Subscriptions for the Beta test model will include the price of analyzing the screens and testers will be given the resulting data. If you would like to test the water at your place, and be a part of the beta, either drop me a text on LinkedIn or comment on this post, and someone from my team will be in touch.