Mary T. Crowley, Project Kaisei & Ocean Voyage Institute

Project Kaisei is the ocean clean-up initiative of Ocean Voyage Institute , a non-profit organization based in San Francisco. It was established to focus on major ocean clean-up and to raise awareness regarding the global problem of marine debris/ocean trash. Since its inception in 2009, Project Kaisei heralds the need for our ocean ecosystem to recover and takes action both on land and in the sea.

The 151’ Brigantine Kaisei has conducted a number of major expeditions to the North Gyre in addition to voyages to British Columbia and Mexico. These voyages have accomplished significant scientific research and resulted in global newspaper and magazine articles and TV and film pieces highlighting the devastating effects of plastic pollution in our ocean. All efforts to stop the flow of plastic into our global ocean â€" including innovations in manufacturing, packaging, changes in people’s behavior, and cleanups of all types, from neighborhood to river to beach to gyre â€" are important. The very act of picking up plastics creates awareness and change in behavior. People engaged in cleanup often inspire changed behavior in others around them.

Speaker: Mary T. Crowley