The scariest thing lurking in the deep sea doesn’t even have teeth. 🫣🗑️
MBARI research is revealing our close connection to the ocean—how it sustains us and how human actions affect marine animals and environments. The deep sea is not immune to threats like overfishing, climate change, and pollution. Even miles beneath the ocean’s surface, we find trash, much of it plastic. Too often, MBARI’s remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) encounter plastic bottles, bags, balloons, and more. As individuals, we can take action by reducing the amount of single-use plastic products and packaging we purchase. Single-use plastic items—water bottles, takeout containers, coffee lids, straws, and shopping bags—make up a large percentage of plastic waste. We can make a significant dent in ocean plastic pollution by choosing reusable alternatives. In honor of #PlasticFreeJuly, our friends at FathomVerse created a new Trash mission that helps researchers detect and identify marine debris. Select ‘Trash’ in training mode to unlock the ability to identify trash in ocean images and earn a special new badge! Download the game and play now.
