So, Why Alaska?

Let’s talk a little bit about Alaska. This largest of the U.S. states has 40,000 miles of coastline, but fewer than 750,000 inhabitants (and more than half live of those live in one metropolitan area). 

The result? Alaska has mile after mile of uninhabited shoreline, with circulating ocean plastic sticking to it like flypaper. For our research purposes, there is no better place to collect ocean plastic. 

Alaskans know this all-too-well and have stepped up to the challenge of marine debris in Alaska, at least with what resources are available. Last week NOAA published this about the nonprofits they’re working with on collection (and yes, that’s me in the figure skates).

You may be asking, why does most Pacific ocean plastic that make landfall does so in Alaska? I’m not an oceanographer, and it’s hard for me to fully explain the phenomenon, but this paper published by Washington Sea Grant in the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku tsunami does a pretty good job of explaining it. The paper was intended to prepare Washington residents for the onslaught of tsunami debris about to wash up, but the paper’s message was: Don’t fret about it Washington. It’s all going to Alaska!

For OPR’s purposes, Alaska is a great place to harvest samples of what’s floating around out there. Whether you need a shoebox or as semi-truck of ocean plastics, it can be easily found on Alaska’s shores.