The “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” has become an issue that is at times both forgotten and exaggerated. Group 3 is focusing on the Pacific Gyres, a multilayered phenomenon involving the ocean currents that lead to the plastic accumulation, the spatial distribution of the plastic debris, and the effects of the microplastics on ecosystems and on our lives. Plastic accumulation in the Pacific is clearly a problem with many components; aside from the research already done to lay the groundwork, it’s still an area of active scientific study, and many articles stress the need for more research. The use of advanced mathematical models and varied sampling methods, contributing to our still-developing understanding of the facts, might make the (dys)functioning of the Pacific Gyres seem too complex for most lay people to get involved with. David de Rothschild’s Plastiki, however, makes plastic accumulation in our oceans an extremely accessible topic.

The book deals with 12,500 plastic bottles that were built into the titular boat and taken on a 10,000 mile journey from the U.S. to Australia. One of de Rothschild’s primary goals was to raise awareness for ocean pollution, and he presents the voyage in an engaging format that makes the read as exciting as it is educational. He details the construction of the boat and then how he and his five-person crew take it on what’s billed as an “extraordinary journey” across the Pacific, describing “urgent study of ocean pollution, island nations threatened by rising seas, damaged coral reefs, and the acidifying ocean itself.” He was motivated by a desire to prompt people to learn about plastic as a material — the way we’re using it and disposing of it — and to further our understanding of how we’re dependent upon the viability of the planet for our survival. For that the earth needs people to be both aware and active. De Rothschild does an excellent job of communicating an environmental message and of providing an “entertaining adventure for sailors and explorers alike” (x), and Plastiki is full of graphics, diagrams, and photographs to both raise interest in the subject and to inform people of the facts through a digestible format. As both a “unique narrative [of a] first-hand experience” and a scientific investigation (A. Caruso), the book provides a singular introduction to the growing problem of plastic accumulation in the Pacific while giving readers further impetus to do something about it.

Check out the publisher’s website for a preview of the book, and this video for a sampling of the work that went into creating it: