NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Those working to reduce pollution gathered in Newport News Sunday for the ASEZ WAO 10th annual environmental forum.
The event kicked off with a song about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, or GPGP. The GPGP is a concentrated spot of waste located between Hawaii and California. It includes plastics and microplastics (small pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters in size) and the patch is estimated to be roughly twice the size of Texas.
Speakers included NASA Langley Research Center Acting Deputy Center Chief of Technologist Dr. Ali Omar, and NASA Langley Research Center Earth Scientist, Dr. Hazem Mahmoud.
Those at the forum hope to eliminate the GPGP and help other waterways in Hampton Roads by reducing plastic pollution since they said that pollution harms animals and humans.
"Eventually it finds its way onto our tables. So by becoming aware of our effects on the environment we can begin to reduce our plastic pollution and make a difference," explained Ashley Gonzalez, volunteer with ASEZ WAO.
The group said addressing solving plastic and microplastic concerns may seem daunting. That's as a 2019 World Wildlife Fund commissioned study showed that each week people consume roughly 5 grams, or the equivalent of a credit card, in microplastics.
But Volunteers said awareness is the first step.
"It all starts with us right. If we all make one effort, one change in our daily lives it will accumulate to become something even bigger than us," said Gonzalez.
