Although trash heaps are easier to spot in waterways, microplastics - pieces of plastic smaller than five millimeters - have started to stir more concern. Acting as sponges, the pieces soak up the chemicals around them and often make their way through the food chain, ending up on dinner plates. Most microplastics are created over time from larger pieces or directly from microbeads in products like face washes or toothpaste.

In addition to restoration by volunteers, PC also utilizes aerial seeding techinques. If successful the seeds spread by airplane will grow into towering swamp trees, which will help to rebuild swamp habitat and will also protect surrounding communities from storm surge.

In this WDSU news segment from 2018, "the [Pontchartrain Conservancy] advises the public of algae bloom in the Northwest corner of Lake Pontchartrain."

Connect with ocean experts and explore topics from corals to coastal science with our audio podcast." This episode focuses on uncovering the mystery of harmful algal blooms

This episode of Sea Grant's Voice of the Sea series explores the connection between culture and place and investigates how scientists, cultural practitioners, and community members are working together to understand and adapt to the effects of climate change.

For centuries, billiard balls were made of ivory from elephant tusks. But when excessive hunting caused elephant populations to decline, they began to look for alternatives. John Wesley Hyatt took up the challenge. In five years, he invented a new material called celluloid, which would become known as the first plastic. Trace the history of the material that ushered in the 'plastics century.'

With support from a NOAA Marine Debris Community-based Removal Grant, the Mariana Islands Nature Alliance, expanded local waste management infrastructure by installing mixed-waste and recycling bins at seven locations on the island of Saipan.

The Paynter Lab at the University of Maryland conducts oyster reef surveys three years after restored reefs are planted with baby oysters, known as spat.

A Plastic Ocean documents the global effects of plastic pollution and highlights workable technologies and innovative solutions that everyone - from governments to individuals - can do, to create a cleaner and greener ocean.

More than half of the world's population already lives in cities, and another 2.5 billion people are projected to move to urban areas by 2050. The way we build new cities will be at the heart of so much that matters, from climate change to economic vitality to our very well-being and sense of connectedness. Peter Calthorpe is already at work planning the cities of the future and advocating for community design that's focused on human interaction. He shares seven universal principles for solving sprawl and building smarter, more sustainable cities.