The LA Times' 5-part series chronicling the increasing problem of marine debris has won a Pulitzer for explanatory reporting. The series details, among other things, the deluge of plastics that have entered our oceans. Scientists have seen as much as as ten-fold increase in the amounts of plastics in our world's oceans, and right in our own backyard—the mid-Pacific garbage patch—plastic outweighs plankton by a factor of six. California, with the largest ocean economy in the US, contributes greatly to this pollution. Furthermore, despite a successful bottle bill program, the amount of plastics being recovered for recycling has actually decreased in recent years due to the proliferation of new plastic products, such as bottled water.

You Can Help Out by Writing Support letters for our Marine Debris Legislation!

Most of our marine debris bills have passed their first series of hurdles, with the exception of AB 904 (Feuer), which will be heard in committee April 23 and needs your support! Please consider writing support letters:

• AB 904 (Feuer), which targets unrecyclable, environmentally hazardous plastics such as foamed polystyrene by requiring takeout food packaging to be made from recyclable or compostable materials (sample letter).
• AB 820 (Karnette) bans foamed polystyrene in state facilities (sample letter).
• SB 898 (Simitian) will aid in the clean-up of derelict fishing gear (sample letter).
• AB 258 (Krekorian) requires the use of best management practices to prevent the loss of preproduction plastic pellets ("nurdles") into the environment.

Consider a donation to CAW to help us fight marine debris.