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"There are more microplastics in the ocean than stars in the Milky Way." That's what three scientists from the UK were quoted as saying in a press release announcing this year's winners of the Volvo Environment Prize, which is given to those who have made "world-leading contributions to combatting pollution from microplastics," per the Guardian.
The researchers are Tamara Galloway of the University of Exeter, Penelope Lindeque of the University of Plymouth, and Richard Thompson of the University of Plymouth, who have been working together on the issue for more than 20 years.
"Our collaborations over the past decades are a perfect example of the two-up thinking required to address the global issue of microplastic pollution," Thompson says in the press release.
"We want our science to be beneficial to society and to protect our marine environment for future generations."
The researchers have found that microplastics are prevalent in almost all water systems, including streams, lakes, rivers, and oceans, and that by 2050, more plastic will be in the ocean than by weight, putting marine life in danger.
The researchers have also made "significant breakthroughs in understanding the effects of microplastics and particulate pollutants on marine organisms and human health," the press release notes. Read the Entire Article
Selected Grant News Headlines
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
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Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Influencing Social Good Through Retail
When Hannah Davis traveled to China to teach English, she noticed how Chinese workers and farmers were often sporting olive green army-style shoes. Those shoes served as her inspiration to create her own social enterprise, Bangs Shoes.
