HPU Student Studies Pacific Garbage Patch

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HPU graduate student Zora McGinnis records data during the Plastics at SEA: North Pacific Expedition 2012. It is a month-long scientific research expedition conducted by the Sea Education Association (SEA), dedicated to the study of the effects of plastic marine debris in the ocean ecosystem. (Photo Jon Waterman, courtesy of the Sea Education Association)

A Hawaii Pacific University student is sailing on a research vessel from San Diego to Honolulu to study the serious ecological problem of ocean debris.

Halfway through the expedition, one graduate student had documented 1,030 pieces of trash ranging from small bits of Styrofoam to a Cookie Monster inner tube.

See photos and learn more about the trip by checking out HPU’s news release here.

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