The 5 Gyres Institute

ScienceScience has always been the cornerstone of 5 Gyres' work, informing our solutions, strategies, and focus. 5 Gyres strives to ask questions and choose study topics that are not only relevant and relatable, but ultimately provide the public, policymakers, and brands with the information they need to make better buying, sourcing, designing, and end-of-life decisions for their products. We take our role as the "honest broker" of scientific research seriously!Plastic Smog AlertAlmost a decade after the first Global Estimate of Marine Plastic Pollution, we published an updated paper: more than 170 trillion plastic particles, weighing approximately 2 million tonnes, are afloat in the world's oceans. This research made waves around the world, with more than 100 articles published in various languages, reaching millions of people and sparking conversation ahead of the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations.Better Alternatives 3.0As promising research continues to emerge around alternative materials to single-use plastic, our Better Alternatives 3.0 report offers greater transparency around their real-world behavior in the environment. We hosted a State of the Science webinar, where leading experts discussed the role novel materials can play in plastic pollution solutions and where we need to exercise caution.Sectors FrameworkThere are many unique sources of plastic pollution, such as microfibers from textiles, microplastics from agricultural practices, floating ocean plastics from fishing gear, and everyday single-use packaging. Solutions for each of these require specific designs, policy approaches, and innovation. We published a sector-based framework that will guide our research and solutions in the coming years.Microfibers: Tiny polluter, big environmental impactPlastic microfibers shed from our clothes when we wear, wash, and dry them, making their way into our air, waterways, ocean, food, and bodies. 5 Gyres continues to narrow the focus on this microscopic polluter through expeditions and symposiums with experts in the field, policy work backed by our science that proves filtration is a viable solution, and joining hands with cause partners in the sustainable fashion space to create a multi-pronged approach to tackle this problem.Setting Sale for SolutionsLeaders from the textiles sector joined us on a tall ship in September as we raised our sails and embarked on an expedition in San Francisco Bay to chart microfiber pollution solutions. An intimate crew of changemakers in the textile industry came on board with two important goals: conduct scientific research on microfibers, and foster open discussions about potential solutions.Leading LegislationOur research shows that filtration is an effective, near-term solution to reduce microfiber emissions from laundering clothing. We co-sponsored AB 1628 (McKinnor), which would have required new washing machines in California to contain a microfiber filtration system by 2029. While Governor Newsom vetoed this bill, we will continue to advocate for this solution - and more - in 2024.Building a Roadmap in 2024WOVEN is an upcoming series of convenings that will bring together leading researchers, industry innovators, and policymakers to develop comprehensive strategies for microfiber pollution. Following productive discussions on our microfiber sail, WOVEN will continue this momentum to build a roadmap for reducing microfiber emissions to the environment.

POLICY: Advocating for Real SolutionsWe believe that with better policies in place, the next generation will have a fighting chance to see climate change balanced through innovative product and packaging solutions, dedicated corporate accountability, and better consumer behavior. The 5 Gyres advocacy team engages in policy work through coalition-building on local, regional, national, and global scales. Through these networks, we advocate for better regulation of plastic usage and disposal worldwide by providing scientific data to further policy change.Testifying Before Congress5 Gyres' co-founder, Dr. Marcus Eriksen, testified before Congress about the efficacy of biomaterials and where they can play a role in the shift away from fossil fuel-based plastics, stating, "The innovation and entrepreneurship in this space gives me hope for the future."Global Plastics TreatyTo guide negotiations for an effective Global Plastics Treaty, we contributed peer-reviewed science, including our updated Global Estimate of Marine Plastic Pollution. Additionally, 5 Gyres participated in meetings with U.S. environmental NGO stakeholders to discuss strategies and supported the establishment of a potential science-policy panel.Reducing Waste in National Parks5 Gyres supported and secured 63+ co-sponsors for the Reducing Waste in National Parks Act, which would reduce and eliminate the sale and distribution of single-use plastics in national parks. This bill would address some of the most common items found across national parks during our Plastic-Free Parks campaign, including plastic bottles, bags, and utensils.

TrashBlitz: Local Data Driving Real ChangeTrashBlitz supports community science volunteers around the world in collecting data on trash that has entered the environment. Our brand new mobile app makes it easier than ever for volunteers to take part and offers greater functionality, like geotagging specific locations. This localized data helps to paint a data-driven picture of a region's trash footprint and informs 5 Gyres' science-based recommendations that help reduce plastic pollution.Plastic-Free ParksIn the second year of our national parks-focused campaign, we had nationwide volunteers log more than 8,000 pieces of trash from 32 national parks and federal lands. This data helps to identify which materials, items, and brands of waste are most common in order to work toward solutions that protect our parks. This data was even used to support the New York Attorney General's lawsuit against PepsiCo!OfficeBlitzInsight Global joined us in piloting the very first OfficeBlitz, a spinoff of our TrashBlitz program that identifies data-informed solutions to reduce waste in corporate cultures. OfficeBlitz measures the plastic pollution footprint in corporate offices and gives companies the data they need to design specific solutions.TrashBlitz Community FundBig change starts at the community level, and TrashBlitz is a proven tool to increase environmental stewardship, build coalitions, and drive policy change. Through our Community Fund, we provided funding and support for two groups to implement a TrashBlitz in their region, bringing TrashBlitz to New Orleans and the Winyah Bay Watershed in South Carolina.

AmbassadorsIn FY 2023, 5 Gyres continued to develop The Gyre, our Ambassador-focused newsletter that includes news, action items, and events for Ambassadors to get involved and take action on plastic pollution. It also serves as a way for Ambassadors to share their own work and achievements, and foster relationship-building within the community. The Gyre saw high engagement, averaging a 43% open rate and 49 clicks per newsletter throughout the year. Some accomplishments of 5 Gyres Ambassadors in FY 2023 included launching a #WashSmarter campaign in Canada to encourage microfiber filtration, hosting a zero-waste outrigger event that included a TrashBlitz cleanup, and stand-up paddling the length of the Baja Peninsula (1,000 miles) to raise awareness about plastic pollution.EducationFunds in the education department were spent towards education and movement building around reuse and refill as an alternative to single-use disposable foodware. The Education and Outreach Coordinator dedicated the majority of his time to working on bi-lingual restaurant surveying and local grassroots organizing in Los Angeles.