World Oceans Day

  Single-use Plastic . A cheap convenience has rapidly become a global crisis.⁣ ⁣ Understand The problem of plastic waste⁣ Plastic's health & environmental impacts⁣ Solutions for reducing plastic pollution⁣ ⁣The Global Plastics Treaty is a proposed legally binding UN instrument to end plastic pollution by addressing the full life cycle of plastics , from production to disposal. After a final round of negotiations in August 2025 ( INC-5.2 ) concluded without a full agreement due to divisions on key issues like production caps versus waste management , future talks are needed to finalize the treaty. The treaty aims to establish common global standards, promote a circular economy, and implement measures like bans on problematic products, improved design, and extended producer responsibility. The World Resource Institute .

Each month, we share three pieces of ocean science news that caught our eye: Researchers uncover the cause of the devastating sea star wasting disease epidemic , bringing hope for sunflower sea stars and kelp forests. Over the past ten years, this epidemic has killed 90% of the global population of sunflower sea stars (Pycnopodia helianthoides), severely impacting kelp forests—key marine ecosystems that support biodiversity and coastal communities. Ocean air may help to live longer : a new study by the University of Ohio found that people in coastal regions enjoy life expectancies a year or more above the U.S. average, while city dwellers near inland rivers and lakes may face shorter lifespans. Researchers suggest the difference comes from environmental and social factors: cleaner air, cooler summers, recreation opportunities, and higher incomes near the coasts versus pollution, poverty, and flood risks inland . The findings reveal that not all “blue spaces” are equal, challenging ...