Dear Friends of 5 Gyres,

Happy World Oceans Day! The ocean is fundamental to who we are at 5 Gyres. More than a decade ago, we set off to find out how much plastic is in the ocean. Since then, our team has explored 50,000 nautical miles on 19 research expeditions, from Indonesian islands to the Canadian Arctic.

But the most important discovery in more recent years is that plastic isn't just an ocean problem. Although it has infiltrated the sea and harms countless marine species, that's just the tip of the iceberg.  Plastic pollutes at every stage of its life cycle - from oil extraction, to the leaching of toxic chemicals during use, to final disposal where it will remain forever in one form or another.

That's why this newsletter, on World Oceans Day, spans from the mountains of U.S. National Parks to the remote beaches of Honduras. It's all connected when it comes to plastic pollution.

- Team 5 Gyres