December 11, 2014
Ocean Roundup: Humpback Whales Frequenting New York City Waters, Oceans House Over 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces, and More
– A new study has but a number on the amount of plastic floating in the oceans: at least 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic, weighing nearly 269,000 tons, are floating around the oceans. The team found that tiny plastic pieces made up the majority of the plastic in the oceans. Smithsonian
– Humpback whales are appearing more frequently around New York City waters than in years ever before, with 106 sightings so far this year. Scientists say the spike could be from cleaner waters, changes in the whales’ behavior, or other causes. BBC
– A new study found that the Chesapeake Bay’s tributaries have warmed by more than two degrees over the past 50 years. This finding could halt Bay clean-up efforts, as warmer waters allow for some nutrients, like phosphorous, to build faster. The Washington Post
Long Read:
– Ocean temperatures have experienced record highs this year through October, and warming oceans are leading to more intense storms and weather patterns. The Philippines, for example, has been slammed with powerful typhoons over the past year. Climate Central
– Climate change is severely threatening many island nations, from Tuvalu to the Marshall Islands and the Maldives, as many of these nations are just a few feet above sea level. These islands nations are so threatened from climate change that they’ve been called “the canary in the coal mine” of climate change. Bloomberg