microbeads | Ecology Center

Listen Now: Audio Recording from Panel Event “Plastics: The Rising Tide”

August 2, 2016 by Ecology Center

We recently hosted a panel event as part of Plastic-Free July to bring together knowledgable advocates to discuss big issues of plastic pollution, recycling, and solutions. This event’s point of departure: worldwide consumption of plastic continues to rise and our strategies for dealing with plastic waste are simply not keeping up. The panel of experts… Read more »

Close to Home: San Francisco Bay Teems with Microplastic Pollution

September 23, 2015 by Ecology Center

A new study by the San Francisco Estuary Institute shows that millions of pieces of plastic are entering the bay every day, contaminating wildlife and moving toxins up the food chain. At least 3.9 million pieces of plastic are coming into the bay daily from the waste water treatment plants. These tiny particles are coming… Read more »

Why Is there Plastic in this Soap?

July 22, 2015 by Ecology Center

Microbeads are tiny pieces of plastic that are used in bodycare products like toothpaste and face washes to help scrub (and begs the question: why?!). After they do the job that natural alternatives have done for thousands of years, they get washed down the drain. These tiny pieces of plastic are so small, water treatment… Read more »

Plastic-Free July Update: Shoreline Clean-Up Collects 2028 Pieces of Litter!

July 20, 2015 by Ecology Center

We gathered on a beautiful Saturday morning at Berkeley’s Shorebird Park Nature Center to learn more about the San Francisco Bay, and lend a hand for the shoreline cleanup. City of Berkeley staff member Loren began with a brief history of the Bay, reminding us of a previous proposal to fill it in entirely! Due… Read more »

Plastic-Free July: Events & Actions for Body, Home, and Planet

June 22, 2015 by Ecology Center

This July, the Ecology Center, along with an array of cosponsors, will be hosting Plastic-Free July, a series of events for community members to learn, take action, get tips on reducing plastic waste, and connect with others who are concerned about the global problem of plastic pollution. Plastic-Free July is an annual event that began… Read more »