[the microdOcean] Plastic Free Week 3: Caring for community and the impact of plastic chemicals on turtle health with Caitlin Smith

We are halfway through Plastic Free July and I'm so proud of all of you!! I'm so excited you've been keeping up with these episodes, and I hope you've learned a few things and are eager to expand your plastic awareness beyond yourself this week, because it's all about caring for our community. Additionally we speak to Caitlin Smith, a PhD student at University of Sunshine Coast using biomonitoring tools to study the impacts of chemical exposure and toxicity on turtle health due to plastic ingestion.

NOTE: Blog post for this week is delayed until the end of the week unfortunately!

IN THIS EPISODE:

•  [1:36] Challenge - Week 3
• [4:05] Remember that viral video with a turtle that had a straw stuck in its nose? Turns out it might not be the only problem we should be concerned about
• [5:35] What are some of the other major dangers associated with plastic debris?
• [8:33] What are some of the novel methods being used in Caitlin's research?
• [12:22] Plastics were found in a human fetus!
• [13:23] What does it mean that Caitlin is finding plastics in external tissues of turtles?
• [15:56] What are Caitlin's hope in this space moving forward?
• [17:15] What even are biodegradable plastics?
• [19:00] What does Caitlin's research mean for the future of turtle populations?

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