Skip The Plastic

06/23/2026

https://environmentamerica.org/texas/center/resources/2026ippcreport/

Volunteers collected over a million plastic pellets across 249 sites during a month long event in May.

06/23/2026

The Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) has an opening for a full-time Marine Debris Specialist! If you’re passionate about environmental stewardship, coastal education, and contributing impactful data, they’d love to hear from you!

Location: The University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, TX

Why Join the Team?
- Conduct regular surveys and assessments in locations with high concentrations of marine debris
- In doing so, help protect vulnerable species like sea turtles and birds from the negative effects of marine debris
- Harness your creative side to build educational materials regarding marine debris
- Conduct outreach and education programming to raise awareness about marine debris and encourage environmental stewardship
- Collaborate with a mission-driven, supporting team

Apply today or share with someone who would be a great fit!
https://marinescience.utexas.edu/about-department/job-opportunities

05/28/2026

https://thetexasdispatch.com/san-jose-island-beach-cleanup-plastic-pollution-2026/

A May 2026 cleanup by Surfrider and Mission-Aransas NERR pulled 1,430 pounds of trash from a San Jose Island jetty, where 95% of the litter was plastic.

05/23/2026

Much of the plastic pollution in waterbodies comes from packaging. A New Earth Project aims to rid the world's oceans, lakes, and rivers of this trash.

Hearing well-known surfers share their first-hand accounts of the rise in ocean pollution was the catalyst for us to tackle this crisis by offering sustainable packaging solutions and a catalog of New Earth Approved packaging products.

05/22/2026

TCEQ is failing to prohibit the release of plastic pollution in Formosa Plastic's permit terms, even though Formosa itself requested a zero-discharge limit for visible plastic pollution in its permit application.

“TCEQ provided no good reason for backtracking on protections against plastic pollution,” said Diane Wilson, executive director of SABEW. “Formosa has repeatedly polluted these bays for years. Matagorda Bay deserves better.”

MATAGORDA BAY Texas – San Antonio Bay Estuarine Waterkeeper (SABEW) and Environment Texas Research & Policy Center submitted a letter this week asking state regulators to hold a public meeting and a contested case hearing (a formal legal proceeding similar to a trial) over a proposed wastewater pe...

04/22/2026

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/04/260417085404.htm

That “magic” sponge under your sink may be hiding an environmental downside. While melamine sponges are famous for effortlessly scrubbing away stubborn stains, they slowly break down as you use them—shedding tiny plastic fibers that wash into water systems. Researchers estimate that globally, ...

04/19/2026

The ARK responds to both live and deceased sea turtle reports. Live strandings are admitted to rehabilitation. Deceased turtles are documented and as much data is gathered as possible.

Yesterday, one of our volunteers recovered a deceased Green Sea Turtle from the Port Aransas South Jetty. Upon internal examination, all of this various manmade material was found in a part of her GI tract. While this was very unlikely to be the sole cause of death for this animal, it’s an important reminder of how our wildlife is affected by debris in our oceans.

Plastic doesn’t disappear, it just breaks down and gets smaller and smaller for wildlife to ingest. Several various plastics were found in this turtle, including some portions of labeling, one written in Spanish and one in Portuguese.

When these plastic pieces mix with sargassum and seagrasses that turtles eat, it becomes easily ingested.

Over time plastics accumulating in the digestive tracts of animals caused blockages, malnutrition, and various other complications.

04/14/2026

One hundred Texan health professionals sent a letter today to Governor Abbott, voicing concerns about microplastic pollution and its potential effects on human health. The letter calls on the state to establish a task force to investigate the public health risks associated with microplastics, and to adopt measures to halt the further release of microplastics from factories into the environment.

Nearly one hundred Texas doctors and health professionals sent a letter to Gov. Abbott today asking him to take steps to protect public health from the threat of microplastics.

04/12/2026

Great tips for reducing plastic use in your home one room at a time!
www.sierraclub.org/Sierra/plastic-free-guide-room-by-room

And other tips for living a more sustainable life