Concern over ocean pollution often focuses on major disasters such as oil spills, but this documentary by Scott Elliott reminds us of less newsworthy sources of damage, like bits of plastic discarded on land that find their way to the sea via various routes. Into the Gyre follows a federally funded expedition aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer—a 135-foot brigantine sailing ship operated by the Massachusetts-based Sea Education Association—to the Sargasso Sea east of Bermuda, an area formed by the North Atlantic Gyre where circular currents and still waters allow for the accumulation of debris from great distances. The locale offers a “worst scenario” snapshot of a wider phenomenon. Over the course of 35 days in 2010, a crew of 34 sailors, scientists, and volunteer researchers mapped, collected, and counted the plastic found at the site—both on and below the surface. Next, they brought samples of fragments back to shore for scientific examination, which revealed that the recuperative properties of the ocean were already at work—microbes found on many pieces would, over time, break down the plastics and render them less harmful. But experts warn that the sheer quantity of material is likely to overwhelm whatever relief the seas can afford, unless efforts are made to stem the flow. Combining footage from the expedition, interviews with participants, and observations from scientists performing data analysis, Into the Gyre is an accessible and compelling cautionary documentary on a pressing environmental problem. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)
Into the Gyre
(2012) 44 min. DVD: $14.99, Blu-ray: $29.99 (DVD or Blu-ray: $199.99 w/PPR: institutions). 590films. Volume 30, Issue 1
Into the Gyre
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