MIT Libraries homeMIT Libraries logoDSpace@MIT

MIT
View Item 
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Theses - Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies
  • Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies - Master's degree
  • View Item
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Theses - Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies
  • Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies - Master's degree
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

The unfinished miracle : how plastics came to be lost at sea

Author(s)
Martinez, Amanda Rose
Thumbnail
DownloadFull printable version (2.874Mb)
Alternative title
How plastics came to be lost at sea
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Graduate Program in Science Writing.
Advisor
Philip J. Hilts.
Terms of use
M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
Plastic trash is an increasingly significant source of pollution in the world's oceans. In some remote ocean regions, it is aggregating by the ton. This thesis investigates plastic trash as an emerging marine contaminant, with a specific focus on: the history of plastic trash in the ocean; areas of aggregation; potential sources; remediation efforts; behavior of the material in terms of degradation in the marine environment; impacts to sea life and marine ecosystems; and scientific research, both ongoing and planned, that will attempt to determine further potential impacts to marine ecosystems and human health. The second part of this inquiry provides a brief explanation of what plastics are, the history of plastic polymer development and the significance of the material's incredible contributions to society. It explores briefly the growing social backlash against plastic as a result of the publicized impacts of plastic ocean trash, and concludes with an argument, which states that the problem of plastic marine pollution is not due to the nature of the material itself, but rather lies in the ways we have chosen to use it.
Description
Thesis (S.M. in Science Writing)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Graduate Program in Science Writing, 2010.
 
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
 
Includes bibliographical references (p. 28-31).
 
Date issued
2010
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/60842
Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Graduate Program in Science Writing.
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Graduate Program in Science Writing.

Collections
  • Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies - Master's degree
  • Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies - Master's degree

Browse

All of DSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

My Account

Login

Statistics

OA StatisticsStatistics by CountryStatistics by Department
MIT Libraries homeMIT Libraries logo

Find us on

Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube RSS

MIT Libraries navigation

SearchHours & locationsBorrow & requestResearch supportAbout us
PrivacyPermissionsAccessibility
MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Content created by the MIT Libraries, CC BY-NC unless otherwise noted. Notify us about copyright concerns.