The Beachcomber’s Guide to Marine Debris


Book Description

This richly illustrated book serves as the ideal guide to the items that litter the world’s beaches. Forget sea shells and other fauna and flora. Here, you will find what a beachcomber is actually most likely to encounter these days: glass, plastic, wood, metal, paper, oil, and other sources of marine pollution! Complete with nearly 700 photographs, this guide shows the full range of marine debris items, each presented with insight and a pinch of humor. In addition, the author provides full details about these items. You will learn everything worth knowing about them. This includes not just their sources and decomposition stages. Discover the threat each item poses to these beautiful environments as well as prevention strategies, clean-up recommendations, alternative products, and recycling and upcycling ideas. Beyond the aesthetic issue, marine debris poses a threat to wildlife, human health, and economic welfare. This book arms you with the knowledge you need to combat these disgraceful and often hazardous eyesores. Become a beach detective! Travel the world’s most beloved tourist destinations with this ultimate beach read and help restore these fascinating environments to their natural beauty.




The Beachcomber's Guide to Marine Debris


Book Description

This richly illustrated book serves as the ideal guide to the items that litter the world's beaches. Forget sea shells and other fauna and flora. Here, you will find what a beachcomber is actually most likely to encounter these days: glass, plastic, wood, metal, paper, oil, and other sources of marine pollution! Complete with nearly 700 photographs, this guide shows the full range of marine debris items, each presented with insight and a pinch of humor. In addition, the author provides full details about these items. You will learn everything worth knowing about them. This includes not just their sources and decomposition stages. Discover the threat each item poses to these beautiful environments as well as prevention strategies, clean-up recommendations, alternative products, and recycling and upcycling ideas. Beyond the aesthetic issue, marine debris poses a threat to wildlife, human health, and economic welfare. This book arms you with the knowledge you need to combat these disgraceful and often hazardous eyesores. Become a beach detective! Travel the world's most beloved tourist destinations with this ultimate beach read and help restore these fascinating environments to their natural beauty.




Beachcomber's Guide to Gulf Coast Marine Life


Book Description

This updated guide provides the latest findings about the biology and ecology of the Gulf of Mexico.




Space and Oceans


Book Description

There is a growing concern over the ubiquitous distribution of plastic pollution that is evolving in the Beaufort Gyre in the Arctic Ocean, prompting international collaboration and new environmental measures. Marine pollution is recognised as an immediate threat to both land and marine ecosystems. Satellites have proven useful in identifying ocean plastic patches and current movements in other oceans but little research has been applied to the Arctic, a region that impacts eight countries making up the Arctic Circle. This interdisciplinary team project investigates the use of Sentinel-2, Sentinel-6, Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy, stratospheric balloons and autonomous underwater vehicles to provide an integrated strategy, including communication and outreach, to tackling marine plastic pollution while recognizing that it is necessary to also prevent plastics from entering the ocean in the first place.




Global Blue Economy


Book Description

A global blue economy is an economic arena that depends on the benefits and values realized from the coastal and marine environments. This book explains the "sustainable blue economy" as a marine-based economy that provides social and economic benefits for current and future generations. It restores, protects, and maintains the diversity, productivity, and resilience of marine ecosystems, and is based on clean technologies, renewable energy, and circular material flows.




Biodegradable Materials and Their Applications


Book Description

BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS Biodegradable materials have ascended in importance in recent years and this book comprehensively discusses all facets and applications in 29 chapters making it a one-stop shop. Biodegradable materials have today become more compulsory because of increased environmental concerns and the growing demand for polymeric and plastic materials. Despite our sincere efforts to recycle used plastic materials, they ultimately tend to enter the oceans, which has led to grave pollution. It is necessary, therefore, to ensure that these wastes do not produce any hazards in the future. This has made an urgency to replace the synthetic material with green material in almost all possible areas of application. Biodegradable Materials and Their Applications covers a wide range of subjects and approaches, starting with an introduction to biodegradable material applications. Chapters focus on the development of various types of biodegradable materials with their applications in electronics, medicine, packaging, thermoelectric generations, protective equipment, films/coatings, 3D printing, disposable bioplastics, agriculture, and other commercial sectors. In biomedical applications, their use in the advancement of therapeutic devices like temporary implants, tissue engineering, and drug delivery vehicles are summarized. Audience Materials scientists, environmental and sustainability engineers, and any other researchers and graduate students associated with biodegradable materials.




The Essential Guide to Beachcombing and the Strandline


Book Description

Immerse yourself in the beachcombing experience; the wind in your face, the smell of salt spray, the roar of the ocean; it’s an assault on the senses, the perfect tonic. From time immemorial people have been drawn to the beach to collect practical resources as well as mysterious objects that have fuelled myth and folklore – it is our inherent hunter-gatherer instinct. The beach strandline is also a wildlife habitat, home to a unique community of plants and animals, many found nowhere else. They create a rich and ever-changing oasis of life in the otherwise harsh environment of the beach. Whether you are a seasoned beachcomber, a casual visitor or an enthusiastic naturalist, this book is for you. It will satisfy your curiosity about each treasure found cast up on the beach, be it a pretty seashell or an exotic ocean voyager. ​​​​​​​• Descriptions of common and rare beach finds, both natural and man-made • Clear photographs showing objects and species as found on the strandline and in their natural habitat • Suggestions for family activities related to beachcombing • A comprehensive account of the living flora and fauna of the beach strandline • Information on threats and conservation measures for the marine and coastal environment







The Ultimate Guide to Sea Glass


Book Description

As the owner of one of the world's most elaborate sea glass collections, Mary Beth Beuke gets to talk about these prized ocean gems on a daily basis. Unfortunately, with each passing day, sea glass becomes more and more difficult to find, making the hunt more of a challenge to the seeker—especially one with limited experience in sea glass hunting. There are several reasons why the hunt is so important to the sea glass seeker. Some find their Zen moments in the solitude and beauty of the hunt. Some collect to add color to their lives. The history, mystery, and discovery of sea glass are also strong forces that draw collectors to shorelines around the world, looking for these pieces of physically and chemically weathered frosted glass. Whatever your reason for wanting to learn about and start your own collection of sea glass, the window for doing so is closing as pieces are becoming more elusive due to a growth in sea glass popularity and a decrease in recent glass bottle production. In The Ultimate Guide to Sea Glass: Beach Comber’s Edition, Beuke provides information that will help first-time seekers start new collections and veteran hunters learn more about their current sets. Take this manual with you as you search for your own collection and make notes about what you find along the way.




The Beachcomber's Guide to Seashore Life in the Pacific Northwest


Book Description

The Pacific Northwest coast is home to one of the most diverse displays of intertidal marine life in the world, including sponges, clams, snails, crabs, sea stars, sea anemones, jellies, fishes, seaweeds and more. The New Beachcomber’s Guide to the Pacific Northwest is a portable and easy-to-use reference for searching out and identifying the hundreds of species of seashore life found on the beaches of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Northern California and Southeast Alaska. Covering the Pacific Northwest’s most common shoreline-dwelling flora and fauna, the guide gives in each entry a detailed description of appearance and habitat accompanied by colour photos for easy identification of any creature you might encounter as you explore your local beach. Simple but essential information on tides and the various habitats within the intertidal zones is also provided to assist beachcombers in exploring safely with minimal ecological impact. The New Beachcomber’s Guide even contains up-to-date descriptions of the best beachcombing sites and when to visit them—you may even find your new favourite exploration grounds! Thoroughly revised and packed with handy and accessible information, this guide belongs in the beach bag or backpack of any avid naturalist, amateur beachcomber or adventurous family.