Plastics and other debris from the North Pacific Gyre are unloaded from the Ocean Voyages Institute sailing cargo ship Kwai in Sausalito, California, Wednesday, July 27, 2022. 

Cleaning up the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’

Full Episode

Plastics and other debris from the North Pacific Gyre are unloaded from the Ocean Voyages Institute sailing cargo ship Kwai in Sausalito, California, July 27, 2022. 

Eric Risberg/AP

Eradicating the swirling gyre of plastic trash in the Pacific Ocean has been the longtime goal of Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit group. On Monday, in Victoria, British Colombia, the group took a big step forward, hauling 120,000 pounds of plastic out of the ocean using retrofitted fishing trawlers and specialized nets. And, Bernardo Arévalo upset Guatemala’s political establishment by clenching his country’s presidency this past weekend. But he faces a tough task ahead. Also, in Ecuador, a peaceful snap presidential election took place over the weekend amid an unprecedented security crisis that has left three politicians assassinated in less than a month. Plus, an artist’s fake green card project inspires conversations about US citizenship.

In This Episode

Cleaning up the Pacific Garbage Patch — one trawler at a time
Sails may be the future of cargo shipping
Three women in red soccer uniforms holding their hands up with a trophy
Spain made history with Women’s World Cup victory — despite team tensions
Special Coverage
Guatemalan anti-corruption crusader wins in a landslide
Pressure heightens for India’s lunar landing after Russian mission failure
Ecuador elections headed to runoff in October
The politics of shelter after Turkey’s earthquake
event gathering
In Kyrgyzstan, a fight to keep alive the memory of a century-old rebellion against Russia
Special Coverage
Artists’ fake green card project inspires conversations about US citizenship