Have you ever wondered what is being done to clean up the large collection of trash in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? That will be the focus of a special-topic presentation in September for our Discovery Lecture Series.
Tenille Maher will present “Journey to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch: Confronting the World’s Largest Ocean Cleanup Challenge” on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 6 p.m.
In her discussion, Maher will provide a brief history of “The Ocean Cleanup” and will share her recent experience onboard one of the cleanup vessels, giving guests an idea of what it was like to be on a ship collecting tons of garbage from the sea with videos and photos of marine debris extractions. She also will bring some of her findings from the Garbage Patch for display.
Maher lived in Bethune Beach from 2017-2022, and co-founded the nonprofit, Beach Relief — orchestrating local beach cleanups and working with various environmental initiatives, as well as collaborating with other local groups for events. Beach Relief focuses on environmental cleanups on trails, parks, beaches and forests and is focused on keeping plastic and other trash out of water bodies. The nonprofit organizes community cleanups and hosts educational activities to raise awareness about plastic pollution.
After a 15-year career in healthcare software, Maher pursued her passion for the ocean by launching Beach Relief. That passion sparked a new seafaring interest and for the last 2½ years, she has worked on various vessels and cleanup projects in eastern and northern Canada, New York City, and on a transatlantic crossing with a port of call in Bermuda.
Maher also was onboard the MV/Polar Prince in 2022 for a Pristine Seas/National Geographic expedition to various marine conservation sites across the Arctic and Subarctic. Her deep commitment to the environment and beach cleanups made working with Rotterdam-based The Ocean Cleanup a top priority.
MDC’s Discovery Lecture Series is typically held on the first Thursday of each month; however this lecture has been added as a special topic in addition to our regular monthly lectures. The lectures are open to the public at no charge, but donations to the center are always appreciated. Pre-registration is required and may be done online or by phone at 386.428.4828.
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