5 GYRES INSTITUTE
PO Box 5699, Santa Monica, CA 90409 www.5gyres.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: The 5 Gyres Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, with a global network of supporters united in the pursuit of a planet free of plastic pollution. 5 Gyres mission is to empower action against the global health crisis of plastic pollution through science, education, and adventure. 5 Gyres North Star goal is to stop the flow of plastic pollution from source to sea by 2028.

5 Gyres mission is to empower action against the global health crisis of plastic pollution through science, education, and adventure.

Science5 Gyres uses science-based information to provide solutions for plastic pollution. We have published over 12 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In 2019, we released our BAN list 2.0 report, which addressed the Top 20 worst offenders of single-use plastic items across the US, and shed insights on a o biodegradability case study using bioplastics. We also launched our first city-wide TrashBlitz pilot project in May 2019 across 15 municipalities in Los Angeles. As a citizen-science led project, we developed methods and protocols based on the UN's Global protocols (GESAMP) as well as devised our own web-based application called the TrashBlitz App. During our pilot project in Los Angeles, we collected and analyzed over 100,000 items of trash to hand-deliver a report to the 15 stakeholders in each district. In collaboration with CIEL, we contributed to a comprehensive report to share our expertise on the issues of Plastics & Climate Change. Here we discussed the potential CO2 emissions derived from ocean plastic pollution.

TrashBlitzTrashBlitz takes a unique approach by engaging diverse stakeholders in collectinglocal data to better understand the source of the problem in a direct, hands-on way.This data is then leveraged to promote plastic pollution solutions that are locallyrelevant.Officially launched in Los Angeles, we created a movement and rallied over 25 localorganizations to collect a robust, city-wide, trash audit data set. Using our newweb-based application, over a three week period we collected and tracked over100,000 items of trash in 110 sample sites across 15 municipal districts. We then hosteda Solutions Summit to talk about next steps based on data collected, givingparticipants a different way to stay engaged and be a part of the solution.

EducationTRASH ACADEMY & LA ACADEMIA DE BASURA SEASON 1In response to COVID-19, we launched Trash Academy and La Academia deBasura utilizing our NGSS-correlated curriculum to create short, actionablelessons that families could enjoy together. By presenting in both Spanish andEnglish, we are better able to provide cultural relevance to the plastic pollutionissue as it relates to the environmental justice and local frontline communitiesimpacted by plastic pollution. We also use 5 Gyres research in these lessons toincrease public knowledge of the social, economic, and ecological harm causedby the toxicity of plastics as well as promote scientifically-informed solutionsto the interconnected challenges we face in the plastic pollution crisis.EXPANDLA PARTNERSHIP WITH LAUSDFUNDED BY THE ELI AND EDYTHBROAD FOUNDATIONOver 10 weeks in the fall of 2020, 5 Gyres taught and recorded 50 live classesof environmental science courses to 150 students and their families. Thesecourses integrated education, advocacy, and community science with the 5 Gyres curriculum into a multi-phased educational platform that served the needs of K-5 students and their communities during the pandemic.

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